I have a few problems with some sort of se.dll virus and an extra Iexplore running in the task manager. But, before i ca do anything about that I have to be able to open programs. For some reason if i double click on a shortcut or program it will not open. Even if I right click "Open" isnt even on the menu as an option. Also, if i try to run things through the "run" on the start menu, its usually doesnt work because the "choose program to open with" window pops up even though im trying to open regedit.exe or something like that. i need some serious help on this one.

Originally Posted by 3571

I have a few problems with some sort of se.dll virus and an extra Iexplore running in the task manager. But, before i ca do anything about that I have to be able to open programs. For some reason if i double click on a shortcut or program it will not open. Even if I right click "Open" isnt even on the menu as an option. Also, if i try to run things through the "run" on the start menu, its usually doesnt work because the "choose program to open with" window pops up even though im trying to open regedit.exe or something like that. i need some serious help on this one.

Sounds like a complete mess.
What about booting into Safe Mode, then try to run some Spyware-Removal tools like Spybot or AdAware ? Tried that ?

Could also try to end every single unnecessary program/task in taskmanager and see if this allows you to open programs

Well i can open some programs. Like im using Aol 7.0 right now to type this but to open it i had to go to "Run" and then when an "Open with program" box came up i picked Aol as the program to run it with. So im haveing to open aol using aol. But when i sign online a get this box that says "download aol.exe from c:/program files/aol 7.0/aol.exe" which makes sense because i am trying to open an .exe with aol. But thats the only way Aol will open. If i do double click on something like a .bmp or other file thats already been created it will open because if i right click "Edit" is there, but not "Open".

And yes i can start in safe mode but that didnt do anything because its not the virus thats preventing me from opening things i dont think.

I typed se.dll in the AOL search thing to see if anyone else was having similar problems and they are but not with the program opening thing which is why i put this in the windows ME help section of the site and not in the virus one. Maybe i deleted something with this Regcleaner program i wasnt supposed to while getting rid of this se.dll thing and thats why my opening doesnt work. Well its not my job to specualte but i hope that gave you some useful info.

If you have your disk you can try (in safe mode) to Run > sfc /scannow

Now that u mention the Regcleaner.....maybe u´ve been too triggerhappy there
What Regcleaner is it, and does it allow to restore a registry backup that it might have created ?

Actualy it did create back ups and I found and repaced a shell extension that someone deleted, so opening works again. I also found the viruses and deleted them. At least all of those that my programs could detect. One thing that still bothers me though is that when i start my computer it no longer takes me to the windows sign on screen, instead it just goes strait to the universal desktop as if I had clicked "Cancel." So every time I have to log out to go back to my name. Plus when I get to my desktop a bunch of programs pop up as if i had opened them, nut i didnt. Like CD creater, Realplayer, AVG, and Direct CD. Lastly, in the system.ini in the msconfig there is these four things at the top that are just big lines of weird symbols and values. And under "environment" theressomething called "PROMPT" with a value of $p$g. I dont know what they are but they've been unchecked, so they dont start up, for a months now and i dont know what they are or how/if i should get rid of them.

Have you tried a System Restore?

Also:

please follow owen's Instructions and then post your log in the Spyware, Adware, Viruses and HijackThis Logs section.