Can't boot after running CCleaner

[Monumental]

So after reading an article on must have programs on PCgamer, I downloaded and ran CCleaner's cache cleaner and registry clean up. Computer ran fine afterward but figured I should restart and is gave me a BSOD on restart. I used installation disk and ran startup repair and was able to get logged in again. After next reboot it again gave me a BSOD and now startup repair won't fix it. Tried system restore and that didn't work either. Have run chkdsk and nothing found. Tried running sfc but it says a system repair is in progress and requires a reboot, but after rebooting I get the same message. Any suggestions?

 

[HarriePateman]

Did you allow CCleaner to back up before hand?

 

[Monumental]

Under Cleaner I left the defaults and clicked Analyze and then Run Cleaner. For Registry I clicked Scan for Issues and then Fix selected issues.

 

[HarriePateman]

When you clean your registry it would have asked you if you wanted to back up first.

 

[Berton]

For Registry I clicked Scan for Issues and then Fix selected issues.

There's always been a prompt when clicking "Fix selected issues" to first back up the Registry, creates a file starting with cc in the Documents Folder that can be used for restoring the Registry.

 

[Layback Bear]

Yes Ccleaner does have that prompt unless the user turns the prompt off.
Default is the warning/requests in on/activated.

 

[Monumental]

Ok, so I'm sure I did so then. Without being able to log in, how can I use it?

 

[Ztruker]

Enable the hidden Administrator account from a Win 7 install DVD (WinRE)

See here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/56864-user-account-password-change-winre.html

See if you can boot to Safe Mode (press F8 at boot) and login as Administrator.

If yes, open Windows Explorer and navigate to your normal login accounts My Documents folder and find the backup, it will be called something like cc_20140816_231827.reg, which is

cc_yyyymmdd_hhmmss.reg

Right click on it and select Merge to add the entries back into the registry.

Reboot and if that was the cause of the problem all should be well.

 

[Monumental]

Thanks, good info, but I'm not able to get to the advanced boot menu. Even if I press F8 or F5 it just skips that screen (I see it flash by) and go straight to a Windows Error Recovery screen.

 

[Ztruker]

You can try this then:

Boot the install DVD and take the Repair path to get to a Command Prompt then do the following:

cd c:\windows\system32\config
ren system system.sav
copy regback\system system

This puts the last backedup copy of system in place of the current, messed up, system.

Exit and reboot, see if that allows you to login. If yes, try a System Restore now, even though it did not work before it may work.

Note that C: may not be the right drive letter for your boot drive. It's often different when you boot via DVD or flash drive. To find it, enter bcdedit from the Command Prompt. Output will be something like this (what mine looks like)

>bcdedit

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume3
path                    \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
integrityservices       Enable
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {6a5e5b97-6999-11e3-be70-40f02f1a4b14}
displayorder            {current}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 0

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \WINDOWS\system32\winload.efi
description             Windows 8.1
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {6a5e5b99-6999-11e3-be70-40f02f1a4b14}
integrityservices       Enable
recoveryenabled         Yes
isolatedcontext         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \WINDOWS
resumeobject            {6a5e5b97-6999-11e3-be70-40f02f1a4b14}
nx                      OptIn
numproc                 8
bootmenupolicy          Legacy
usefirmwarepcisettings  No

The default entry under Windows Boot Manager points to the default boot partition {current}.
Find identifier {current} under Windows Boot Loader, the device entry there points to the drive letter you need to use, partition=C: in my case.

If this doesn't help, just del system and ren system.sav system to get back to where you are now.

 

[gregrocker]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html can be accessed from Win7 installation media or http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/51100-repair-cd-system-repair-disk.html.

Installation media for your licensed version and tool to burn to DVD or stick is in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

 

[andrew129260]

This is the first time I have seen someone run ccleaner reg cleaner and had something major like this happen. As A general rule, never run registry cleaners unless you are 100% sure what keys it is deleting.

Registry cleaners are not really needed anyway. Windows can take of itself. Some good suggestions have already been offered, and I am sure after this experience you will not touch the registry cleaner again. The cleaner is good and fine, but I would stay away from the reg cleaner, especially novice users.

See my tutorial for the future:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/306648-ccleaner-delete-junk-files.html

 

[Monumental]

Thanks for the responses. I was on travel for a couple days, but now back at it. I've attempted to run Startup Repair a couple times consecutively. The first time it says Windows cannot repair this computer automatically. Everytime I run it after that it says Startup Repair could not detect a problem. Restarting still results in a BSOD though.

Ztruker, I followed what you said but after entering ren system system.sav it returns The system cannot find the file specified.

 

[Ztruker]

After you enter

cd c:\windows\system32\config

Do a dir

See if

COMPONENTS
DEFAULT
SAM
SECURITY
SYSTEM

are there.

Also do a dir regback\ to see what is in that folder. Should be all of the above.

If SYSTEM is missing, go ahead and do the copy regback\system system, see if that works.

 

[Monumental]

Ztrucker, I messed up following your first instructions before. I got to the right drive and followed those instructions and Windows still crashed.

I do see those folders in dir and when I run dir regback\ I see DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM

 

[Ztruker]

Repeat but this time copy

SECURITY

see what that does for you. If still no help, copy SAM.

If still no joy then definitely follow gregrocker's adivce: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...oot-after-running-ccleaner-2.html#post2863658

 

[HarriePateman]

This is the first time i have heard of CClearner making a mess like this!

Next time i will think twice about using it.

 

[gregrocker]

Please keep in mind this is only hearsay.

We've never had a documented case here of CCleaner being responsible for failure and some of us have learned the hard way that blaming it is only speculation: CCleaner Fail?

 

[Monumental]

So I copied SECURITY and SAM and still BSOD. Tried System repair another 15 or so times, still BSOD. Was trying to hit F8 on boot to get to advanced boot menu again and the thing loads to the login screen... I have no idea what actually worked to get here because nothing ever said 'hey you're fixed now'. I have the Admin account enable. What is the first thing I should do to stabilize it? Merge that registry backup?

 

[gregrocker]

How many of the dozen steps I gave you have you completed?

Which bootable AV was run to check for infection?

Which is the Active partition which also determines whether repair will even work?

Post back a picture of PW disk drive map with listings.

Don't blame CCleaner when you haven't performed a single one of the Troubleshooting steps given.