Vista problem with Installing

Computer Problem with Install

System Specs:
Machine - Velocity Micro ProMagix E2240 2 320GB Hard Disks
OS - Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit (6.0, Build 6000)
Processor - Intel Core(TM)2 Quad CPU @ 2.4GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory - 2046MB RAM
DirectX - 10
Display - NVidia GeForce 8800 GTS - Driver 1.6925 (12/11/2007) Total Memory 1051MB
Sound - Realtek High Def Audio - Driver RTKVHDA.sys Version 6.00.0001.5449 (7/18/2007)

My problem:
Bought several games in past month - BioShock, Penumbra Black Plague, and Conflict Denied Ops

Installed all, but had difficulty with BioShock. Finally got it installed and began playing.
Got to the 4th level, Fort Frolic and game shut down. Computer locked up and had to Ctrl-Alt-Delete
to get it to stop. Kept happening so I contacted game support.
After several attempts to change things:
Run as Administrator
Run in Dx9
Boot game from games folder instead of icon on desktop
the game ran for a while and then started "driver not working" and locking up again.

Uninstalled and reinstalled game -- same scenario. Took disk back and exchanged for new game disk.
Installed game again. Same thing occurred at same place in game.

Took Bioshock back.

Tried to install Assassin's Creed yesterday which I swapped for Bioshock. Game wouldn't even call up install
spash screen.
Got error message "D:\setup.exe The directory name is invalid"
Contacted game support. They had me delete TEMP file.
Also got error message on changing to another game disk "ShellExecuteEx failed; Code 267 The directory
name is invalid" ???????

Yesterday I called Velocity Micro tech support and they had me check several items and try different things.
Nothing helped.

Their suggestion is that I have a corrupted file somewhere in my registry and need to reinstall Windows Vista.

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Having only a modicum of computer expertise (mostly gleaned from MG site lurking, etc.) I am QUITE hesitant
to reformat my hard drive, even though he said I would be able, under Vista, to set my OLD windows in a
separate area of the drive and be able to access it later after the reinstall.

This seems strange to me. I hate the thought of losing all my programs I currently have downloaded and running.
And am unsure how, or how to go about, moving them to DVD's without messing them up. Same for my bookmarks, etc.

I use Firefox, not IE, and am somewhat fearful of losing all my data, etc.

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Any suggestions? Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Went to Barnett's site and tried to download the free trial registry mechanic program.
When the download was complete, I clicked on the icon on my desktop, to try to install it.

I got an error message "C:\Users\Larry\Desktop\rminstall.exe The directory name is invalid"

Now what? Help. Am afraid my 'puter is fractured.
Thanks for your reply.

 

I also ran System File Checker (option #61) on his site.

Results for sfc/scannow:

Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.log.
windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log for example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

I navigated to the CBS.log file and attempted to open and look at it. It said "Access denied" ????

Am seriously concerned about corrupt files, especially if they are in the registry.
Suggestions???

 

Solved it myself. Thanks.