Compatibility Mode Disabled

[tazmo8448]

Found this site searching for the reason why compatibility mode has been locked or how to reset compatibility in windows executables that has been locked to 'Win95' on most of my .exe properties., causing them to be non-functional. I know this was a virus and have eliminated most (I hope) of that issue but it has left some .exe's locked in its path. Is there any way to do a blanket re-set to free up all the ones effected?

[Arthur]

Compatibility mode settings are stored in the registry under the following keys.

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

 

Under each 'Layers' key you should find the paths of the EXEs affected. Delete the ones that contain WIN95 in the 'Data' column.

 

http://a.pomf.se/ulypcr.png

[tazmo8448]

First of all thanks for taking the time and creating those 'visuals'

When I drill down in the registry files listed above A) HKCU to the 'Layers' it only has a few things listed that I have recently downloaded (like MBAM and SuperAntiSpyware and a thumbdrive that I've been using to transfer from one machine to the next[working on a friends rig that caught malware]with nothing pertaining to the issue.

B) and going over to HKLM drilling down to Layers only to find there is no 'Layers' just the following under AppCompatFlags:

AppCompatFlags

>AIT

>Appraiser

CaretTracking

ClientTelemetry

CompatabilityAssistant

Custom

InstalledSDB

>OneSettings

PenService

>UpgradeMigration

>WicaAvDisplayNamesTemp

 

I've looked at each listing and sub-listing and there is nothing related to 'Layers' looks to me that may be one of the problems.

My friends rig had a Powelik Trojan along with other malware that really threw it for a loop that rendered a lot of Windows .exe's either useless or off altogether. It disabled and more or less deleted CleanMgr.exe as it won't respond to any input even as Admin.

 

 

***UPDATE*** while I was typing this noticed after I deleted the non-working cleanmgr.exe on that rig then ran sfc /scannow in CMD it replaced the corrupted file and now works! I'll be damned that is the first time in my life that sfc /scannow has worked for me in the ten years I've used it. Thanks Arthur and got your info bookmarked...

Edited February 23, 2015 by tazmo8448
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