Registry Error on Delete Key / Value attempt

[Dasher]

My system is running Windows XP Pro SP2 -- I tried to run a program I use infrequently; Adobe Premiere 1.0, and got an error.. it said to reinstall the program. This is where the real problem is. I can not repair the program, or uninstall the program or reinstall it because I always fails on a registry error.

The error is a particular registry entry can not be deleted or modified, or renamed. I tried Regedit and Regedt32 and got the same results.. 'an error occurred while trying to delete a key'.

So how do you get around this problem. I tried to go back to an earlier set point, but the same thing occurred.

I tried safe mode, no luck, I tried System Works 2003 (only version I have) no luck.

The only thing I know will work is to do a clean install of Windows XP but I am not ready for that drastic of measure yet. Does any one have or know of a utility that can delete a key that gets an error like that? Or a utility that can repair such an error?

Thanks

[-pops-]

You could try System File Checker (sfc.exe)

Have a look here

[Dasher]

That seems to be a rather sucky program... I have no idea what SP2 disk it wants. I downloaded SP2 a long time ago, and created a slip-stream WinXP Pro Disk with SP2 in it. But it doesn't like that disk. The SP2 download deletes its own files if you don't let it install SP2... So I copied the i386 folder before it deleted the files, and then burned a disk... but sfc does not like that disk either. Bunch of MS crap.

The bigger issue is SFC does nothing to repair the registry which is where my problem is.

[scuzzman]

SFC is the Microsoft System File Checker. It checks your system files and compares them to a copy on your original OS disc. This is commonly used to restore corrupted registries - hence pops' suggestion. Aside from that, I would reccomend this MS KB article: How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

[Dasher]

I ran SFC and it did something... but who knows what... like I say it is pretty lame. It just quits when done. So it does not report what it did.

But I have no problem running my system and I can change set points with ease.. So use of the recovery console is not needed. I just need to delete a single value in the registry...

Is the only solution to do a clean install?

[scuzzman]

Sorry, I don't know of there being any other way. Your registry is corrupted (hence the unable to remove the value).

On second thought, what might work would be to export the key, modify/delete that value, then import the key again... This might work - standard "you might hose your system" rules apply here. I have not tested this, nor can I, so I am not sure if it will work or not.

[Dasher]

I forgot to mention -- I can not export the, or import to, the corrupted section. The amazing thing is the corrupted value is the default value for the key and is a blank or null value. I can not rename or delete any section related to the sub key. I tryed renaming a parent to the key, but it won't let me do that either. I exported the Premiere Elements section but it excluded the DefaultPresets. I wanted to delete the section or rename it and then reinstall PE but no luck doing that.

BTW Any key in sister keys are changeable, just not any in the direct path... i.e. parents

The Location : 'HKLM\Software\Adobe\Premiere Elements\1.0\DefaultPresets\default' is the bad path. The rest of the registry seems to be fully editable, including other branches under '...\1.0\...' which I have deleted.

Has anyone tried to export the entire registry -- clean install windows and then import the registry so you don't have to reinstall software. Maybe save common files, and System32 files.

The problem with a clean install is it takes weeks before the system is back to normal. Can any utilities like PCTools http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/ actually overcome this problem or do they crapout on a corrupted key too.