Windows doesn't launch the application and all installed programs had .lnk extension

If you need more details, refer my this problem

All installed programs had .lnk extension automatically!
Windows doesn't launch the application specifically those on windows list.

When i hit windows button, it shows programs with .lnk extension like this image.

When I click open with (after right clicking), it show this strange thing as shown in this image(shown with red in the image)
How to launch installed applications? How to get back to the previous state?

Please help to solve..

Edit: As requested by @Jet
this.reg file is:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
    @="Shortcut"
    "EditFlags"=dword:00000001
    "FriendlyTypeName"="@shell32.dll,-4153"
    "IsShortcut"=""
    "NeverShowExt"=""

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\CLSID]
    @="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Compatibility]
    @="{1d27f844-3a1f-4410-85ac-14651078412d}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\OpenContainingFolderMenu]
    @="{37ea3a21-7493-4208-a011-7f9ea79ce9f5}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\RCScan]
    @="{362A3A82-5EF4-422F-817F-A17EBA53E67C}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\TeraCopy]
    @="{A8005AF0-D6E8-48AF-8DFA-023B1CF660A7}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\TeraCopyS64]
    @="{A8005AF0-D6E8-48AF-8DFA-023B1CF660A7}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
    @=""

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]
    @="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]
    @="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer Property Page]
    @="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"

Christopher

Posted 2014-04-26T10:04:52.867

Reputation: 37

Do you have a System Restore point? – Ramhound – 2014-04-26T11:49:27.123

@Ramhound Yes I have many. But System restore is not a backup solution.. – Christopher – 2014-04-26T13:05:40.190

Have you tried one of them to see if the problem still exists? – Ramhound – 2014-04-26T13:08:59.150

No.. But I'm giving a shot..I'll inform the status as it completes.. – Christopher – 2014-04-26T13:12:53.010

@Ramhound I tried. Not working.. – Christopher – 2014-04-26T14:16:49.130

2Open a command prompt, type the following command, and press Enter: assoc .lnk. The output should be .lnk=lnkfile. – and31415 – 2014-04-26T14:44:37.077

I run this command. Now what to do? – Christopher – 2014-04-26T14:47:57.480

@Christopher What was the command output? – and31415 – 2014-04-26T14:51:09.940

.lnk=lnkfile was output – Christopher – 2014-04-26T14:51:46.727

What is the output of entering the command assoc .exe? – bdr9 – 2014-04-26T14:55:42.460

.exe=exefile was output – Christopher – 2014-04-26T15:04:28.157

Feels like it's a virus. Press Win+R, type cmd.exe, hit enter, write there reg export HKCR\lnkfile "C:\users\%username%\desktop\this.reg", upload this.reg from your desktop, share the link here. – Jet – 2014-04-26T15:04:52.527

@Jet I copy-paste the content of this.reg in the question. Will that work for you? – Christopher – 2014-04-26T15:11:15.753

@Christopher While you're at it, check if you have a HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.lnk registry key too. – and31415 – 2014-04-26T15:12:36.363

@Christopher yes. But it can be long text. – Jet – 2014-04-26T15:12:49.483

@and31415 yes, because assoc .lnk worked for him – Jet – 2014-04-26T15:13:28.950

I see nothing suspicious in reg file, it's OK. Probably the problem is somewhere else – Jet – 2014-04-26T15:36:16.057

I've got a suspicion -- try this: open Windows explorer, Tools > Folder Options, and on the View tab -- UNcheck "Hide extensions for known file types". I could be wrong, but I suspect that the <whatever>.lnk actually has a different extension at the end. And yes, I suspect an exploit to, probably one of those that changes the EXE association. Can you go to \program files and run any programs directly from their own folder? If not, there is a reg file available to fix the EXE association, will post a link if that is the issue. – Debra – 2014-04-30T02:21:57.987

@Debra Yes I can go to \program files and run .exe program directly But problem was Windows was asking me everytime to go and find exe file of respective prgm which was Painful. However daraos' solution has fixed everything after computer's restart even missing icons got fixed. Now, I got back to the previous state. Debra, Thanks for concerning. – Christopher – 2014-05-01T04:39:16.677

I finally had a user telling me what she had done to cause the issue, although I couldn't recreate it. She said she received an email with an .xls attachment and tried to open it. She then got an error message telling her that Excel cannot open the file. She could choose to open it with IE8, which turned all .exe into .lnk. – daraos – 2014-05-07T06:12:28.830

Windows doesn't launch the application and all installed programs had .lnk extension

Answers