Mama Mia...big probs...
 

On Monday I zigged instead of zagging...and the whole mess came down around my ears...

1. the System Restore command does not work...the tab is no longer on the System Properties pop-up...??? in spite of three reinstalls of Windows and numerous reg cleanups.

2. I use PC-cillin Internet Security...it and a pile of other software no longer work as the registry went kapoof...they'll need to be reloaded. I have tried to kill every sniff of PC-cillin in the reg and try to reload it...but the error message keeps telling me that there is another version on board...and I am to shut down and start again...did that about six times and gave up...??? Searched for evidence but cannot find any???

3. to get back into my system I had to reload another version of Windows XP along side the old one under "Win" and changed Windows to "Windows Cache" After I got a few things sorted out...I went back and changed Windows Cache back to Windows, and deleted "Win" ...but now when I log on, I have three options, 1. Windows Home Edition [which was the old Win], 2. Windows Home Edition [which was the old Windows and now back to the new Windows, and 3. System Restore [or something like it] but this has never worked since day one so it's a dud...??? QUESTION how to get rid of that #1 reference to the c:\Win ... WHERE IS IT IN THE REGISTRY or wherever to kill it and get it out of the log on options' list?

That'll be enough for now...thanks in advance

why do you have multiple copies of windows on your computer? seems like you did not re-install properly...as there is a format step...

I don't have two copies...
 

Yeah, I know, I know...

I did have two copies, temporarily, in two different directories so that I could do what I did, but was unsuccessful...no harm done...so I eventually killed the whole Windows installation and installed a fresh copy.

I now have the System Restore problem sorted out. As well, the PC-cillin issue. so all's well that may have sounded unwell.

I am only left with the matter of three choices on startup.

1. Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition < this one works, and luckily, the system defaults to, and hi-lights this one, so I ignore the time and let it run its course, or just hit enter. Aside from it being annoying, the next command prompt is dead, but is still sitting there.

SO HOW TO KILL IT? Where is it residing...it must be in a root file somewhere...because it is not floating around in the general registry.???

2. Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition < this is a ghost that I want killed

3. don't recall, unimportant...

Oh, another question... is there any software out there that will amend/write a registry from the "tree" directory that is on the drive... All of the software we are aware of scans the registry first and then tells you what's wrong. I want somehting to go the other way, from the files to the registry, and then fill in the blanks in the registry with what's out there in the real world.

Any ideas???

To remove the choices from the boot menu you need to modify the boot.ini file. Read this from Microsoft or search google for modify boot.ini
How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP

Delete the lines that contain the extra boot options.
Backup the boot.ini file first just in case something goes wrong. Copy it and rename it boot.ini.old or something.

Editing the registry
 

Hello Al, to answer your question about registry software, I think that you'll need something similar to DOS and some knowledge of what registry values are missing for the relevant files. It is possible to put certain files onto a floppy or CD and then copy these files into the right directory although it might not solve all of your problems and you can just do the same thing with your PC when Windows has been loaded anyway.

If you've lost the values in your registry you would need to replace them one way or another, by either inputing them manually or using an installer package.

If you know what files are experiencing problems, you can do a bit of research by using another PC and install the same software on it to get a look at the registry values, or even export the data from the registry on the test PC and then import it into your normal PC.

It is also worth exporting your entire registry at regular intervals if your going to experiment with your PC.

Regards

Martin:boxing:

Repairs...done
 

I repaired the boot.ini file...have yet to fire it up to test.

I did save the entire system32 folder prior to reinstalling windows, but stupid me, I forgot to save the loose files from the Windows folder. I was thinking about it, but it slipped my mind when I got involved in things. It's not too much trouble just to reinstall the inoperable progs as I need them...thus re-registering them. For whatever reason, the saved registry had no affect on kick starting things.

I'm an old hand at this stuff, so not to worry. But I was hoping for a registry de-compliler of sorts...you know, take the tree and then rewrite the registry from that. XP's indexing service does this to a degree but only for a limited use as I understand it. More of an annoyance than anything serious. I'm always looking for an easy way out...I have no problems with taking the long way home ;)

...Al

Registry Editor
 

If the programs etc. you've lost are still installed on your PC and you've just lost the values so that some pieces of the program aren't showing up on your PC, importing the appropriate values should help, so long as .dlls' etc are still on your computer.

You should be able to use windows' own registry editor for momst things, although the basic editor is slightly restricted in what it will allow you to do. Try using regedt32 next time.

I'd also recommend using UltraEdit, it can be used for all sorts of things including editing the registry and hex translations.

UEStudio / UltraEdit / UltraCompare / UltraSentry - Text Editor, HTML Editor, HEX Editor, PHP Editor - News

Regards

Martin:boxing:

Thanks for the advice
 

I've got it all sorted out now. As I save numerous copies of everything, it is not too long before I am up and running again. It is not understanding the easier ways of doing things that is unpleasant. I rely on experience rather than training...of which I have none.

Your advice would have been more beneficial if I had saved the values, or knew where they were "hidden" so that they could have been saved. As I said before, I tried importing the saved registry from an earlier time, but for some reason it did not work. I can edit a registry, it is just knowing what to put into the various keys that's at issue.

I don't understand why Windows cannot "actively" read/write itself backwards ... i.e. look at the tree, then write [action] a path in the registry denoting that path... The fact that it appears in Explorer at all, as a normal tree, can only be "seen" by the user if a "known template" of that tree exists, and the template is "filled" with the appropriate folders and files... So somewhere, there is a completly organized copy of the registry cached, for Explorer to work at all... Then I would expect a "Norton Commander" like approach to be taken...match the cached copy to the registry in need of repair. The old regedit /fix [if memory serves me] command does not work in XP, on NTFS.

The dumbest thing MS ever did was to dispense with DOS as a managable platform for the user to repair things on. Yes, it's there, but only in limited usefulness, at the command prompt...quite useless for real serious stuff!

Until "we" go to a complete open source OS we will be at the mercy of MS. And this oldster is too far gone to try to learn Linux.