Cannot install any other programs--and other issues

[purple onyx]

Last week, I had noticed that I could copy but not paste. For example, I
could right click an icon on the Desktop and copy it, but using Ctrl-V or
right-clicking on the Desktop to Paste did not work. In fact, the option is
not even highlighted in the shortcut menu. Even to drag and drop an item from
one folder to another is not possible. However, I can copy and paste text,
like copying and pasting a sentence is MS Word.

I also found out that I cannot install any programs on this same computer.
This is the exact error message I get when trying to install Ad-Aware:

"The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if you
are running Windows in safe mode, or if the Windows Installer is not
correctly installed. Contact your support personnel for assistance. "

I'm not running the computer in Safe Mode.

I have tried using Microsoft's instruction for reinstalling Windows
Installer, but then it gives me this error message when trying to reinstall:

"KB893803v2 Setup Error: Setup could not verify the integrity of the file
Update.inf. Make sure the Cryptopgrahic service is running on this computer"

Of course, the Cryptographic Service is not running on the computer and when
I try to run it, I get this error message:

"Could not start the Cryptographic Services service on Local Computer. Error
1068: The dependency service or group failed to start."

Other minor items include:

-- Open programs not showing up on the taskbar
-- Not being able to use the Windows key on the keyboard to bring up the
Start Menu (although Windows Key + R still brings up the Run Dialog, and
Windows Key + L locks the computer, so there's nothing wrong with the Windows
Key)

I was working on security settings for the laptop following a document, so I
was tweaking with the registry and had just installed the updated Adobe
Reader 8 and everything started going weird when I tried to download the
Quicktime fix. I was thinking this is more of a Registry Permissions issue
because I cannot even change the Custom Level in IE.

Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks,
Shan

x-posted to other Tech Forums

 

[DL]

You have a restore point for prior to your registry tweaks?

 

[purple onyx]

You have a restore point for prior to your registry tweaks?

No, I didn't. Unfortunately, after everything happened, when I checked
through System Restore, it said that the computer was not protected by System
Restore. However, checking the setting by going to My Computer >> Propertiesmonitoring the main hard drive. I didn't want to disable and then enable it
because I feared losing whatever points may have been made beforehand.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

-Shan

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

DL's idea is still good, assuming you actually do have some restore point on
the system. (I think you will agree this is worth a little trouble, so I am
putting up the technical fix for using an inaccessible existing restore
point)

This is not for the fainthearted
How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry -config-system:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q307545
You may be able to use a modified technique here, since your system actually
starts.

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Mark L. Ferguson

..

 

[purple onyx]

Mark,

Thanks for your suggestion. I did as the article suggested, but there's one
problem. When I go to System Restore in Windows after copying the backup
files, it still gives me the same error:

"System Restore is not able to protect your computer. Please restart your
computer, and then run System Restore again"

Of course, restarting doesn't work. Augh!

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

I'm not going to lecture you on the importance of backups (see how I slipped
that in there ). I'm afraid you're in for some work. Save data, and
Take-Your-Time!!!. Reinstall and rebuild, and quit wasting time on fixes
that aren't going to work. The time saved will be considerable.

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Mark L. Ferguson

..

 

[DL]

You might try scannow & a repair installation, before you start from ground
zero

 

[purple onyx]

I'm not going to lecture you on the importance of backups (see how I slipped
that in there ). I'm afraid you're in for some work. Save data, and
Take-Your-Time!!!. Reinstall and rebuild, and quit wasting time on fixes
that aren't going to work. The time saved will be considerable.

I know =) I usually do, but didn't think I would need to when working on
this person's laptop. I should've took the hint when he said it was giving
him troubles!

You might try scannow & a repair installation, before you start from ground
zero

Actually, I had already done that. I believe a few files were repaired, but
it didn't change anything.

Thank you both for trying =)

-Shan