This is going to be lengthy...
Just the basics....
I was having problems installing Norton Internet security 2006
Spoke with symantecs several times and they had me do so many things, now my
Internet Explorer and windows media player 10 are completely messed up!!!
Symantec had me do a lot of things in the regit, I can't even remember what
they all were.
Bottom line: when using explorer now, I can't delete email from yahoo, I
can't go to some sites by clicking an icon on one site to get to the next
(getting no response at all), etc....lots of weird crap.
When trying to use windows media player I get the message "an internal
application error has occurred", and it won't let me reinstall it. It says
"It was not possible to complete setup. windows media player was installed
successfully, however, some of your existing licenses were not moved
appropriately. This might prevent you from playing some of your protected
files"
Well guess what??? I can't play any of my media files with media player, now.
Now for the topper......I can't even do a sytem restore now, because when I
go to do it, all I get is a totally blank screen.....therefore, I can't even
see a date to choose to do the restore.....
This is driving me nuts!!!
If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears, and eyes in this case.
Please help!!!
(e-mail address removed)
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Number 1 Priority at this point:
Make backup copies of any data that is important to you!
Hopefully you were diligently doing so all along and so that will not be too time
consuming of a task. You could either copy important data to CDR or extra
internal hard drive if you have one or external USB hard drive if you have one
of those. If no CD Burner or internal or external hard drive; then strongly suggest
you obtain the most efficient one of those solutions for your system and then backup
all important data. If any of that data is encrypted, unencrypt it first before making
the backup copies. Hopefully you also have the CD's for reinstalling any and all
programs that you are using, in case they are needed.
I am talking about being prepared for possible worst case scenario of format / clean install!
I am hoping that you have Windows XP and that it came with Service Pack2
pre-installed and that you have the XP CD and it is not just a stupid OEM Recovery CD.
If you do have XP and it is a fully bootable CD that you can use to get into Recovery
Console, then I suggest you try the following procedure for recovering from a damaged Registry.
Do not proceed untill all important data has been backed up first!
Completely physically disconnect your computer from the Internet before starting this procedure!
How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us
(Adapted - follow these simplified commands to save typing)
Boot with Windows XP CDROM
(The CDROM drive must be before the hard drive in the BIOS boot order)
(Restart the computer with the XP CD inserted and then tap any key
when prompted to boot from CD on the screen)
Press "R" to enter Recovery Console
(Alternative way of getting into Recovery Console is to install it using
the method described in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/en-us )
1:C:\windows
Type in "1" <Enter>
Press <Enter> for blank Administrator password
(if previously assigned a password, then of course that will have to be used)
C:\windows>md tmp <Enter>
C:\windows>cd system32\config <Enter>
C:\windows\system32\config>
(At this prompt, press <ENTER> after each of the following commands)
ren system system.old
ren software software.old
ren default default.old
ren sam sam.old
ren security security.old
THEN DO THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
COPY C:\WINDOWS\REPAIR\SYSTEM <ENTER>
HIT YOUR UP ARROW AND THE LAST COMMAND YOU TYPED WILL APPEAR AT THE PROMPT
TAKE OUT SYSTEM AND THEN PUT SOFTWARE IN ITS PLACE
DO THE ABOVE STEPS FOR DEFAULT, SAM, AND SECURITY
(MAKE SURE ALL 5 FILES COPIED)
TYPE EXIT <ENTER>
(Remove XP CDROM when system starts rebooting)
UPON REBOOT START PRESSING F8 TO GET THE ADVANCED OPTIONS MENU
BOOT INTO SAFE MODE AS ADMINISTRATOR
WHILE IN SAFE MODE GO INTO WINDOWS EXPLORER
GO TO TOOLS AND THEN FOLDER OPTIONS, THEN GO TO THE VIEW TAB.
PUT A CHECK IN SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS
ALSO TAKE THE CHECKS OUT OF
HIDE EXTENSIONS FOR KNOWN FILE TYPES, AND
HIDE PROTECTED OPERATING SYSTEM FILES (recommended)
(click Yes that you really want to do this when you get the warning)
THEN CLICK ON THE + NEXT TO LOCAL DISK C:
THERE YOU WILL SEE THE SYSTEM VOLUME INFORMATION FOLDER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: If you cannot access the folder,
right click on it and then click on properties | security tab |
click on the Add button and type in the user name that you are logged in as -
(should be Administrator) - in the "Enter the object name to select" window
click OK
Then with Administrator highlighted, put a check in "Allow" for "Full Control"
click OK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOUBLE CLICK THE SYSTEM VOLUME INFORMATION FOLDER AND,
WITHIN THAT FOLDER YOU WILL SEE ONE or TWO FOLDERS LIKE THIS
"_restore{87BD3667-3246-476B-923F-F86E30B3E7F8}"
(Click on View | Details so that the dates of the folders are shown)
OPEN _restore{...} DATED: (Make note of the date)
THEN YOU WILL SEE FOLDERS LISTED RP1,RP2, RP3 ETC,
(Click on View | Details so that the dates of the folders are shown)
(Best to use an RP that is dated several days prior to date that issue/error first occurred)
OPEN RP DATED: (Make note of the date)
IN THERE YOU WILL SEE A SNAPSHOT FOLDER. CLICK ON IT
(Click on View | Details)
THEN YOU WILL SEE THE FOLLOWING KEYS:
- _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT>
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY>
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE>
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM>
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM>
HIGHLIGHT ALL FIVE AND RIGHT CLICK ON ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTED FILES
AND THEN CLICK ON COPY, AND THEN PASTE THEM INTO THE TMP FOLDER
THAT YOU MADE IN THE WINDOWS DIRECTORY PREVIOUSLY WHILE IN RECOVERY CONSOLE.
Now open the C:\windows\tmp folder
- _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT> RENAME TO DEFAULT
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY> RENAME TO SECURITY
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE> RENAME TO SOFTWARE
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM> RENAME TO SYSTEM
- _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM> RENAME TO SAM
CLOSE WINDOWS EXPLORER
BOOT BACK INTO RECOVERY CONSOLE (same routine as above)
C:\windows>cd system32\config <Enter>
C:\windows\system32\config>
TYPE THE FOLLOWING COMMANDS (PRESSING <ENTER> AFTER EACH COMMAND)
DEL SYSTEM
DEL SOFTWARE
DEL DEFAULT
DEL SAM
DEL SECURITY
THEN THE FOLLOWING COMMANDS FROM THE SAME PROMPT
COPY C:\WINDOWS\TMP\SYSTEM (PRESSING <ENTER> AFTER EACH COMMAND)
UP ARROW
TAKE OUT SYSTEM AND PUT IN SOFTWARE
UP ARROW TAKE OUT SOFTWARE PUT IN DEFAULT
UP ARROW TAKE OUT DEFAULT PUT IN SAM
UP ARROW TAKE OUT SAM PUT SECURITY
(MAKE SURE ALL 5 FILES COPIED)
TYPE EXIT <ENTER>
(Remove XP CDROM when system starts rebooting)
REBOOT BACK INTO WINDOWS NORMALLY
GO TO SYSTEM RESTORE AND USE A RESTORE POINT TO A DAY BEFORE THE REGISTRY ERROR MESSAGE
(Probably best to try Restore Point dated the same as Snapshot files that you used previously)
Reconnect to the Internet and immediately go to Windows Update and install any critical
updates if any.
Consider if you still want to use Norton or an alternative Security Suite
HTH
