Need to edit registry on non-booting Windows 7 installation

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  1. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #1

    Need to edit registry on non-booting Windows 7 installation


    Hi,

    I've got a problem with my Windows 7 installation in that - it wont boot! Either in normal or safe mode!

    I've tracked the problem down to a driver - CTMMount.sys which was installed by a recent installation of Comodo Time Machine - which has since been uninstalled but doesnt look like the uninstallation has worked correctly.

    Therefore I could do with editing the registry/startup procedure so that this file doesnt attempt to load and then I can get back into Windows 7 - has anyone any idea how I can do this?

    Thanks

    Ewan
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 914
    Windows 8 Pro
       #2

    Why don't you just try a startup repair? It's probably a bit safer.
    Startup Repair[2]=Performance Maintenance
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 11,840
    64-bit Windows 8.1 Pro
       #3

    If you cant boot into Windows, how are you going to edit the registry???? If you can, open msconfig/startup and disable it from there...
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Ultimate
    Thread Starter
       #4

    electrotune1200 said:
    Why don't you just try a startup repair? It's probably a bit safer.
    Startup Repair[2]=Performance Maintenance

    The startup repair tool says that it cant fix the problem as its due to a "recent software change" unfortunately.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Ultimate
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Tews said:
    If you cant boot into Windows, how are you going to edit the registry???? If you can, open msconfig/startup and disable it from there...
    Thats exactly the problem, I'm wondering if or how I can do this ? I dont really want to reinstall windows as obviously theres a lot of work involved in getting the machine (that I use for work) up and running again.

    On a side note - if I do have to reinstall windows - will doing so empty the contents of the existing User folders?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 914
    Windows 8 Pro
       #6

    You can re-install Windows... Just don't format the drive.

    You can pull all of your important data from the Windows.old folder.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 8,398
    ultimate 64 sp1
       #7

    Tews, this isn't as daft as it sounds,

    i've got somewhere a version of bartpe (hawkpe) which is a sort of windows xp bootable livecd. it's got a copy of 'remote regedit' on it that you could use to fix a broken xp registry with.

    however, i really don't know if a windows 7 version is possible, you'll need to spend some time googling.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 908
    Windows 7 Home Premium
       #8

    If you can access the drive from another OS why not just go in, find all instances of CTMMount.sys and delete them, that is, if loading the driver is what's crashing the system. It should boot if the file is unavailable.

    I have BartPE, it's based on XP, saved my butt a couple of times.

    Ap
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 31,242
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #9

    If you have the Win7 Install disk you may be able to adapt the instructions here to access the registry

    User Account Password - Change from WinRE

    Use the command prompt to access regedit - may work depending on the state of the actual reg files
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 5,056
    Windows 7 x64 pro/ Windows 7 x86 Pro/ XP SP3 x86
       #10

    You can edit the registry offline i.e. from outside windows, using a PE environment. Boot from the win7 install dvd or a Bart PE, then navigate to the Command Prompt. If using the install dvd, you would need to reach there via the system recovery menu.

    At the command prompt, type regedit.exe, hit Enter.

    Now, the important part. Since you are in PE, you cant access registry keys as if you were in windows. You would need to use the "Load Hive" command at start, do whatever you want to do, then use the "Unload Hive" command.

    See this page.

    How to edit the registry offline using BartPE boot CD ?

    There would be many other pages, just google for "offline edit registry" or something similar.
      My Computer


 
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