Start EXc not found

[LDaveM]

Win98SE had a bug removed it now can't find 'start.exe. Program needed to run apps.
Where can I find this?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[edfair]

Goes in w..\command. Extract it, maybe?


Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[LDaveM]

Thanks Ed.
Extract it from where? and a little instruction would help too.
Dave

 

[smah]

HOW TO: Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

And according to this, the file can be found in win98_46.cab

 

[LDaveM]

Tried "sfc" same message came up, ""start.exe"" locate.
Any more ideas?
Dave

 

[tsuji]

Hello LDaveM,

Do you have the win98 cd-rom ready or have it copied to some where on the harddisk?

Start.exe is in win98_42.cab for 98fe and win98_46.cab for 98se.

This is the command line:

extract /Y /A /E /L c:\windows\command [COLOR=green]e:\win98\win98_42.cab[/color] start.exe

(Edit the path to the cab file, colored green up there. Also I start the search extract from _42 for convenience valid for fe & se---you've not told us the edition of your win98.)

regards - tsuji

 

[LDaveM]

Tsuji,
Win98 SE.
Tried the command and it said that it couldn't extract the file. Found the CAB and the file in win98 folder in CD that was on the hard drive. Right click and extracted it to "windows\System" The file was extracted, but after reboot the same message appears.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[tsuji]

LDaveM,

...Then, you get me seriously wonder.

[1] The commandline does not work?! I'm not convinced.
[2] Whatever way, my understanding is that you get your start.exe at the right folder reachable by path setting. Is it correct?
[3] You said "after reboot the same message appears". Do you mean right after boot complete? or you mean after reboot the system and after evoking some application which needs start.exe the message appears?
[3.1] If it is during or right after the booting, except you have some logon script, I would seiously be concerned and would do virus scan on the system. It shouldn't be.
[3.2] If it is some kind of application, can you describe what kind of application?

- tsuji

 

[LDaveM]

After reboot, login the "Program not found" Windows cannot find start.exe. The program is needed for opening files type of operation."
I did a search for "start.exe" and found it in "windows/system". I them located the file and now black windows flash on the screen. No apps can run.
Thanks.
Dave

 

[tsuji]

LDaveM,

Sorry for the mishap! Really you should do a virus scan, if not possible in windows gui, do it after boot to dos using dos-based virus scan.

- tsuji

 

[LDaveM]

Well, plug the hard drive into another computer as a slave, ran antiviru and trojan scan. No bugs.
Any more ideas? If not I'll have to reformat and reload.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[nicksax]

LDaveM,
Did you have any luck?
Exactly the same thing happened to me.
No viruses found and replacing start.exe had no effect. Just a quick flash of a dos window.
Applications start ok by clicking on associated files (if you have any) but not by clicking on the application.

 

[tsuji]

Hello LDaveM & nicksax,

Take a look into the exe file's shell setting.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\exefile\shell]
@=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\exefile\shell\open]
@=""
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

In particular the last key setting. Some virus fix need to restore that setting. But, it seems virus never been mentioned and the system is clean for you, so I don't know... Take a look first.

regards - tsuji

 

[nicksax]

Thanks tsuji,
But, excuse me for being dim, how can I run regedit if I can't start any application?

 

[tsuji]

nicksax,

Rename regedit.exe to regedit.com. Use .exe or .com to export the set of key from booting to dos.

- tsuji

 

[nicksax]

Thanks Tsuji
Sorted
The virus presumably changed the registry before being caught.

 

[tsuji]

nicksax,

Thanks for the feedback.

May I ask what your virus had changed that value to? Can you post it for my reference, if you have inspected it before rectifying it?

- tsuji

 

[nicksax]

tsuji,

Sorry, can't remember exactly but it inserted (before "%1" %*) a string something like:
windows/start menu/programs/startup/msupdate.exe

Checking with Symantec it was probably a W32.Protride.Worm.

Hope that's helpful

Nick

 

[tsuji]

nicksax,

Thanks for posting, Nick. I appreciate it.

- tsuji

 

[joslincomputer]

Guys,

I just had a very similar "cannot find start.exe" message with any application I tried to click on and I fixed it by reloading Windows 98SE on top of Windows 98SE. I had to start from DOS to do the reload since Windows wouldn't execute anything. After that, no problem.

-joslincomputer