IE Shortcut on start menu opens "Open With" dialogue box

[chromarog]

I just recovered from duking it out with "XP Antivirus Pro" spyware and I think I got it, however, when I try to start Internet Explorer from the Start Menu in XP I get the "Open With" dialogue box. I can browse to the program files\internet explorer... exe but it will not work. It never shows up in the Open With list. I can see the exe in the directory, (I have hidden/system files viewable) and I can start IE by double clicking the exe, I can even start it up with shortcuts on my desktop, but the actual Internet Explorer system shortcut does not work. (The one that when you right click you can view IE Options)

What registry key do I need to look at for this little problem?

 

[kjv1611]

I'd say delete the shortcut from the start menu, and recreate it. You can right-click on the exe, then choose create shortcut, and then move the new shortcut to the start menu... or you can hold the Alt key, and then click and drag the exe - this will create a shortcut as well.

 

[smah]

You haven't mentined wich verions of IE, and even though your problem isn't related to an upgrade, try the Fix It tool in this KB Article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929867

Do all other applications and .exe files work properly? or are all exe's a problem?

 

[chromarog]

Oops, forgot about that part. It's IE7. And I did try the support link and no good. It still does the same thing.

Kjv, the shortcut creation is just as good, the only problem is the shortcut that windows puts in the start menu has that Microsoft shortcut where when you right click, instead of the regular shell right click menu, there are only the three options, "Browse the Internet", "Internet Properties", and "Remove from the List". The internet properties are pretty important as I check and have to dink with the internet properties just about every day.

The bizarre thing is that the right click lets me go into internet properties, so the function that fires up that box works, but "Browse the Internet" is not associated with IExplorer. I'm going to scour the registry again and see if I can't find the key.

I appreciate the help, keep the suggestions coming.

 

[kjv1611]

Oh, I think I know what you need to do then.... sorry, didn't realize what you were asking fully, I don't think... or just didn't click in my brain.

What happened, likely, is someone accidentally clicked something at some point in time, or click and dragged the internet icon off the place it's supposed to be.

Here's how to get it back:
Start menu
Right-click on a portion that's not an actual link to anything, select Properties, then on Start Menu tab, click "Customize".

On the next menu, you should have options to show/not show "Internet".

The other possibility is that you've got it showing, but you selected a default browser other than Internet Explorer, and so now it (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera) is showing instead of Internet Explorer in the top position of your start menu.

 

[chromarog]

I've tried the start menu properties of showing and not showing, thinking that it would reset all the registry settings but no dice. The Internet Explorer Icon pops back up in the Start Menu but I still get the Open With dialogue box.

My guess when this virus gets it's hooks into your system, it changes your Internet Explorer Icon to do something freaky and when the virus is removed, it removes the crap that it jacked up with the internet explorer icon and it now it's confused on what it's default action is supposed to be. I'm looking for that registry entry to fix it.

The computer is on a domain, so if I log in with a different account, there was no trace of this virus, it only showed up for the user that was logged in. So if I log in with the local admin account, the icon works fine, it's just when I'm logged in with my domain account, (which has local admin rights to the computer).

The quick fix to this is just remove it and create another shortcut to IE. But when you right click on the Internet Explorer icon in the start menu, you get a different set of options rather than right clicking on another icon.

 

[kjv1611]

What about a reinstall of Internet Explorer? Of course a repair install of the whole system should correct it, but a reinstall of Internet Explorer only, may take care of the issue.

 

[DTracy]

You might try just creating a new user profile for this person. It's easy, fast, and if the administator profile still works ok then no software reinstall is necessary.

Regards,
David.

 

[countzerouk]

You need to restore the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\IEXPLORE.EXE key from a backup or another machine

 

[Zipster]

Hi,

Doesn't accessing Internet Options in the control panel have the same effect as right-clicking the IE icon and selecting Internet Properties?

Might be easier than messing with shortcuts, etc?

Computer repairs in London rebootthat.com

 

[karlisi]

Had such problems many times, virus modified entries for Start menu shortcuts in registry, You should correct it manually. Follow instructions on this page, step 2

http://www.spywareremove.com/removeAvexe.html

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Karlis
ECDL; MCSA