1

Problem: I tried to start "JDiskReport 1-4" and it did not find javaw.exe so I let it search for the javaw.exe meanwhile I was installing Java 8 RE. It found a javaw.exe and then I pressed "Fix it" which seems not to have gone so well. After Java was installed all icons on shortcuts became Java icons. I then uninstalled Java, then the shortcuts had no icon at all any longer.

[our company or rather IBM who handles our PCs have their own way of updating java which i (a bit thoughtlessly) circumvented by installing directly from oracle]

The symptoms are that some .exe-files cannot be run (it seems to depend on where they are located), for the ones that do not run I either get File not found or Access denied.

E.g. If I use another program that works (totalcmd.exe) and try to start a program say C:\Windows\cmd.exe I get Access denied.

E.g. right-clicking on the taskbar to start task manager yields File not found showing the correct path but somehow still not finding it. Doing "Start/cmd.exe" gives the same error. Seems all programs under the windows directory gives me Access denied and any program under Program Files also gives me Access denied.

The user I have is a domain user, if I log onto another PC alls works fine so nothing wrong with the user. Also if another user logs in on my PC he has no problems to start an app so it seems to be linked to my user profile on that particular PC.

In addition on the desktop I don't see any icons for the shortcuts I have there, I guess it is related to the above problem. If I click on a shortcut it asks me what program I would like to use to start it.

I have tried setting file permissions/ownership on C:\Windows and C:\Program Files but it has not helped and it seems the permissions are ok since they look the same if I login on another PC and compare.

I wonder if somebody has had something similar and how it can be solved part from deleting the user account on the PC which would be the last resort. I have spent several hours troubleshooting this so would be grateful for some help.

EDIT :

Another thing worth mentioning is that it seems file association works, so for instance clicking on a .pdf file starts adobe acrobat reader or .txt starts notepad++. But when clicking on an .exe doesn't work

Improve this question
12
  • Have you run a chkdsk to ensure the drive/file-system isn't corrupted?
    – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007
    May 27, 2015 at 18:25
  • @Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 yes i have, it went through without problem
    – AndersK
    May 27, 2015 at 18:25
  • There are numerous grammatical mitakes in this question. For example it took me reading "After ava" three times to understand you mean "java" please go through and fix all mistakes. It sounds you should open a ticket with your IT support, because we have no idea how they handle Java differently, and how installing java would have changed settings connected to .exe files.
    – Ramhound
    May 27, 2015 at 18:27
  • 1
    You describe deleting the user account a last resort.. But making a copy of the user account and creating a new one and copying over anything is so quick to do. It's so much quicker than reinstalling windows for example. You say you've spent hours troubleshooting. Well, and particularly if other user accounts are ok.. creating a new user seems like something to try and then copying stuff over. Why not try it?
    – barlop
    May 27, 2015 at 18:45
  • 1
    @CyberSpock applications are in c:\program files or c:\program files x86\ so they won't have to be reinstalled. There may be some user specific data but create a new user account. I wouldn't try to copy the entire old profile folder over.a new one. Just copy parts of the older one over. e.g. the contents of desktop folder could be copied into the new one.
    – barlop
    May 27, 2015 at 19:01

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

By cleaning the registry with CCleaner and then rebooting I got back online. Seems the install program Java 8 did something wrong in the registry, maybe in combination with our "own" non-standard solution to maintain updates of java.

EDIT: No the problem was not fixed with the above instead I had to - as was pointed out in the comments - recreate my profile e.g. login with other user, rename old Users\myuser to Users\myuser.old and then login with myuser. Then copy over the old files.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .