can't run setup.exe

For some reason, I can't run many setup.exe files. the setup.exe for mysql, adobe primere, etc. I double click on it, i see the hour glass/pointer curser briefly, and then nothing happens. anybody have an idea how to solve this problem.

 

Open a command prompt window and type assoc.exe=exefile (press enter) and see if that helps.

ps. If you get an error message trying to open a command prompt, click the browse button on that message and point it to C:\windows\system32\command.com for the program to use. Then you will get the command prompt and can enter the corrective command I gave first.

 

bdaniel--Is it only setup.exe files you cannot open, or all .exe files? If only setup.exe files, maybe they are corrupt (so redownload) or maybe you have to be connected to the internet for them to work?

surferdude2--Have you ever tried that? How wonderfully simple if it works to reassociate the command for opening .exe files with .exe files.
This reference suggests it does not
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21043036.html
But I see others that say it does.
I have been using the fix offered here
http://filext.com/faq/article.php?id=016
Note different versions for different versions of Windows.

 

Yes Jim, I have tested the information that I offered and have in fact offered it to others on several occasions with success.

You are wise to question it and I must add that it only works when the problem is "Wonderfully simple" as you say. I like your appraisal!

I just thought to offer a first line cure since it's "chicken soup" and might just be all that's needed. Heart surgery will come later!

As I intimated, the real test would be if the command prompt failed to open since it's an .exe file as well. That's why I added the work-around for that.

 

surferdude2--Fantastic!! Hope I never have to use it, but great to know it is there.
I wonder where this has been hidden all these years. I was aware of
http://home.earthlink.net/~rmbox/Reticulated/Toys.html for Win98, and the
filext.com link for XP, but never found your fix.
I guess you know there are several pages of such fixes here
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_fileassoc.txt
Pig heaven!!

 

Jim, just type assoc in a command prompt to see what your own associations are at the present. It might not hurt to keep a copy. It's quite a long list so you need to redirect it to a text file:

assoc > c:\assoc.txt

 

surferdude2--That got allowed me to see (and Save) the associations from about M to Z. How do I get the rest? The DOS window flashed so quickly.

 

The easy way is to redirect the output to a text file by using the following command:

assoc > c:\assoc.txt

Then look on the root of your c: drive and open the assoc.txt file.

Another way is to set the properties of the cmd.exe shortcut to allow a larger Screen Buffer size. You'll find that under the "Layout Tab" of the shortcut properties. I have mine set at a height of 460 so as to view 460 line of text by using the scroll bars that it creates.

Ps. I just checked and had to change my settings to height=600 to see all of the associations.

 

(From the Help files

Assoc Displays or modifies file name extension associations. Used without parameters, assoc displays a list of all the current file name extension associations.

Syntax
assoc [.ext[=[filetype]]]

Parameters
.ext
Specifies the file name extension.
filetype
Specifies the file type with which you want to associate the specified file name extension.
/?
Displays help at the command prompt.
Remarks
Use a white space after the equal sign to delete the file type association for a file name extension.
Use the ftype command to view current file types that have open command strings defined.
Use the > redirection operator to redirect the output of assoc to a text file.
Examples
To view the current file type association for the file name extension .txt, type:

assoc .txt

To delete the file type association for the file name extension .txt, type:

assoc .txt=

To view current file type associations one screen at a time, type:

assoc | more

To send the output of assoc to the file Assoc.cfg, type:

assoc>assoc.cfg

(Do be careful how you alter things.)

 

surferdude2--assoc > c:\assoc.txt allowed me to save the whole list of associations. Thanks.
Now, however,
1) MOST IMPORTANTLY assoc | more That stopped fine after one panel. What do I do to get to the next panel? (I tried Enter (which entered only one more line at a time) and anykey (which did nothing. )
2) "Another way is to set the properties of the cmd.exe shortcut to allow a larger Screen Buffer size." I think it was "Windows Size ", but I am getting tired. I understand this is a "try it and see" setting since you do not know how much space the info will take.
And just a comment. Based on a cursory idea of DOS, instead of |more, I had tried /pause and /p, but neither did anything.

 

Jim,

1.) The assoc | more command gets me a full screen and when I hit the enter key (or any other for that matter), it displays another entire screen, not just one listing. You should be seeing the same results.

2.) The "height" setting is what provides the extra lines to view. It's available on any shortcut to the cmd.exe file (create one if you must). Then right click that shortcut and click the "Layout" tab to get the Height field. The number you set in that field will make that number of lines available for scrolling when the command executes.

 

OK, I guess my PC operates differently than yours with assoc |more .
However if I hold down Enter continuously for as long as it takes, I finally get the whole window!!
Thanks. That is what makes Windows fun.

 

Jim - are you using start->run->command or running command.com to get the DOS window? It sorta sounds like that from your description of the behavior.

In XP
command.com = 16bit app = old stuff
cmd.exe = 32bit app = newer and much better behaved.

 

Newt--Start|Run|cmd |go to C:\ prompt|type assoc | more .
Using cmd.exe seems to do about the same.

 

surferdude2...

Thanks for the assoc (assoc > c:\assoc.txt) tip. Works great!

 

surferdude2--The command "assoc > c:\assoc.txt " produces a fine .txt file, but I am starting to question what it reports.
For example, on my PC, it shows JASC Paint Shop as the association for .jpg (.jpg=JascPaintShopPhotoAlbumImage), but actually the association is IE. (I checked PaintShop's default associations, but .jpg is not one of them.)
.gif shows ".gif=giffile ", but the actual association is with Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.
.txt shows ".txt=txtfile ", whatever that and the .giffile mean.
I am starting to wonder what Start|Run|cmd|assoc.exe=exefile will really accomplish.
Just wanting to be sure that I can rely on "assoc.exe=exefile ".

 

One of the guys here at work mentioned to try, from "Command Line ", using "ftype | more" or using the "ftype >C:\ftype.txt ".

 

dobhar--I am not sure I understand.
Does you first sentence suggest a way to generate a more accurate list of present associations on the PC? (Replacing surferdude2's "assoc > c:\assoc.txt" command?)
And then does the quote suggest a way of changing the open command for an individual file type?
(Replacing the "assoc.exe=exefile " command?)
If correct, the problem with using the second idea is that I am not sure I know what the Command String is to open an .exe file. (I suspect I do know it for some other file types, like to open a .txt file with Notepad it would be "C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1" ) Or maybe I do not understand what is meant by Command String.

 

There is a program called Association Manager that shows existing file type associations on a PC.
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,8150,00.asp
Direct link to download here
http://ftp.pcworld.com/pub/new/utilities/file_management/associate.zip
However the download page says that it is for Win9X and the Readme.txt says definitely do not use with WinNT. (The program was written before XP came out.)
I know many Win9X programs work OK with WinXP (and there is always the Compatibility Mode). But does the message about not using with NT have significance that running on XP is also not adviseable?

 

XP = NT5.1