System Restore doesn't complete

I edited the permissions on my registry and screwed something up causing sound not to work and Windows Explorer to report a memory error Error: "There is not enough free memory to run this program", so I thought I'd run system restore. But system restore does not complete and my problems are still there.

The screen says "Please wait while your Windows files and settings are being restored. System Restore is initializing..." but it stays on this screen for hours without completing. I've even tried running it from the boot menu and left it on for 12 hours and it still did not complete. When I finally turned it off and booted windows I get a message that says that "System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer's system files and settings were not changed. Details: The System Restore is still in progress or did not complete."

I tried temporarily disabling AVG anti-virus and that did not have any effect. I can't think of anything else that I have installed that might be causing this. I'm really careful about what I install on it and I don't have anything unusual installed. I've never had a virus or any other problem with it.

This is a relatively new computer and this is the first time I've tried to run System Restore on it. So in other words, I've never had a successful system restore on this computer yet. I would love to know what might be wrong with it so that it can be remedied!

I also have a full backup of my registry from just before this problem started but it won't let me import it, not even in safe mode. "Cannot import C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\backup.reg: Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes." is just one of the error messages I've seen when I try.

I am afraid that .reg file backups of the entire registry are not very useful.

Better to back up the hives.

usasma said:

Create a System Repair disc. Go to Start...All Programs...Maintenance...Create a System Repair Disc

Boot from the System Repair disc and run System Restore from there.

That doesn't work. My optical drive is offline because of the problem I'm having. But I have another computer with Windows XP on it and a functioning optical drive. Is it possible to do it somehow with this computer? Are you sure I won't have the same problem with a System Repair disc?

SIW2 said:

I am afraid that .reg file backups of the entire registry are not very useful.

Better to back up the hives.

I was following the directions I found at this site: How To Make Backup Of Your Registry In Windows 7 / Vista / XP which says you can import a full registry on Windows 7. I guess they don't know what they're talking about though.

There are a couple of programs you can use to back up the hives - Erunt is popular.

Everyone I know has Mac or Windows XP or Vista.

I live in America.

Kaktussoft said:

tap F8 many times on boot so you can select "repair my computer". It enters recovery environment and you can do "system restore"

I did a system restore from here already, but it did not complete.