Registry Mistake

Hope the GEEK team can come up with a painless ans.

Problem is, deleted a reg key while doing some clean up work. Now I can't access msconfig.Tells me I need administrative priv. I am adm. Also now can't run several progs that must be dependent on the key also. Have no backup on reg and at ALL cost's don't want a reinstall the OP. How good are we at Geeks? Thanks.

 

I presume you are using XP, so I suggest using a System Restore point or do a re-inplace install of Windows XP with this command (Where X: is the driveletter that contains the XP install CD):

 

Thanks.Snakefoot. Is one safer than the other? System Restore will let me go back to the 21st. I think that may be far enough to solve it. Any additional thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Try using recovery console.

 

Hi. How is recovery console going to help and what part of it would help my sit. Thanks.

 

on second thoughts it probably won't help.

 

Hey Snakefoot. Tried System Restore bu will not lat me restore the 11/21/05 file. Tried the 22 and same thing. Any help with that info?

 

System restore will not restore a deleted registry key. What key did you delete, and with what editor?

 

Hi Shadow. I do not know what key it was. Cleaning up crap from Roxio and was not paying attn. Working in regedit and no backup. Whatever I have done , it has effected several other programs as well as msconfig. Something tied to administrative controls.Thanks.

 

Not good. You may need to do a repair install.

 

When you say " Repair Install" what do you mean?

 

MS Article on How to do a Repair Installation of XP. Basically it installs Windows right over the top of windows, leaving all you files and folders intact.

 

OK.Thanks. See what happens.

 

Hey Shadow. One more thought on this before I do it. The files and folders are important but the reg is everything.can you tell me how the " repair utility " will impact the reg? Thanks.

 

Cap'n,
For God's sake backup everything before you try a repair install. It can be very shaky

 

It will completely overwrite the registry with a fresh one.

 

SPD, I don't want to step on toes, but I think you are mistaken.

System Restore will indeed replace a deleted registry key, because it replaces all 5 hives from when the restore point was created. If the damage was after that restore point was created, it will undo any registry mishaps. Overviewing KB307545 proves that point, as one of the steps is to completely replace your registry with a backup from a restore point snapshot.

OTOH, doing a repair install will not overwrite the registry, but instead drop the current hives into the repair directory, overwriting those, and then delete all previous registry backups in the System Volume Information folder effectively making the current damage permanent. A Repair does touch some registry keys, but most of them deal with the enumeration of devices and drivers.

 

Yes, you are right, I am mistaken. Got my head on backwards, tonight.

 

Thanks for all the info. Hey Adrynalyne,what would you suggest as the best way to solve this problem or am I dead. I do have a complete mirror image of the drive although it was cloned after the mistake was made. I really appreciate the time everyone has taken.

 

What key did you delete?

 

Hey Cap, I'm kinda late viewing this. The problem is, is that I don't look at the time before I jump right in. How about an undelete program. Undelete 5.0 is right here at M.G. I know I'm not much help but anythings better than nothing!

 

A good thought,Kench. Adryadrynle,don't know. Was cleaning out Roxio entries and got lazy with all the crap. I thought after hitting the delete to a key that I may had gone by the set. reason was at looking at the screen I did notice all Roxio enties were gone. Felt I may have del something but dismissed it. Found out.

 

What other programs don't run--and can I get the verbatim error message?

 

My ham radio logging pro and a lumber cutlist also noticed that I can't copy anything from the net to a DVD . Same problem as the msconfog. Don't have adm pri. The system boots fine and most everything works ok. I did install SP2 from an original cd I got from MS about the same time I experienced the proble. Just remembered it. Any pro with SP2 at this time that might be causing the problem? Can't find anything in the BB files.

 

Please, please, please! post the word for word error message. It helps me narrow it down

 

Out of curiosity, can you click start, run, then type in: %windir%\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe (press enter).

Do you get an error?

What about Start, Run, then type in: iexplore (press enter).

What about Start, Run, then type in: iexplore.exe (press enter).

What about Start, Run, then type in: command.com (press enter).

And as Adrynalyne has stated, we need the EXACT error you are getting.

Thanks!

 

Hi theefool. Interesting. Point well taken. Results:

msconfig gives: An access denied error was returned while attempting to change a service. Yoy may need to log on using an administrating account to make the specfic changes.

%win% etc gives the same return.

Command.com gives: c:\win\sys32\command.com\SYSTEM\current control set\control\virtual device driver.VDD Virtual device driver format in the reg is invalid.

Hope I have been specific enough to solve this. Thanks.

 

I assume when you say c:\win\sys32, you mean c:\windows\system32?

What about:

Start, Run, type in: c:\windows\system32\command.com (or %windir%\system32\command.com)

The question was asked, but never confirmed. This is XP or ME?

So, clicking start, run, typing in command.com OR cmd.exe gives similar errors?

 

Not sure if this was asked. What happens in safe mode?

 

Tnx fr reply theefool. Thought you might have read my last 15 posts. IT"S XP and I have to think you are flailing arround as much as I. I can get arround in Windows very well. I was hoping this site could be what it protested to be.

 

Whoa, hold on. Everyone is here to help, and nobody knows your skill level. Ease up a little, ok? I'd hate to have to lock this thread before we figure out the problem.

A member has presented some information to me, I'll review it and come back when I have a more solid troubleshooting procedure.

 

Ok, a lot of this at this point is going to be process of elimination.

Please check through these and humor me. They are probably not the problem, but lets make certain.

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...rivileges+error&rnum=2&hl=en#f78ac70ed7dd6f0a

Look through the second posting. Rule those out, specifically, the second and third suggestion.

 

Next, do a search on your system and tell me the locations of all instances of msconfig.exe.

 

Must be the frustration with this thing hanging on. Sorry , no dissrespect intended. Have 4 files on C: drive. They are:

msconfig.exe 0043fd31.pf C:\windows\Prefetch
msconfig.exe 35E4DAE9.pf C:\windows\Prefetch
msconfig.exe C:\windows\servicepac files\1.........
msconfig.exe C:\windows\PCHEALTH\Help

No help on the other info.

 

Ok, see if the one under servicepackfiles works.

 

Sorry about that. I did run it before the post and it works.

Regards,

 

Ok, so replace the one in the PChealth yada yada directory with that one

Then, we'll head to the next problems.

 

Did it. Still doesn't work. Went back and tried the serpac.exe and works fine.

 

You copied it over,a nd it doesn't work...but if you execute it directly from newly copied file, does it work? Or is that what you tried?

 

What happened is this. copied file from serpac folder. Asks if I want to replace ,Ok. Then when I try to run it , gives me the same old flag, Need adm pri etc.

 

Capt Dick,

Do the step listed above again to open MSCONFIG, then close it. Then try and open MSCONFIG using the normal steps without replacing the file.

See if that works.

Steve

 

Skip this if matacumbie's suggestion works:

I read over twice. Can you rename the msconfig file to something else? Does it work, with the newly renamed file?

What happens when you close explorer.exe via taskmanager (hopefully explorer will not startup again), then from taskmanager, run cmd (press enter), then type in msconfig?

 

Hi. Renamed it. Did not run. Thanks.

 

Well, what about what I suggested after the renaming suggestion.

Also, NO where here have you said that this happens in safe mode. Have you tried safe mode?

 

Running msconfig from task mgr.gives same results also same in safe mode.

 

Been doing some work. Maybe this will help. I have tried to install some soft from orig cds and keep getting the same error:
16 Bit SubSystem
SYSTEM\CurrentControl Set\Control\Virtual Device Driver.VDD.Virtual Device Driver format in the Reg is invalid. Thanks

 

This should work for XP.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q254914/

For the love of all that is holy, back up any key you modify this time

 

Here's XP if there is any difference, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314452/EN-US/

Steve

 

They look identical, but its good to have the XP version. Thanks

 

Thanks all. Will MAKE SURE the reg is backed up after all this. Here it is. After the last entry" virtual device drivers\" there is no \VDD and in the rt hand pane the msg. No value is set.