How to fix EXE Errors

You want to play that favorite computer game you haven’t touched in so long, or you’re trying to start a program that’s needed for work, and you end up with a message that says something like: “Cannot find C:\Program Files\….exe. Or maybe you’re running Internet Explorer and writing an important email, and then you end up with “iExplorer.exe has generated an error”. How frustrating! Indeed, these errors, collectively known as .exe errors because they affect executable files, can be extremely irritating to handle. If these errors keep occurring for you, then you know that something is definitely wrong with your computer and you should take action to correct the problem. There are a variety of causes for .exe errors-you may have a virus, worm, or trojan, or you might have spyware that is interfering with your registry and program applications; also, your files might be corrupted or missing, or you could have outdated or invalid registry keys.

Thankfully, there are many different solutions to various .exe errors, depending on the cause of the error. I would recommend that you try many or all of the solutions until you stop getting errors, as you definitely want to weed out all of the diverse possible causes of .exe errors. The first step is to get an anti-virus program if you don’t have one, and do a scan as soon as possible to prevent any possible further damage to your computer. Virus removal programs can dig out viruses from your registry and quickly help you to be able to execute those .exe files again. Also, try to get a spyware scanner as soon as you can, especially if your computer has recently been running fairly slowly. This will help prevent possible spyware from stealing your confidential information in the future, and may also fix the .exe errors you are experiencing if spyware is the cause for the errors.

One of the first steps to actively fixing .exe errors is to delete all the temporary files on your computer. Start by going to your folder labeled Documents and Settings, and delete everything from the Local Settings/Temp folder. Then, remove the files from the Cookies and history folders. Then, there should be a Local Settings/Temporary Internet Files/Content.IES folder; delete everything from that one, also. Next, from the Start Menu, go to Run, and type cleanmgr in the little box that pops up. Hit okay, pick your operating system drive (likely drive C), and then select by checking Downloaded Program Files, Recycle Bin, Temporary Internet Files, Temporary Offline Files, and Temporary Files. Click okay, and this should erase the temporary files off of your computer.

If that does not solve your .exe errors, then you may want to consider getting a registry cleaner for your problems. Registry cleaners will generally fix the corrupted, broken, or empty files in your registry and clean it out; I would not recommend doing this manually, because making a mistake in your registry could be disastrous for your computer. A registry cleaner can very much be used if nothing else works to fix your .exe files.

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.