problems cleaning registry ... dead computer

[Kristi]

My computer wants the product key. I can't get into anything. Well, I did get into safe mode. But I don't know if I can again.

I was using Reboot's "Shopvac". I've email him with no response yet.

The files were renamed ok, then when it was building the registry something didn't go right.

HELP please !!

Kristi


I should add that I'm using win98.
And that I saved user.dat and system.dat on my desktop before I did anything.

[galaxian]

The easiest way out is to boot to a Command prompt and enter

Scanreg /Restore

And choose the date that you ran ShopVac. The files will be those backed up that morning.

Shopvac is really a Windows 95 tool. On Win98 just use Scanreg /Fix and it will be just as effective.

(note: that neither actually clean anything. Ie: Remove any vaid registry entries. Both just rebuild the registry and in the process and "dead" space from deleted entries is removed.

[Kristi]

I'll give it a try. I'm not sure I can get into dos. I won't have a computer to get back to this thread until my daughter gets off of work at 9:30. I'll monitor this thread for another hour, until 1:30 cst.

Kristi

[galaxian]

Try gettng to the Command prompt the same way you got to safe mode. Either the F8 or Ctrl key. A mucked up registry shouldn't have any affect on this.

Or, boot with at boot disk and at the A:\ prompt enter the following 3 commands

C:
CD\Windows\Command
Scanreg /Restore

[Kristi]

Hello everyone and anyone.

Thanks galaxian for your help. I've restored the registry. I have more problems now. I'm going to post it under hardware - drives. I think I may have fried my hd.

If anyone here can help me with that, I'll be under "did I fry my hard drive ????"

Kristi

[reboot]

Sorry I wasn't around for the long weekend Kristi.
On my shopvac page, there's also an undo.bat
Check out http://members.cnx.net/reboot/shopvac.htm

Galaxian, shopvac doesn't quite do the same as scanreg /fix
It's closer to scanreg /opt which is undocumented. It still works in 98. There's a huge thread about it in the tips and tricks section.

[galaxian]

/Fix "essentially" does a registry rebuild.(which includes optimization)

Shopvac does a rebuild as a result of the unload/reload.

Both, in that process, get rid of the unused (previously marked as deleted) space.

/Opt is a documented switch.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;184023&

BTW I did a search in Tips&Techniques for Scanreg / ShopVac/ Opt and only found a couple of threads, none of which seemed to be the one you are referring to?