Registry Problem - No Sound & Memory Error Msg. System Restore crashes

OK I finished running those 4 lines again in safe mode. Took all night to complete because of the verbose output, but it said it completed successfully. Then I restarted windows normally. No sound still. What should I do next?

It seems that what I did last night just brought back the problem I was having before with Windows Explorer and other things not working.

I still have a backup of the registry from before all of this started. I've tried importing it but it never works. Is there some way to do that?

At this point, with all the registry workarounds and the problems they have apparently caused, plus the fact that you are unable to get Windows to restore using a restore point, I would suggest doing a Repair Install to fix the registry and re-install hardware drivers into the registry.

I can't do a repair install can I? Don't I need a Windows 7 disc for that? I didn't get one when I bought my computer. Should I have?

I used to be able to press F8 and then go to Repair My Computer, and I had Restore Factory Settings, and Minimized Image Recovery and other recovery options there, but now just since yesterday when I hit F8 and go to Repair My Computer, it just starts windows normally. I can't even go to Command Prompt or System Restore or anything like that. The only changes that I've made to the system were the setacl changes exactly as instructed here.

That is very odd. Can you get a Windows 7 repair disc? See Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc — MAXIMUMpcguides – Windows 7 tips, tricks, help, and how-to guides for steps to create a repair disc. You could also try downloading the ISO for Windows 7 Home Premium x64 with SP1 from the link given by gregrocker in post #32 and burn the ISO to a DVD.

Thanks for the link to the ISO link. I didn't know I could download Windows 7 DVD from online. That's good to know. Is that a trustworthy source though? Do you think a repair install would be enough?

Will a repair install know what drivers I need? Or does it not reinstall any drivers? I assume I could just download the drivers and reinstall them from HP if I have to.

Does it repair the registry? Even when it's obviously fubar-ed like it is now.

Hardatwork said:

Thanks for the link to the ISO link. I didn't know I could download Windows 7 DVD from online. That's good to know. Is that a trustworthy source though? Do you think a repair install would be enough?

It is a trusted link. It is an official link for the software and I have used it myself for my systems to do repair installs.

Hardatwork said:

Will a repair install know what drivers I need? Or does it not reinstall any drivers? I assume I could just download the drivers and reinstall them from HP if I have to.

Does it repair the registry? Even when it's obviously fubar-ed like it is now.

It will repair the system portions of the registry, and it will re-install hardware and drivers, so it should fix your problem. If not, the only option left is a clean install, but I am hoping we will not have to go to that step.

If System Restore won't work from System Recovery Options on the DVD or Repair CD, and SFC finds no bad System files to fix, then your last resort is a Repair Install.

Back up your files and make your HP Recovery Disks first.

If this fails you can Factory Recover, trying first using this method: HP Recover Windows 7 Operating System Using HP Recovery - HP Customer Care (United States - English) then if that fails by booting the Recovery Disks.

Or for a leaner install you can clean reinstall following these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall of factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

Thanks. I burned a DVD with that image and it boots.

My computer is too full of stuff to do a backup of everything. I just don't have that kind of space on anything external that I have. That's not really necessary though for a repair install though is it.

Can you walk me through doing a repair install? I've already booted from the disc, do I just click Install? Do I need to make a note of anything before it starts?

What about my drivers? It came with everything already installed. Will it automatically figure out what it needs to install?