I was cleaning out my 140mb of registery, after backing it up, and now the computer won't work, if I log in the desktop background shows, but nothign else, then it logs out and freezes on "saving settings". The backup, and program to re-instate it are on the computer, but even safe mode doesn't work. I was using programs like RegCleaner, which was telling me thousands of entries were invalid. What can I do?

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You have 3 ways to do this.

1. When you boot into windows, when it shows the desktop background, try press Ctrl+Shift+Esc or Ctrl+Alt+Del, wait for a while. That should call up taskman. Under the Application tab, click on New Task. If the backup file is a .reg file, you just need to run regedit and import it. Or if the backup file is RegCleaner specific, then you can browse and call up regcleaner to undo the job.

2. When you try to boot into safe mode, there's an varies option to boot, you choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt. Once booted, it won't show you the normal desktop, instead, it bring you to the command prompt. From there you can also call up regedit or with a bit of dir and cd, you can also call up regcleaner.

3. Pop in windows setup disk, run automated recovery.

If you have any important data on the hard disk, I recommend to boot with a live linux or plug the hard disk into another PC to backup your files first. But too bad you can't fix the registry with another running windows.

Anyway, good luck

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I couldn't get task manager, I don't have a windows disk, and Ubuntu live doesn't see the hard drives. I will try the SafeCmd tommorow, thank you. If it matters, XP SP2.

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Windows Disk is your last resort. So you better start looking for one. Not all live linux distro can read NTFS, where most WinXP are installed on NTFS partition. Try SLAX

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Knoppix linux can access NTFS partitions. So can recent versions of SuSE. At the most basic level, the Linux solution for writing to NTFS (you need to write your registry backup to the main registry) is to use the NTFS-3G driver. If you already have it in your Linux, great! If not, here are the details.

You are obviously better off doing it in Windows if you can, but a live Linux CD has solved many a problem like yours. (Gee, I wonder why Microsoft doesn't want to distribute live CDs of Windows? Piracy perhaps )

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The command prompt safe mode wasn't any different to safe mode, in look or progress. If I did get slax/knoppix (buy a cd for £3-5?) how would I put back what I think is a zip file into the registery through what must be a windows only program, or copy the ~50gb off, with a broken cd writer?

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When you select safe mode with command prompt, did you get into a windows command prompt? If you didn't, then you really need to look for your windows cd. The slax or knoppix is for your to backup your file, so that you can have the option to format and reinstall your windows. It can't help you restore your registry.

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Using the recovery option on the Windows CD is your best option. Your actual OS disk may be part of hte restore disks supplied with your PC. This is dependent upon the manufacturer. Otherwise you may be able to contact your PC's manufacturer or Microsoft about acquiring a replacement CD. This assumes, of course, that your copy of Windows is genuine.

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No faulty.lee, it looked like normal safe mode.

Darasen, how/where do I ask Microsoft?

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Call 1-800-MICROSOFT / 1-800-642-7676. They may not be able to replace disks any more. I once was able to get a replacement for a 98 disk. Obviously that was some time ago.

If you have any friends that have the disk you could that as well of course. Really whay disk you use is inconsequential so long as you have the software license.

Another option is to use another XP PC to make a start up floppy. Check out this article from MS support. If it not exactly what you need dig around support.microsoft.com for a while. I am not he biggest MS supporter there is but I will give credit where it is due and say that their support site is a fabulous resource.

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