Windows 10: Accidentally change my exefile to exefil on Windows 10. How do I change it back?

I accidentally changed the .exe registry from exefile to exefil after following someone’s instructions on the web. Now windows keep prompting me how to open .exe file. I try typing cmd and regidit but keep asking prompting me how to open. How donI change it back to exefile? Appreciate your help. Thank you.

:)

 

Cannot run any exe file after setting registry default value=exefile

Hi,

I was having problems running some specific exe files so I found on this site the suggestion to check if the default value for the.exe files was set to "exefile".

Indeed it was not so I input exefile. The other default values were ok.

BUT NOW I CAN'T RUN ANY EXE FILE! not even regedit, cmd prompt or powershell. Not even from the win+X menu. This means I can't go check what is

inside the registry.

i can still run apps by opening files: for example i can open VLC by opening an mp3 and choosing open with from the context menu.

I additionally reset the application association to the default hoping it would help but instead all it did was rendering all my app icons as white sheets. So now I can't even tell one exe from the other!

Please help. Any suggestion on how to solve this without resetting?

Thanks a lot

Nico

[Moved from: Windows / Windows 10 / Windows settings]

 

Accidentally changed .exe files

Most of the times it happens when you accidentally change .Exe file type settings from Folder Options. Sometimes it might happen due to virus.

Anyway no need to worry. Here is a solution which will fix this annoying problem:

1. Open Command Prompt by typing command in RUN dialog box.

2. Now provide following command:

3. It'll activate Windows folder. Now provide following command to open Registry Editor:

4. Now goto following key:

In right-side pane, change value of Default key to exefile

5. Now goto:

In right-side pane, change value of Default key to:

6. Thats it. Now exit Registry Editor and restart your Windows. Now you should be able to open EXE files without any problem.

 

Accidentally changed .exe files

Not sure how you got a File Explorer window open. But if you can get in there, the following may work. I tested the first part on my machine.

Some .exe.files will still launch successfully with their extension changed to .com --- which has an identical open command as .exe.

• Male sure Explorer is set to show file extension.
• Copy cmd.exe from C:\Windows\System32 and paste it in a folder under your user profile (I used the Desktop).
• Rename to cmd.com. Then you can launch it.
• Use the Reg Query & Reg Add commands to make the necessary changes. Get help for these commands by tying Reg /?
• Here's what the correct keys look like:
  
  C:\>reg query HKCR\.exe
  
  HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe
  
  (Default) REG_SZ exefile
  
  Content Type REG_SZ application/x-msdownload
  
  HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\PersistentHandler
  
  C:\>reg query HKCR\exefile\shell\open\command
  
  HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command
  
  (Default) REG_SZ "%1" %*
  
  IsolatedCommand REG_SZ "%1" %*
• The only tricky part will be getting the quotes inside a quoted string. You have to precede the interior quotes with a backslash. Here's an example adding a value named MyTest to txtfile:

C:\>reg query HKCR\txtfile\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\open\command

(Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1

C:\>reg add HKCR\txtfile\shell\open\command /v MyTest /d "\"%1\" %*"

The operation completed successfully.
C:\>reg query HKCR\txtfile\shell\open\command

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\open\command

(Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1

MyTest REG_SZ "%1" %*

Good Luck,

Keith