!Registry key restore help!

[Guest]

I have been in discussion with a couple of chaps on the Majorgeeks.com forum
regarding a search page hijack fix.

One of the guys recommended I download and run an app. called Registrar Lite
(www.resplendence.com). Further, he instructed me to rename a certain key
(windows) to notwindows. Unfortunately I renamed the wrong key, and when I
attempted to rename it back an error message appeared saying "Error renaming".

I didn't make a registry backup before and neither is my Sys Restore on, as
per advice from the forum!

I am a bit lost and would like to know what I should do to undo/ fix this
issue?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

All About System Restore in WinXP
How to Restore a Windows XP system to a previous State using System
Restore.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mvp_bert/

 

[Guest]

Hi Bert,

Thanks for the advice however I have not had Sys Restore on for a few days
now while trying to fix my hijack troubles!

At the moment I am reluctant to restart my PC in case I can't use it
anymore? I'm way out of my depth when it comes to knowing what the
implications of restarting or fiddling with registry key "permissions" will
be!!

Ideally I need a fix that is possible without shutting down or someone must
convince me that they are sure that it can be done another way!?

 

[TomV]

Since you had System Restore turned off and since you have no backup of
the registry, it seems that your options are limited. Try booting into
safe mode, and then attempt to manually edit the registry to correct the
value that you changed. There's no guarantee it'll work, but you've
nothing to lose.

If you are successful, either re-enable System Restore or use the
Windows XP Backup Utility (Ntbackup.exe) to backup your system state to
insure that you have a safety net in place. The Backup Utility is
installed by default with XP Pro. If you're using XP Home, you'll need
to install it separately.

 

[Richard Urban]

Tap F8 a few times during the initial part of the Windows boot, not the bios
boot. You will come to a screen where you can choose "last known good". Give
it a try.

There are no guarantees as you screwed with your registry. You may have
damaged something else.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guest]

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. I'll keep it on hand. Please take a look at
what I've since down and let me know whether or not it should work?

This was the instruction from the Majorgeeks forum:

{{Run Registrar Lite again but this time do the following:
- copy the following into the address bar or expand the same key by hand:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\\AppInit_DLLs
- Rename the Folder Windows to NotWindows (in the left hand pane of reglite)
- Double Click "AppInit_DLLs" again and clear the data value:
c:\windows\system32\hlpadm.dll < delete this line , 'Apply' and 'ok' to set.
- Rename the NotWindows folder back to its original name Windows

Now just to be sure, exit Registrar Lite and then restart it and look at that
same registry key now. Is it blank?}}

* Unfortunately I renamed the wrong key, and when I
attempted to rename it back an error message appeared saying "Error
renaming"*!
(I renamed HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NotWindows)

So what I did was export the key and in Notepad "replaced all" occurances
of "NotWindows" with "Windows". I then saved the file as Windows.reg and
doubled clicked it to add it to my registry. It was succesfull in adding this
new key!

I've not deleted the incorreclty renamed "NotWindows" key and I've also not
rebooted.

My questions are,
1.given this explanation have I satisfactorily solved my
error or not?

2. Can I delete the "NotWindows" key? or should I just leave it there?

3. Can I reboot?

4. The fix for this hijacker apparently requires the renaming and reverse
renaming of a key. why would windows permit me to change it once and then not
back again?

6. Would the renaming have affected *anything* else ( other than the subkeys
and values within the key) that I should know about?

5. I've downloaded Erunt, can I fix my renaming error with it? How?

I am a bit lost and would like to know what I should do to undo/ fix this
issue?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

PS. If you need it I will e-mail the zipped renamed "NotWindows" reg key file
(213kb) and also my repaired version to you. Let me know.