Unable to Start a Program with an .exe File Extension

Here's a fix for issues wherein you are unable to launch any programs with a .exe extension. Usually this happens if the system was infected by a spyware or malware.

Here are the steps:

1. Open notepad
2. Copy the following in notepad:

“RepairEXE.REG”
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe\shell\open\command]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\secfile\shell\open\command]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\shell\open\command]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe]
@="exefile"
"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\secfile]

3. Then save that file as a registry file key by saving it as Repair.exe.REG
4. Double click on the registry key we just created and when prompted with a message just click yes
5. Restart system then try launching your programs.