My regedit.exe file is 'missing'

[user595212]

Yo Bob,

First make sure you have "Show All Files and Folders" enabled on Windows. How to do: Go to the Control Panel and find the Folder Options control. The second tab atop it gives you among other things two options: "Show All Files and Folders" (click on that to check it), "Hide Protecting System Files" (Un check that). OK out of the Control Panel, then double click on your C drive. Go down to C\Windows. Double click the Windows folder, then look for a folder that says System32. Then go to the dllcache folder. Inside there you should be able to find the registry copy. You can right click and copy it to the main Windows folder (by this I think SuperSparks means go to the top of Windows [ie the Windows folder's beginning] and double click on that. Then copy the file into the top level -- The reason being that the dllcache file is a temporary file and may not have the same contents from time to time.

Another thing I was wondering. I had a problem like this where my husband's computer had been hijacked completely and someone else was logging on for him. Oy! I managed to get to safe mode and then entered "REGEDT32" in the Run box. That allowed me to get in to fix a variety of things . . .

Just a thought. Who knows what's up here for sure. It confirms for me once again the folly of selling people a "Restore Disk." It's just worthless if you don't want to wipe everything out and start again. I suppose that's a way they keep costs down, but it's really not cost-effective beyond the point where you're a total newbie. Don't like M$ prices but I'm beginning to think a retail upgrade copy ($89 in many places) is the best way.

BTW, OEM means "Other Equipment Manufacturer." It's terminology for customized copies of Windows that Dell or Gateway or whoever make for you. It's a little better than just having a Restore disk in that it does have the Windows files you need to be more flexible and not destroy everything. My family has a laptop with a Recovery Disk only (my son's for school), a desktop (mine) with an OEM copy, and a desktop with a full retail copy (husband's). The thing with OEM is that you are not supposed to load it on another computer than the one you bought with it. What a ripoff!! I guess, again, this is a way people cut costs. -- In other words, if you have your computer for a couple of years (knock wood, I've made mine last 2 1/2 years with a couple of repairs), you're fine; but if it tanks, then you gotta go out and obtain a new copy with a new computer -- or a retail version for it.

I find this all very stealthy and strange.

But anyway,
Good luck

Cheers
Wendy

[Nix]

Just one correction the O in OEM stands for Original, but other than that Wendy has done a good job.

I have a Gateway system and one of the CDs that came with it is the OS CD for WinMe.

It has been modified somehow to check the BIOS chip or something and see if it's a Gateway.

If not it won't install.

I've actually tested this on a non Gateway machine for test purposes and got an error message.

As Wendy suggests this can be bad.

If I had to replace the motherboard my OS CD would be usesless and I'd have to buy a new retail OS, or convince the seller of the Mobo to throw in an OEM copy of Windows XP or something ?

I discussed it here a few years back http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...d.php?t=110694

[BobUK]

Wendy I am following your instructions but I am stuck at the moment.

I have opened the dllcashe folder and I am not sure which one is the registry folder. The folders name(s) are:-

reg - regapl.dll - regedt32 - regini - register ..

which of these folders would be the correct one please ?

Regards
BobUK

[dunedin]

Bob,

the system runs out of time to load up

Please explain this for me.
1 Do you lose Internet connection?
2. Does the whole system reboot?
3. What exactly happens?

There is no point in trying to replace regedit until we get rid of this virus. It will just happen again. We have to find a way to run some removal tools first.

Elaine

[XOR]

The file should be regedit.exe, you don't seem to have one in there ...

Dunedin...Thanks to you for your input but the 'virus' will not let me get into these sites, the system runs out of time to load up.

Download stinger
If you can't connect to mcafee.com, you have to download it on the pc of your daughter, copy the file on diskette then to your pc.
See what it finds.
It will clean Sircam and Swen (and a lot of other virii) if found.
The latest version is from October 5, hopefully that's sufficient.

[Tufenuf]

BobUK, Try the following: Click Start, choose Accessories then click Windows Explorer. In the left pane click the + in front of My Computer, click the + in front of Local disk(C), click the + in front of the Windows folder, scroll down and click the + in front of the System32 folder, double click the dllcache folder to open it. Now go over to the right pane and find the regedit.exe file(looks like a bunch of square grapes) and right click on it and choose copy. Now go back to the left pane and scroll upwards to the Windows folder and double left click it to open it in the right pane then in the right pane just put your cursor(pointer) in an open spot and right click and choose Paste. This will put a copy of regedit.exe into your Windows folder where it belongs.

Tufenuf

[lgbpop]

OEM=Original Equipment Manufacturer. When you go to a retailer and buy WinXP off the shelf, that's a retail version. When you go to a retailer and buy a branded computer with WinXP loaded into it prior to purchase, that XP is OEM--customized by MS to the computer maker's specs. OEM software is usually not useable on competing brands; sometimes (as with HP) not useable on different products by the same mfr.

EDIT: Guess this is old news by now. Just answered e-mail.

[BobUK]

Dunedin...Elaine..Thank you for your input.

What happens is the screen seems to 'freeze' on me when I try to go to a site that has long names, like the bbc. etc has no problem but long names it just start to run along the scale as if loading, then stops dead.

I do not loose my Internet connection.

Sometimes I can be working away and all of a sudden the Internet Explorer screen pops up covering two thirds of the screen and starts to multiply itself every second almost. The only way that I can stop it is to Ctr-Alt-Delete and stop it there.

As you say Elaine we have to get rid of this virus somehow.

XOR, Tufenuf and Igbpop Many thanks to you as well.

Elaine thanks

Regards
BobUK

[Train]

See if Mcafee stinger can find that garbage.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

It will fit on a floppy. and run in Safe Mode.

[dunedin]

Here is another program which you can download with the other machine. Put it on a CD then run it on your computer. Disconnect from the Internet to stop IE bothering you

AVAST VIRUS CLEANER http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_cleaner.html

I hope you can get it to work

Elaine

[XOR]

Did you download Stinger ?

[BobUK]

Tufenough...Many thanks for your information. I have followed until I get to open the dllcache folder and file regedit is not there at all, someone has stolen the grapes.

Regards
BobUK

UPDATE....

PS Train and XOR Many thanks for your input, I have just downloaded 'stinger' to a CD (that was a first for me) I will run it soon.

Dunedin I also downloaded your suggested programme to the same CD and I will run that soon. Many thanks to Virtualdr and you fine friends.

McAfee Stinger ran from for 40 minutes and scanned 193,681 files and closed with no report. Could this mean that it could destroy on detection without reporting ?

Avast Cleaner scanned 100,970 files. 0 infected files No virus body found.

Internet Explorer Script Error. Just started to report.

Line 46
Char 5
Error rapiCallURL is undefined
URL http:/radio.uk.launch yahoo.com/radio/play/playmessenger.asp

Could this be connected to the problem ?

[BobUK]

Hello Folk's

Seeing that the two programmes found no trace of a virus, could someone tell me why there is a big difference in the file numbetrs scanned ?

Regards
BobUK

UPDATE

Could someone advise me as how to replace the 'regedit.exe' file please.

Would I be better purchasing an 'up-grade' ?

Thanks Regards
Bob UK

[Train]

Easy, Stinger is not designed to check as many files.
But the fact that it did not find anything just says that those that were listed on the McAfee site were not on you computer at the time the scan was done.
The same holds true with the Avast cleaner.

Now run 2 of these free online scans and get a couple more opinions.
Panda ActiveScan

HouseCall Free Online Virus Scanner

eTrust AntiVirus Web Scanner

DO NOT BE surprised if one of them finds something that the others miss. That is very normal and why we give you a list to try.

[BobUK]

TRAIN many thanks for your help...

When I d/c on these addresses I cannot get the site to download. My BT Yahoo browser 'hangs' and then says 'Cannot find server'

Any clues TRAIN please.

BobUK

When I type the address I get the start of the making of a window then it all freezes over.