Q. What is an EXE file?

A. Whenever you download an application for Windows, it will commonly have an extension of exe. This refers to the fact that the program is capable of self executing itself. In other words, when you double click on the icon, the program launches itself. This is great when you are installing software that you want and not so great when you are dealing with spyware. The exe file is the most common file type that you will run into when you are using Windows.

Q. What are some common problems that happen with exe files?

A. The most common problem by far is the exe file that is corrupt and incapable of launching. When you double click the icon, it may try to start but you end up with an error message and it won’t load or install.

Q. How do I fix this problem?

A. First, let’s deal with software you actually do want to use. If you have downloaded an exe file and it won’t open, your first step should be to delete this file and then re-download it again. If it still will not work, this means that the file itself is corrupt and there really isn’t much you can do. You can try downloading it from another site, but if the problem remains, all you really can do is let the software manufacturer know about the problem and wait for them to fix it.

If you have already used the software in the past and are suddenly getting an exe error, this may mean that the software has a glitch or has become corrupted. Try starting it again and if that won’t work, uninstall it and replace it with a new version of the same program. That should solve the issue.

Now, let’s move on to handling spyware. This exe error will usually occur after you double clicked the software icon and it installed itself. Your computer is now infected with spyware. The best way to handle this is to download a spyware removal tool and run it. Have it quarantine the infected files and then restart your computer. If it is particularly insidious software though you may need to reformat your hard drive. This means that you will lose all of your data, so proceed with caution.

Q. How do I keep this from happening again?

A. In the case of a corrupted file, there really isn’t much that you can do. Try to download software from only trusted sites such as Download.com where they check the files to make sure that they work. This can cut down on a lot of frustration.

For spyware exe issues, never download a file from a site you cannot trust. You may also get these exe files in email. Unless you are expecting the file, never save it to your computer and do not open it. Delete the message right away from your computer to avoid getting infected.