Windows Genuine Advantage Notification

I had to get rid of it so i found a way through editing the registry and after i did that and restarted i found out that my Recycle bin was gone,my Programs that i can access through "Start---> All Programs" were gone too.Folder options and other things were missing from my control panel,i had few issues with programs then i fixed them by installing everything all over again.
Is there a way to make programs show up again in my All programs menu?Even the newly installed programs won't show up there anymore.but i can access them through c:\Program Files.

System restore doesn't work anymore.
I tried few registry programs "registry mechanic" with no results.
Any help would be much appreciated.

 

C:\Documents and Settings\known-good-user-name\Start Menu

Copy this folder to yours, log out & back in. That's, if you have another working account. All Users might work.

Next time, file > export the registry to a file, edit, reboot. If you screw up, file > import the previous registry file, reboot.

 

Hi Nick,

for future reference, this might be a better way to deal with WGA:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/RemoveWGA_d5170.html

As for the other things you need to get back, I expect there is someone else who can help you there.
abri

 

akhilles,That didn't work even on any new user account All programs remain empty,and Control panel has missing files..
This is what i get when i go to properties of "my computer"

A couple of missing Tabs.
abri,thanks,i'll stay away from editing my registry next time.

 

Did you back up the registry BEFORE you altered it...if so, restore from there!
If not you are probably going to need to format.

Reset automatic updates to 'notify me first', then as they come in, uncheck the boxes for WGA and only download the important ones.

Regards

 

I never thought it was going to lead to something that nasty so i didn't back up anything..
Is there a way to repair the missing files using XP original disc?

 

You could try a repair install....thus saving your data.

 

ok..the repair function didn't work either.
I added a new boot.ini but i guess the problem is beyond that,so i'll have to format.

 

In future, you might try Erunt 1.1j
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download1267.html

 

I'm about to install Windows XP Media Center.
Can i install it over my damaged windows xp professional? or it dosen't overwrite previously installed Operating systems?