How to fix a possible registry error in Outlook 2010?

Ok before I start, I know I did the stupid - OK - but now I'm trying to figure out whether my stupid is something easily fixed or something I'll have to work harder to get sorted.

Basically I decided to reinstall my Win 7 as I'd quite a few programs with issues and as I always do I backed up everything in relation to Outlook I could find & sadly then added on some new extras - namely Outlook Profiles registry keys. While the site that suggested it stated that it could cause problems if using it on a different setup to the original I didn't feel mine was, as I was basically reinstalling everything as it had been before.

The main key I used was: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles

So once I'd got Outlook initially installed I then installed the Profiles registry key which promptly killed Outlook completely - it couldn't load up without complaining of some error requiring it to close. This was before I'd even copied my .PST files over for it to access, so I figured it most likely was the registry key that was to blame. So as I'd (again stupidly) not backed up the clean Profiles key I figured I'd no option but to try reinstalling. Well, 4 uninstalls/reinstalls later things are certainly better but still really not right.

On the reinstall I didn't have email details to hand so initially set it up without "email support" but now after putting in 4 emails, only one is sending email & none are receiving. I also can't get into this bit to change settings - clicking the S/R button just does nothing.

• On the Send/Receive menu, point to Send/Receive Groups, and then click Define Send/Receive Groups.
• Select the group that contains the e-mail account that you want to regularly check for messages.

And if you click on the S/R Groups on the main page, there's just a blank box.


SOOO after all that (& thanks for reading this far if you have!!) - is there likely to be a simple solution do you reckon?


Thanks!

The problem is getting to those registry keys, and quite possibly a standard uninstall is not doing it. Try an uninstaller such as Wise Program Uninstaller. It might work. If not, see if there's a different prog that writes those keys upon installation.

Another method would be to see if you have a registry backup. This would be via a System Restore point, or manually check in windows\system32\config\regback for files that predate the problem.

As well as paul1149's suggestion have a look at this MS website as well.

Outlook 2010 - 'error accessing system registry' when setting - Microsoft Community

THanks SO much for taking the time to help me out. Didn't have SysREstore I've tried a couple of different uninstallers which haven't helped either & now I'm getting other errors popping up - can't remember what they were (yesterday) but feel it's maybe going to take more time to faff about trying to find a fix for this when an hour would reinstall Windows again anyway given I'm not so far into it that I couldn't manage it easily. But you've educated me on other things to have on hand for future problems should I ever encounter them & ultimately I've learnt a rather sensible lesson I should know from previous experiences but stupidly forgot - ALWAYS BACKUP anything you're going to change particularly in the Registry!!

If you wanted to try one other thing, it would be to import new registry keys from a similar machine.

It might be best to reinstall Windows & download all the updates, then when it's operating perfectly, reinstall MS Office 2010 assuming you are using Office of course. But do not install any Registry Profile Keys that you seem to have done before. Then set up your email accounts again.
Make sure that you have your Outlook .pst files stored on separate medium so you can recover those if needed.