iTunes Registry Entry - Error while opening key

[Terry]

Registry entry
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{9E93C96F-CF0D-43F6-8BA8-B807A3370712}\1.3 can't
be deleted or viewed from admin account.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{9E93C96F-CF0D-43F6-8BA8-B807A3370712}\1.2\0\win32
references c:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe, which I've uninstalled, and
that directory no longer exists. I'm using XP sp 2.

The current iTunes version creates a 1.4 entry, so I don't think 1.3 or 1.2
would even be used if iTunes was still installed.

This error prevents me from viewing ( and adding ) references in VB. I used
RegMon to determine what key was the problem. I get an access error here.
I get no messages in the event logs.

I can't view or delete the key from admin accounts. I can't change the
permissions -- I go through the motions but at the end I get an error.

In theory I can delete the key with a product called RegHance. It
disappears from the list, but when I refresh the display it's not really
gone, or maybe it's returned.

I've tried safe mode with an admin account.

I've spent many days and a few MS support incidents over the last couple of
years getting my development machine to where it is. I don't want to erase
the hard drive and do a clean install of XP and hundreds of applications.
Please tell me there is another solution!

Thanks in advance,

Terry

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

You need a backup copy of the registry

 

[Terry]

If I can find a backup copy of the registry from before the problem key was
installed, wouldn't restoring it wipe out all registry changes since then?
That would create a bunch of other problems.

It's so frustrating. There's one bad entry. I know what it is. There's
got to be a less drastic way to remove it, doesn't there?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

If you haven't run a Repair setup yet, there is no way to know if that would put the registry back to a way that would allow it to
be pruned of its problem. You really have little to lose in that respect.

Regedt32.exe really has little restriction, in terms of editing. Perhaps you are trying this with Regedit.exe?