regeit.exe will not start. How can I restore my registry?

[tbtcust]

Hi all.

My none of my shortcuts (.lnk) will start. No executable (.exe) will start when I double click. No executable (.exe) will run from "Start > Run" or "Ctrl+Alt+Delete > task Manager > File > New Task (Run…)".

Based on links I have seen in this Forum and the W2K Forum my registry has some corruption. I have a LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix that I need to import via regedit.exe. But regedit.exe will not start because of what I mentioned above. regedit will not stat when I double click on the .reg file.

Is there another way to import a .reg file?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[tlcscousin]

Try using regedt32
Have you also tried starting in safe mode and then import the file into the registry?

 

[tbtcust]

tlcscousin, thanks for replying to my post

regedt32 will not start.

I don't know how to start in safe mode and import into the registry.

Would you post instructions here?

 

[tlcscousin]

Restart the computer and start tapping the F8 key as soon as you start the computer you should get a boot menu, using the arrow keys on the keyboard move the highlight to safe mode and hit enter.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/202485

 

[SirBlack]

To start your PC in Safe Mode, reboot your PC & before Windows starts loading, press the F8 button. A screen will pop-up asking how you want to start. Use your Up/Down arrow buttons to select the option (Normal Start-up, Safe Mode, etc.) If you haven't backed up your registry prior to these errors, you can't import it. Have you run any up to date AV & AS apps? Are all Windows updates installed? If the answer is NO, start with doing those. You might want to try 'Last Good Confiuration' if Safe Mode doesn't help.

I'm not a fan of 3rd party Registry cleaners (they can do more harm than good if you don't know what you're doing). Worst case scenario, you might need to do a repair install of Windows. For directions to do this, see:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

This won't have any effect on the programs you have installed but you'll need to update Windows after completion.

Remember, if you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them!

Bob B-)

 

[linney]

Have you tried copying Regedit, and Renaming the copy to Regedit.com and seeing if the .com will load and run?

When you go in to Safe Mode you will be hopefully offered the use of System Restore which might or might not work.

There is also this via the Recovery Console.

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm

This is a layman's version of Q307545 in simple language.

 

[tbtcust]

Thanks everyone for responding.

Here is what I have tried
- Running regedit from Safe Mode - failed to start
- Copy regedit.exe and renamed the copy regedit.com, run regedit.com from Safe Mode and normal mode - failed to start
- 'Last Good Confiuration' in Safe Mode – lnk failed to start,regedit failed to start,
- System Restore from Safe Mode – lnk failed to start, regedit failed to start

Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gbaughma]

You could try a repair of XP. (Boot from the CD, and take the SECOND "R" for repair this installation).



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[linney]

This will among other suggestions lead you to BartPE, it is possible to load your corrupt Registry Hives from XP in BartPE and work on them in BartPE before reloading them back into XP. It would assist you if you look up the Help articles on another machine, Hive loading is only available for these Keys.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
HKEY_USERS

These two articles in the RegEdit Help are a good explanation of the process.

To load a hive into the registry
To unload a hive from the registry

Cannot logon to winxp...losing lots of valuable documents
thread779-975236

 

[tbtcust]

gbaughma, A repair of XP did not work. It went thought the process but nothing changed. Thanks for the suggestion.

linney, I went thought thread779-975236. None of the suggestions worked in getting regedit going. Thanks for the suggestion.

I got a third party tool from a friend, that has regedit, and able to booted my laptop in a Linux environment.

From there I was able to use the tools regedit to import XP File Association Fixes, EXE File Association Fix (Restore default association for EXE files), LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix (Restores Default Shortcut Behavior), REG File Association Fix (Restore default associations for REG files) I found in a linney thread.

Everything came back to normal except my permissions. It looks like one of the above Association Fix files reset the permissions to user only.

Does anyone know which Association Fix controls the permissions?
Does anyone know what I can do to restore the admin the permissions to user id?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[linney]

How To Reset Security Settings Back to the Defaults

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=313222#1

Is this Home or Pro, in Home the Security Tab is available via Safe Mode? Is Simple File Sharing turned off in Pro?

You must have an Administrator somewhere on your machine even if it is the built-in one from Safe Mode.

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP (Q308421)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/4/21.asp

Error Message: "Access Is Denied" When You Try to Open NTFS File System Folders

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q823306#appliesto

 

[tbtcust]

Thanks linney. I tried the 3 suggestions above. None worked because I only have one user id defined and that user id has no privileges to run any executables.

Funny, the processes I have setup to run automatically on Fridays at 6AM started up with no problem. When I try to run the same processes by double clicking the bat file or executable the messages "Access Denied" is displayed.

Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[linney]

Do you have an Administrator in Safe Mode that you can use?
Can you log on to the built-in Administrator via pressing ctrl+alt+delete (twice) at the Welcome Screen in Normal Mode?

Earlier on we talked about changing the extension on RegEdit.exe to .com, try the same thing again but change the file extension to .bat, as you say a .bat file ran OK.

 

[tbtcust]

linney,
- no admin in safe mode
- built-in Administrator does not have admin premissions
- the systems's task manager can run .bat files. my id can not

I'm going to have to give up this recovery and rebuild my laptop.

Thanks for all your help. linney.

 

[linney]

No Administrator, even in Safe Mode, your "Breaking" new ground with that, sort of achieving what is supposed to be impossible. A clean install, I agree, is the logical next step.