IE6 can't recognize executables

  • Thread starter Thread starter Roger Fink
  • Start date Start date
R

Roger Fink

Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version 6.0.2800.1106,
the file is given the ending .psd rather than .exe. This mis-notation
appears in the dialog box even before I download it. If I rename the saved
file, changing .psd to .exe, everything is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no experience in these
matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that didn't help.
 
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using the default
(vs Custom) install option?
 
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite" component
installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If so, when did you
install it?
 
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check just now in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago there is an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up) with three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the extension .msi.


PA said:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If so,
when did you install it?

Roger said:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader in
place.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
[Intentionally crossposted to Win98 General.]

Ah, I /thought/ that might be the case.

When you uninstall Reader v7, the updates (e.g., v7.0.6) automagically
uninstall, too; however, this is not the case with Reader v6 and earlier.
You should have uninstalled the updates (e.g., v6.04, then v6.03, etc.)
before uninstalling Reader v6 itself.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility should make quick work of those
remainders, Roger: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

IIRC, the default install of (earlier versions of) Adobe Acrobat Reader
/does/ install some Photoshop-related software as well as Yahoo Companion
toolbar. See if the problem persists after running Windows Installer
CleanUp Utility.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org


Roger said:
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this
machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check just now
in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago there is
an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up) with
three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the extension .msi.

PA said:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If so,
when did you install it?

Roger said:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader in
place.

PA Bear wrote:
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using the
default (vs Custom) install option?

Roger Fink wrote:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version
6.0.2800.1106, the file is given the ending .psd rather than .exe.
This mis-notation appears in the dialog box even before I download
it. If I rename the saved file, changing .psd to .exe, everything
is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no experience in
these matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that
didn't help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I downloaded the clean-up app (had to change the extension to exe to get it
to work of course). I'd bet you've nailed it diagnostically, but Acrobat
Reader doesn't appear in the list of programs.

There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I removed NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental clean-up app
for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated the newer windows
installer, long after I had removed NAV.

So I'm willing to give this a try if you can see any benefit to it, given
the above. I know to uninstall in the reverse order of installation and I
thought I had done that, but maybe not, or maybe Add/Remove didn't list all
the AR6 updates.

If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be to
completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in reverse order.
Not a pleasant thought, and it probably would be useless unless the exact
path of the original installation could be duplicated - 50-50 chance of
that.


PA said:
[Intentionally crossposted to Win98 General.]

Ah, I /thought/ that might be the case.

When you uninstall Reader v7, the updates (e.g., v7.0.6) automagically
uninstall, too; however, this is not the case with Reader v6 and
earlier. You should have uninstalled the updates (e.g., v6.04, then
v6.03, etc.) before uninstalling Reader v6 itself.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility should make quick work of those
remainders, Roger: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

IIRC, the default install of (earlier versions of) Adobe Acrobat
Reader /does/ install some Photoshop-related software as well as
Yahoo Companion toolbar. See if the problem persists after running
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.

Roger said:
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this
machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check just
now in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago
there is an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up)
with three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the extension
.msi.

PA said:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If
so, when did you install it?

Roger Fink wrote:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader in
place.

PA Bear wrote:
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using the
default (vs Custom) install option?

Roger Fink wrote:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version
6.0.2800.1106, the file is given the ending .psd rather than
.exe. This mis-notation appears in the dialog box even before I
download it. If I rename the saved file, changing .psd to .exe,
everything
is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no experience
in these matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that
didn't help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I downloaded the clean-up app (had to change the extension
to exe to get it to work of course). I'd bet you've nailed
it diagnostically, but Acrobat Reader doesn't appear in the
list of programs.
Click to expand...

You could also visit www.foxitsoftware.com for a free, faster
and (IMHO) easier to use pdf reader.

And while you're manually uninstalling all the versions of AR
and everything it polluted your machine and registry with, you
can perhaps also come up with a way of removing stuck broom
handles from certain people's bottoms.
 
thanatoid said:
You could also visit www.foxitsoftware.com for a free, faster
and (IMHO) easier to use pdf reader.

And while you're manually uninstalling all the versions of AR
and everything it polluted your machine and registry with, you
can perhaps also come up with a way of removing stuck broom
handles from certain people's bottoms.
Click to expand...

Foxit is what I use now.
 
If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be to
completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in reverse order.
Click to expand...

OK, do that.
There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I removed
NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental clean-up app
for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated the newer windows
installer, long after I had removed NAV.
Click to expand...

Run the appropriate removal tool here (which is probably newer than the tool
you ran:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
--
~PA Bear

Roger said:
I downloaded the clean-up app (had to change the extension to exe to get
it
to work of course). I'd bet you've nailed it diagnostically, but Acrobat
Reader doesn't appear in the list of programs.

There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I removed
NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental clean-up app
for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated the newer windows
installer, long after I had removed NAV.

So I'm willing to give this a try if you can see any benefit to it, given
the above. I know to uninstall in the reverse order of installation and I
thought I had done that, but maybe not, or maybe Add/Remove didn't list
all
the AR6 updates.

If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be to
completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in reverse order.
Not a pleasant thought, and it probably would be useless unless the exact
path of the original installation could be duplicated - 50-50 chance of
that.


PA said:
[Intentionally crossposted to Win98 General.]

Ah, I /thought/ that might be the case.

When you uninstall Reader v7, the updates (e.g., v7.0.6) automagically
uninstall, too; however, this is not the case with Reader v6 and
earlier. You should have uninstalled the updates (e.g., v6.04, then
v6.03, etc.) before uninstalling Reader v6 itself.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility should make quick work of those
remainders, Roger: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

IIRC, the default install of (earlier versions of) Adobe Acrobat
Reader /does/ install some Photoshop-related software as well as
Yahoo Companion toolbar. See if the problem persists after running
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.

Roger said:
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this
machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check just
now in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago
there is an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up)
with three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the extension
.msi.

PA Bear wrote:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If
so, when did you install it?

Roger Fink wrote:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader in
place.

PA Bear wrote:
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using the
default (vs Custom) install option?

Roger Fink wrote:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version
6.0.2800.1106, the file is given the ending .psd rather than
.exe. This mis-notation appears in the dialog box even before I
download it. If I rename the saved file, changing .psd to .exe,
everything
is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no experience
in these matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that
didn't help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
PA said:
OK, do that.


Run the appropriate removal tool here (which is probably newer than
the tool you ran:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
Click to expand...

I can't do this, or I should say have to choose not to do it, because the
app informs me it will delete GoBack, and on a risk-reward basis, I'd rather
not deal with a reinstall of that particular program.

I'm going to reinstall AR6, and take note whether that in itself solves the
problem. Then I'm going to uninstall it. If installing it solves the problem
but uninstalling it recreates it, I'll reinstall AR6 and keep it. If after
uninstalling the problem doesn't recur I'll return to Foxit. If none of this
has any effect and the problem still remains, the new user of this computer
will just have to rename executables downloaded with IE.

Point of interest - the Norton clean-up app was the only executable out of
the three or so I've downloaded, including one from Microsoft.com, that was
read as an exe by IE.
Roger said:
I downloaded the clean-up app (had to change the extension to exe to
get it
to work of course). I'd bet you've nailed it diagnostically, but
Acrobat Reader doesn't appear in the list of programs.

There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I
removed NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental
clean-up app for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated
the newer windows installer, long after I had removed NAV.

So I'm willing to give this a try if you can see any benefit to it,
given the above. I know to uninstall in the reverse order of
installation and I thought I had done that, but maybe not, or maybe
Add/Remove didn't list all
the AR6 updates.

If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be
to completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in
reverse order. Not a pleasant thought, and it probably would be
useless unless the exact path of the original installation could be
duplicated - 50-50 chance of that.


PA said:
[Intentionally crossposted to Win98 General.]

Ah, I /thought/ that might be the case.

When you uninstall Reader v7, the updates (e.g., v7.0.6)
automagically uninstall, too; however, this is not the case with
Reader v6 and earlier. You should have uninstalled the updates
(e.g., v6.04, then v6.03, etc.) before uninstalling Reader v6
itself.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility should make quick work of
those remainders, Roger: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

IIRC, the default install of (earlier versions of) Adobe Acrobat
Reader /does/ install some Photoshop-related software as well as
Yahoo Companion toolbar. See if the problem persists after running
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.

Roger Fink wrote:
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this
machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check
just now in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago
there is an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up)
with three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the
extension .msi.

PA Bear wrote:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If
so, when did you install it?

Roger Fink wrote:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader
in place.

PA Bear wrote:
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using
the default (vs Custom) install option?

Roger Fink wrote:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version
6.0.2800.1106, the file is given the ending .psd rather than
.exe. This mis-notation appears in the dialog box even before I
download it. If I rename the saved file, changing .psd to .exe,
everything
is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no
experience
in these matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that
didn't help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
This smells like a Norton-related problem to me, Roger. Good luck.
--
~PA Bear

Roger said:
PA said:
OK, do that.


Run the appropriate removal tool here (which is probably newer than
the tool you ran:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
Click to expand...

I can't do this, or I should say have to choose not to do it, because the
app informs me it will delete GoBack, and on a risk-reward basis, I'd
rather
not deal with a reinstall of that particular program.

I'm going to reinstall AR6, and take note whether that in itself solves
the
problem. Then I'm going to uninstall it. If installing it solves the
problem
but uninstalling it recreates it, I'll reinstall AR6 and keep it. If after
uninstalling the problem doesn't recur I'll return to Foxit. If none of
this
has any effect and the problem still remains, the new user of this
computer
will just have to rename executables downloaded with IE.

Point of interest - the Norton clean-up app was the only executable out of
the three or so I've downloaded, including one from Microsoft.com, that
was
read as an exe by IE.
Roger said:
I downloaded the clean-up app (had to change the extension to exe to
get it
to work of course). I'd bet you've nailed it diagnostically, but
Acrobat Reader doesn't appear in the list of programs.

There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I
removed NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental
clean-up app for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated
the newer windows installer, long after I had removed NAV.

So I'm willing to give this a try if you can see any benefit to it,
given the above. I know to uninstall in the reverse order of
installation and I thought I had done that, but maybe not, or maybe
Add/Remove didn't list all
the AR6 updates.

If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be
to completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in
reverse order. Not a pleasant thought, and it probably would be
useless unless the exact path of the original installation could be
duplicated - 50-50 chance of that.


PA Bear wrote:
[Intentionally crossposted to Win98 General.]

Ah, I /thought/ that might be the case.

When you uninstall Reader v7, the updates (e.g., v7.0.6)
automagically uninstall, too; however, this is not the case with
Reader v6 and earlier. You should have uninstalled the updates
(e.g., v6.04, then v6.03, etc.) before uninstalling Reader v6
itself.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility should make quick work of
those remainders, Roger: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

IIRC, the default install of (earlier versions of) Adobe Acrobat
Reader /does/ install some Photoshop-related software as well as
Yahoo Companion toolbar. See if the problem persists after running
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.

Roger Fink wrote:
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this
machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check
just now in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago
there is an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up)
with three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the
extension .msi.

PA Bear wrote:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If
so, when did you install it?

Roger Fink wrote:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader
in place.

PA Bear wrote:
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using
the default (vs Custom) install option?

Roger Fink wrote:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version
6.0.2800.1106, the file is given the ending .psd rather than
.exe. This mis-notation appears in the dialog box even before I
download it. If I rename the saved file, changing .psd to .exe,
everything
is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no
experience
in these matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that
didn't help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Roger Fink said:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version 6.0.2800.1106,
the file is given the ending .psd rather than .exe. This mis-notation
appears in the dialog box even before I download it. If I rename the saved
file, changing .psd to .exe, everything is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no experience in these
matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that didn't help.
Click to expand...

Hi Roger,
Try these fixes from Doug Knox:
Restore default association for EXE files
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_exe_fix.zip
Restore file association:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_fileassoc.zip

Restore Sort order in Open and Save dialogs
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts/xp_shellstate.reg

HTH.
nass
 
Yes, it has wafted this way as well. And thanks for the help. There aren't
too many repositories of this esoteric information and I am fortunate to
have access to one of them.

PA Bear said:
This smells like a Norton-related problem to me, Roger. Good luck.'m
Click to expand...
lucky to have access to one of them.
--
~PA Bear

Roger said:
PA said:
If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be
to completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in
reverse order.

OK, do that.

There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I
removed NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental
clean-up app for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated
the newer windows installer, long after I had removed NAV.

Run the appropriate removal tool here (which is probably newer than
the tool you ran:
Click to expand...
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

I can't do this, or I should say have to choose not to do it, because the
app informs me it will delete GoBack, and on a risk-reward basis, I'd
rather
not deal with a reinstall of that particular program.

I'm going to reinstall AR6, and take note whether that in itself solves
the
problem. Then I'm going to uninstall it. If installing it solves the
problem
but uninstalling it recreates it, I'll reinstall AR6 and keep it. If after
uninstalling the problem doesn't recur I'll return to Foxit. If none of
this
has any effect and the problem still remains, the new user of this
computer
will just have to rename executables downloaded with IE.

Point of interest - the Norton clean-up app was the only executable out of
the three or so I've downloaded, including one from Microsoft.com, that
was
read as an exe by IE.
Roger Fink wrote:
I downloaded the clean-up app (had to change the extension to exe to
get it
to work of course). I'd bet you've nailed it diagnostically, but
Acrobat Reader doesn't appear in the list of programs.

There is one piece of junk, "Symantec Network Drivers Update". I
removed NAV
eons ago, and I recall having to use the Norton supplemental
clean-up app for that as well. About a year ago was when I updated
the newer windows installer, long after I had removed NAV.

So I'm willing to give this a try if you can see any benefit to it,
given the above. I know to uninstall in the reverse order of
installation and I thought I had done that, but maybe not, or maybe
Add/Remove didn't list all
the AR6 updates.

If there is no better alternative, perhaps one thing to try would be
to completely reinstall AR6 up to 6.04, and then uninstall in
reverse order. Not a pleasant thought, and it probably would be
useless unless the exact path of the original installation could be
duplicated - 50-50 chance of that.


PA Bear wrote:
[Intentionally crossposted to Win98 General.]

Ah, I /thought/ that might be the case.

When you uninstall Reader v7, the updates (e.g., v7.0.6)
automagically uninstall, too; however, this is not the case with
Reader v6 and earlier. You should have uninstalled the updates
(e.g., v6.04, then v6.03, etc.) before uninstalling Reader v6
itself.

The Windows Installer CleanUp Utility should make quick work of
those remainders, Roger: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

IIRC, the default install of (earlier versions of) Adobe Acrobat
Reader /does/ install some Photoshop-related software as well as
Yahoo Companion toolbar. See if the problem persists after running
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.

Roger Fink wrote:
I've never had a Photoshop program of any variety installed on this
machine
that I know of, and there is nothing in Add/Remove. I did check
just now in
Program Files and despite AR6 being removed about six months ago
there is an
Adobe Folder (strange because I'm pretty manic about cleaning up)
with three
subfolders with long alphanumeric names. They each contain one file
associated with the updates 6.02, 6.03 & 6.04 end with the
extension .msi.

PA Bear wrote:
[Roger's machine is Win98.] Is Photoshop (or a Photoshop "lite"
component installed by the default install of AR6) installed? If
so, when did you install it?

Roger Fink wrote:
Several months ago I uninstalled AR6 and installed Foxit Reader
in place.

PA Bear wrote:
Did you recently install or upgrade Adobe Acrobat Reader using
the default (vs Custom) install option?

Roger Fink wrote:
Whenever I try to download an executable using IE, version
6.0.2800.1106, the file is given the ending .psd rather than
.exe. This mis-notation appears in the dialog box even before I
download it. If I rename the saved file, changing .psd to .exe,
everything
is OK but I'd like to fix this ASAP
since I'm giving this machine to a friend (who has no
experience
in these matters) for keeps in a few days.

I tried the self-repair feature for IE in Add/Remove but that
didn't help.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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