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.EXE files won't open--please help!

Aphotica

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 4:53PM

So I recently installed Windows 8: Enterprise 64bit. I've downloaded several programs that I've used on Windows 8, they're all .exe files. However, they're also all viruses, false positives.

No matter what I do, if I change the user control settings, the security settings, disable the firewall and antivirus, run it as an administrator on different compatibility modes.. it either will not open if it is in a .rar file, or it displays this message:

"Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item."

Keep in mind that I have all vital updates for Windows 8 installed.

What can I do to simply open up these programs? All help is greatly appreciated, I really don't want to be stuck with Windows 7 because of something like this :P

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Aphotica

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 4:55PM

I was able to use the programs on Windows 7* excuse me :)

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rdave13

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 6:21PM

You'll need 7-zip to extract the .rar files. There are other extracting programs but I only use the free 7-zip.

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alanrwood

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 7:18PM

I thought the poster said they were .exe files not .rar files

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rdave13

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 7:24PM

In the opening title - yes. Different in the posting.

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alanrwood

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Posted January 5, 2013 at 10:54PM

Hi rdave13

Sorry missed that. Need glasses again

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Aphotica

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Posted January 6, 2013 at 1:19AM

I'm sorry, I should mention that these files were extracted using WinRar.

It's weird, though.. it should be noted that when they were all being extracted at once, the two .exe files said they could not move because I didn't have permission to move them. As a result, I had to extract them individually.

But yes, these .exe files have been extracted -- the display message that I mentioned above was referring to post-extraction, whereas prior to the extraction, they would not open at all and I would not receive an error message.

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Aphotica

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Posted January 6, 2013 at 2:27AM

Fixed: Ran in safe mode, so it was not a permissions issue, but more a matter of security. Removed AVG and ran on normal boot settings, everything ran fine.

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rdave13

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Posted January 6, 2013 at 9:54AM

Use Microsoft's Defender for now. I had to drop Avast because of freezing browsers. Glad you're sorted.

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Posted January 6, 2013 at 11:34AM

Glad it's sorted.

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Secret-Squirrel

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Posted January 6, 2013 at 1:15PM

".....they're all .exe files. However, they're also all viruses, false positives...................Removed AVG and ran on normal boot settings, everything ran fine."

It looks to me like AVG was doing what it's supposed to do ;)

If however it's interfering with EXE files that you know are safe then you could have used the "Temporarily Disable AVG Protection" option found in its "Advanced Settings" menu.

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