Windows XP Home Will NOT Save Settings!!!

[Toni]

I'm working on a Windows XP Home netbook that has the strangest problem - it will not
save any settings on any user account, whether it's an Administrator or a LUA. Sadly,
while I can Google plenty of page where this problem is described, no one seems to have
solved it.

The netbook has been thoroughly scanned for viruses, malware, etc.

Folder options, start menu options, internet options - I can check the options I want,
then click Apply, then OK, but when I open the dialog again, the settings reverted back
to the previous settings. I can't view system folders, hidden files, the Administrative
program menu - it's driving me NUTS!!!

When I double-click a .reg file, it opens in Notepad. Right-clicking a .reg file does
NOT bring up the "install" option.

Can someone please tell me how to fix this???

HELP!!!

Toni

 

[Jim]

Have you check the System Event log for any Warnings & Errors ? My
first thoughts would be to run a permissions reset on the entire Registry.

As to the .Reg file action, somehow the default action has been modified
to edit w/notepad instead of apply ( or import ) the data file using the
Registry Editor. You should be able to change that with the Folder
options,
File Types (TAB), .Reg file type [Advanced] button.

I'm working on a Windows XP Home netbook that has the strangest problem -
it will not save any settings on any user account, whether it's an
Administrator or a LUA. Sadly, while I can Google plenty of page where
this problem is described, no one seems to have solved it.

The netbook has been thoroughly scanned for viruses, malware, etc.

Folder options, start menu options, internet options - I can check the
options I want, then click Apply, then OK, but when I open the dialog
again, the settings reverted back to the previous settings. I can't view
system folders, hidden files, the Administrative program menu - it's
driving me NUTS!!!

When I double-click a .reg file, it opens in Notepad. Right-clicking a
.reg file does NOT bring up the "install" option.

Can someone please tell me how to fix this???

HELP!!!

Toni

Yes, it is possible to make a change to the registry such that a reg file
opens in notepad instead of regedit. How to do this is documented on page
111 of "Microsoft Windows Registry Guide" by Jerry Honeycutt.

However, this change does not happen by accident. Hence, if the OP didn't
make the change, the first thing that comes to mind is malware.

Thus, the OP needs to verify the security state of the computer.

Jim

 

[Toni]

...
:

Assuming I don't have this book, how do I fix this?


I'm a very advanced user, and I agree, it does sound suspiciously like malware. I've
completely scanned the system for known malware and found nothing. That leaves unknown
malware. Antivirus and anti-malware definitions from yesterday did not detect
anything.

oops, actually, there could be another reason...

The computer used to have the Computer Associates (CA) antivirus on it. Not long ago, CA
issued an antivirus update that messed with the registry and certain good windows files.
A Google search confirms this. I've since removed the CA suite.

 

[Toni]

I fixed this by resetting the registry permissions.

 

[Jim]

To enable sending reg files to notepad instead of regedit:

Change HKCR/regfile/shell to edit.

To disable sending reg files to notepad:

Change HCR/regfile/shell to <blank>

If this doesn't work or blows up in your face, blame Jerry Honeycutt not me.
Jim