Unable To Open exe files in Windows (Solved)

When you attempt to start a program that has an .exe file extension, the program may not start, and you may receive one of the following error messages:

Windows cannot find FILES32.VXD. This program is needed for opening files of type "Application".

-or-

Path to program is not a valid Windows application

Your desktop may appear to be blank. Also, the problem occurs many times when you restart your computer. Even after an anti-virus program has indicated it has cleaned the virus, the registry entry described in the "Resolution" section of this article is still in the registry.

This issue may be caused by the Pretty Park virus. The Pretty Park virus creates the Files32.vxd file, and then copies the Files32.vxd file to the Windows\System folder of your computer. Also, the Pretty Park virus modifies a registry key that causes the Files32.vxd file to run when you attempt to run any program that has an .exe file extension.

Solution

When you run the Regedit.exe file, you may experience the symptoms described in the "Symptoms" section of this article. To work around this issue, rename the Regedit.exe file to Regedit.com, and then follow the instructions described in this section. After you are finished, rename the Regedit.com file back to Regedit.exe.

Use Registry Editor to view and modify the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Exefile\Shell\Open\Command

Double-click the following registry string value:

<NO NAME>: REG_SZ: "files32.vxd" "%1" %*

In the String box, remove Files32.vxd from the string. The correct string for this value is:

"%1" %*

NOTE: The registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Exefile\Shell\Open\Command may also contact the same string value; therefore you must also modify this key to remove Files32.vxd from the string. When you remove Files32.vxd from the string, if a space is included, you may receive a "Windows cannot find .exe" message when you attempt to run an .exe file. Verify that there are no extra spaces in the string after you remove Files32.vxd. 

Click OK, and then quit Registry Editor.

Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.

In the Named box, type files32.vxd, and then click Find Now

In the Name box, right-click the Files32.vxd file, and then click Delete.