Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

Registry Issues


  • Please log in to reply

#1
Hedworx

Hedworx

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 19 posts
Hello,

I was trying to update my Norton Antivirus and got a message that it couldn't install due to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and to change my registry settings with the regedit command. The instructions told me to change the settings for the Administrator and another I can't remember......I think User. Well, neither of the ones listed were shown. I'm not real good with the programming so I asked the IT guy at work what to do. He instructed me to go to regedit and add the two shown and then make the setting changes that Symantic suggested. I did that and then when I went to log in, nothing comes up except for a blank desktop. My wallpaper is there but nothing else. Again I told the IT guy what was going on. He instructed me to delete the two (Admin,User) registerys that I added. I still get nothing on my desktop. I can go into Task Manager, by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete and can see that everything is there. Is there a way I can restore this back? I've already tried to go back to an earlier setting after hitting F8 during boot, but nothing changes. I'm about to pull what hair I have left out. I appreciate any help.

Hedworx

Edited by Hedworx, 15 July 2007 - 02:35 AM.

  • 0

Advertisements


#2
pip22

pip22

    Trusted Tech

  • Banned
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,663 posts
Tried "System Restore"? Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore. Choose a date just before you tried to update Norton. As an aside, you could do yourself (and your PC) a big favour by switching from Norton AV to something else less demanding on memory resources and more secure. Don't assume that Norton is "the best" just because it's a big name that everyone knows about. In tests it has been proved to be worse (much worse) at virus detection than a well-known free product called AVG. And the very best commercial one was declared to be Kaspersky.

That's what I'd call a rip-off by Symantec -- and they've been ripping us off for years. If it wasn't for their massive contracts to the business world, who don't have a clue how bad they are, Symantec would be in serious financial trouble.

Edited by pip22, 15 July 2007 - 11:25 AM.

  • 0

#3
Hedworx

Hedworx

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 19 posts
I can't get anything to come up....not even the task bar. I get the wall paper and nothing else.....unless there is a way through the task manager to get to start.....
I've been looking around using F8 but am not changing anything without being told to by someone that knows more than I do. It shows that I can log in as Administrator (which may give me the same blank screen), but asks for a password, which I've never set up a password so I don't know what it could be.

I haven't tried anything else as far as an anti virus. The only reason I use norton is because it was on my machine when I bought it and I was just renewing. I've looked at others, but never knew which to get. I've also asked around, but as with any forum, I've gotten several different suggestions and land in the same spot as to not knowing which is better. Instead of asking around, I will take you suggestion and try one that you listed. Do the two you listed also do well in spam blocking?
  • 0

#4
Hedworx

Hedworx

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 19 posts
Ok...I got in as Administrator....the password was...Password. Somebody thought long and hard on that one. Anyway, I can get the task bar now, but when I go to Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools-> and click on System Restore, the boxes (start menus) close and nothing comes up or starts. I can go back to the bottom of the screen and go through it all again, but the same thing happens.
When I log on as one of the users, after a minute or two, I get a "Generic Host Process For Win32" error message and it says that it needs to close. Nothing changes when I click OK.
Also, no matter what I click on in the browser.....lets say a photo....I get the message "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the folder options control panel.
  • 0

#5
ClickRight

ClickRight

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 109 posts
Alright, try booting up windows in safe mode with command prompt.

At the prompt type:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

That should launch system restore in a usable manner.
  • 0

#6
Hedworx

Hedworx

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 19 posts
I got into 'Safe Mode with Command Prompt' and typed in what you suggested. The System Restore Box came up but had nothing in it. I know that it is set to record these because I have used it before to "Go Back". I can actually get to the rstrui.exe file through task mananger, but when I click on this I still get the message "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the folder options control panel."

In my Windows Task Manager, I also see:
System Idle Process SYSTEM 99%

I have a second hard drive with just a couple of things on it. Would it be possible to install windows onto it and then have access to my existing files on my current hard drive. If this would be a solution, then could someone point me in the direction for some directions on how this is done. After I get it running, I could backup my files and then reformat both drives to start over fresh and clean. I would like to resolve this in the best way, but also need it done ASAP so that I can get some work done on it this week. I could then clean everything up this weekend.

I appreciate the help that has been given. I know it's hard to work through these things when you can't sit down in front of the PC and see it for yourself.

Thanks again,
Hedworx

Edited by Hedworx, 18 July 2007 - 04:02 PM.

  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP