Solved Deleted Registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software

[Injust]

Yeah, I did

 

[Slartybart]

Open an elevated command prompt (right clcik->run as administrator)
enter this command and paste the results

reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

 

[Injust]

ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value.

That's what I got

 

[Slartybart]

Do you still have three users?

The only one that should work is the third user - the other 2 users (original and 2nd user) were corrupted. The first when you made the registry edit error and the 2nd when you copied that error from teh 1sy user profile to the 2nd user profile.

Which user are you logged on when you are trying this?

 

[Injust]

I was using the copied corrupted profile. I deleted the original corrupted profile. I'll try again with a new user account.

 

[Slartybart]

ok, try backing up to the HKCU and tehn down the tree

reg query HKCU
reg query HKCU\Software
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

report where the query stops working

 

[Slartybart]

Please do and stay on that user until the problem is resolved.

DO NOT copy anything to the new user

 

[Slartybart]

just use the new user as windows created it

 

[Injust]

Yup, the last query works.

C:\Users\TEMP>reg query HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentvers
ion\Explorer

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer
    ExplorerStartupTraceRecorded    REG_DWORD    0x1
    ShellState    REG_BINARY    240000003028000000000000000000000000000001000000
120000000000000022000000
    CleanShutdown    REG_DWORD    0x0

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Advanced
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Application
Destinations
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\AutoplayHan
dlers
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\BitBucket
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\CD Burning
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\CLSID
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\ControlPane
l
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Discardable

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\LowRegistry

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\MenuOrder
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\MountPoints
2
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\NewShortcut
Handlers
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\SearchPlatf
orm
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Shell Folde
rs
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\StartPage
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\StartPage2
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Streams
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Taskband
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\User Shell
Folders
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\UserAssist
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\VisualEffec
ts
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\Wallpapers
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\Explorer\SessionInfo

 

[Injust]

This is what I get if I do the last query on the corrupted account:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer
    ExplorerStartupTraceRecorded    REG_DWORD    0x1
    CleanShutdown    REG_DWORD    0x0
    ShellState    REG_BINARY    240000003028000000000000000000000000000001000000
120000000000000022000000

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\SessionInfo

 

[Slartybart]

Forget about any of the corrupted accounts

ok, one more

reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

 

[Injust]

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    Start_SearchFiles    REG_DWORD    0x2
    ServerAdminUI    REG_DWORD    0x0
    Hidden    REG_DWORD    0x2
    ShowCompColor    REG_DWORD    0x1
    HideFileExt    REG_DWORD    0x1
    DontPrettyPath    REG_DWORD    0x0
    ShowInfoTip    REG_DWORD    0x1
    HideIcons    REG_DWORD    0x0
    MapNetDrvBtn    REG_DWORD    0x0
    WebView    REG_DWORD    0x1
    Filter    REG_DWORD    0x0
    SuperHidden    REG_DWORD    0x0
    SeparateProcess    REG_DWORD    0x0
    AutoCheckSelect    REG_DWORD    0x0
    IconsOnly    REG_DWORD    0x0
    ShowTypeOverlay    REG_DWORD    0x1
    ListviewAlphaSelect    REG_DWORD    0x1
    ListviewShadow    REG_DWORD    0x1
    TaskbarAnimations    REG_DWORD    0x1
    StartMenuInit    REG_DWORD    0x4

 

[Slartybart]

after you post the last command I gave you

describe if the problem you originally posted is still an issue - on the newest account, the one where the query commands work. You're probably going to have to live on the newest account. There might be a way to recvoer the 1st account, but there have been too many errors already. Better to start fresh with the new users and rebuild your shortcuts and settings than to spend more time and possibly making more errors.

We'll see, but please see if this account is behaving.

 

[Slartybart]

good, the newset account is where you will do everything - leave the the other accounts alone - don't log in , don't delete, don't copy, and don't edit the registry - there are better ways, better tools

 

[Injust]

:O
The new account works
But I have too much stuff on my other account, including registry customizations
Don't want to have to move EVERYTHING, it's over 15GB, and if there's a way to correct the errors, I'd probably take it

 

[Slartybart]

play around - take the new account for a test drive. report any issues

Thanks

 

[Injust]

K, biggest problem on my old account was that explorer settings (taskbar, start menu, notification area, and system settings) didn't work. They work now

 

[Injust]

Is there anything I can do you resurrect my corrupted account? Maybe copy all the new user account's registry keys over?
Dunno, just guessing here

 

[Slartybart]

right - but since you deleted the HKCU on the original account, I doubt there are any registry customizations left

you didn't lose any data - what do you mean 15GB?

Here's the simple truth - anything that you customized, any settings in teh registry that are per user - they're gone.
as shawn said, you might have to create shortcuts for your start menu and you might have to reinstall some things, and you will have to go through your programs as you use them to set the options. Those things were lost becasue of the editing error.

Don't worry about the options - those are easy to set. Same thing for your start menu - anything that's not already there - easy to create a shortcut and put it back. There is no magic, but there is some work.

If you try the new account and find out what you think is missing, someone can help you find it.

 

[Injust]

Oh, I didn't delete the WHOLE HKCU, only HKCU\Software.
Yeah, but I like my old account. I still have all my wallpapers there, all my settings, and my programs.

Can I try copying the new HKCU\Software\Explorer over to my old account?

And what I mean by DATA is all my files
I store many on my desktop