Assuming the .exe files are actually opening as they are designed, then the problem is simply an icon thing.. The examples you've give are all related to Notepad ++ so it might be causing the issue, but normally starting in Safe Mode, then restarting into normal Windows will fix the iconcache problem.
Hope this helps.
Grif
I have a faulty icon on my NEW computer in the Windows Explorer toolbar. The Open icon referring to exe files shows the default icon with those red-blue symbols inside (like these here: http://www.neowin.net/forum/uploads/post-127534-1200996543.jpg) instead of the normal open icon that should be a rectangle (for exe files). I don't like it and it was there from the very beginning...
I rebuilt the cache but the problem is still there. I don't know if it is some program that came with the computer that caused the problem, but it is driving me nuts...
I tried to disable a few items in ShellExView (the most suspicious ones), but it didn't help either.
Thank you for your assistance!

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