Need help: possible registry corruption

idiotno1 · #1 May 8th, 2004, 06:07 PM

Hi,

I foolishly threw in the wastebasket the USER.DAT file in Windows ME, thinking it was SPAM/SPYware. Now nothing works. I was told to download a program from Bootdisk.com to help resolve this issue. Can you tell me what program to download to help me fix my computer? Thanks so much for any help on this.

**degsy** · #2 May 8th, 2004, 06:10 PM

Welcome

When did you do this?
Can you get into Windows?
Can you restore it from the Recycle Bin?

Can you get into SafeMode?
Could you do a System Restore?

idiotno1 · #3 May 8th, 2004, 07:48 PM

I did this on Tuesday. I'm a little fustrated right now having moved from a big city to a small town with very little computer/internet resources. Like an idiot, I threw the USER.DAT file in the wastebasket, but didn't delete it. After I turned the computer back on, it's missing after a power failure and no battery in the computer. I created this mess for myself by trying to keep all the SPYWARE/SPAMWARE out of my system. I was told that I could go to any ME computer and create a startup diskette and do a scanreg /restore. But I can't do it from mine and I don't know anybody who has a Windows ME computer. They suggested I need to restore the registry and create a startup diskette, and that I could go to bootdisk.com to get the utility/program to accomplish this and run from my a: drive. I would appreciate it if you could walk me through what I need to do to get my computer working again as no programs work anymore, can't get online and windows doesn't start. I had the system restore utility set to off on my computer before I decided to foolishly tamper with the USER.DAT file, which I hope has no effect on me still being able to restore the computer to the way it used to be.

**degsy** · #4 May 8th, 2004, 07:54 PM

Hi,
download and run this file
http://keykam.myftp.org/anonymous/Bo...sk/bootmec.exe
It will create a startup floppy

Boot from it and at the A:\> prompt type
scanreg /restore

Choose an appropriate entry to restore.

I don't think this will restore your user.dat file.
Scanreg /Restore only restores the backup of the registry it's self.

idiotno1 · #5 May 8th, 2004, 07:55 PM

I had a hard time getting into safemode (by luck I think, trying F8 and CTRL) at startup a couple of days ago, but it asked me a lot of questions that I didn't know how to respond to before I finally got there. When I responded NO to all of the questions for fear of changing anything else, it eventually put me in safemode, but there was no difference...I couldn't get any programs to work.

idiotno1 · #6 May 8th, 2004, 08:09 PM

I saved the file to desktop, but can't create the diskette. It's telling me "floppy can't be acceded. Check another application, don't use it." I hit retry and get the same thing. What do I need to do now?

Chanter · #7 May 9th, 2004, 12:27 AM

You need to get a Win ME bootdisk from somebody who has the OS if you can't make one, and you will get your registry restored. The registry comprises 3 files in the Windows Directory: System.dat, User.Dat, and Classes.dat. When you pick a registry to restore, it will create all 3 of those files. I'm amazed at how few people bother to make a startup disk. It takes 15 seconds, and you then have access to pure DOS and can do just about anything. But almost nobody does it. So, come on all you WinMe'ers, here's a lesson for you! Throw a floppy into the A Drive, Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Startup Disc > Create Disc. Done.

idiotno1 · #8 May 10th, 2004, 06:18 PM

No wonder why I couldn't create the disk. I was using an XP computer. If I had known to make a bootdisk when I first bought it, I would've done it for sure. I don't know anybody who has Windows ME. Is there a way to purchase this bootdisk off of the internet? My Windows ME is not capable of doing it, I guess because of the missing USER.DAT file. And being in a small town, my resources are very very limited. What other options do I have to restore my USER.DAT file?

**degsy** · #9 May 10th, 2004, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by degsy

Hi,
download and run this file
http://keykam.myftp.org/anonymous/Bo...sk/bootmec.exe
It will create a startup floppy

Boot from it and at the A:\> prompt type
scanreg /restore

Choose an appropriate entry to restore.

I don't think this will restore your user.dat file.
Scanreg /Restore only restores the backup of the registry it's self.

I've already posted the link to download a file.
When you run it the program will create the WinME floppy for you

idiotno1 · #10 May 10th, 2004, 06:55 PM

Thank you degsy. I d/led it to desktop on XP, double clicked it, but apparently need to create the disk using an ME computer. The XP wouldn't let me create the disk. Will have to scrounge around for an ME computer, I guess.

**degsy** · #11 May 10th, 2004, 07:29 PM

Hi,
It's just worked for me in XP.

Insert a floppy and then goto My Computer.
Right-Click the Floppy icon and click Format.
Format the Disk.

Close all windows then run the .exe file.

idiotno1 · #12 May 11th, 2004, 07:21 PM

Degs, I hope your solution works for me. It's been a slow and frustrating process to get my computer working again because I'm having to travel 30 minutes to get to a public computer. I have a question. I was told by a computer expert in a store 30 minutes outside of town that they only made ME for 4 months and that a lot of people got rid of the system because it had a lot of bugs. Is this true and what are your thoughts on the ME system? Have most people dumped that system and should I consider dumping mine as well? Anyway, thanks for clearing up the instructions. I will use the XP computer to create the ME bootdisk and restore the USER.DAT file. Will let you know how everything goes. Thanks again. Pete

**degsy** · #13 May 11th, 2004, 08:18 PM

That's rubbish.
I use Windows ME and it works fine.

The problem that people had is with the manufacturers.
They used cheap components with sometimes incompatible drivers.

The main problem with the big manufacturers is that they stuff the PC full of software without testing it.
You are always going to get problems if you do that.

My system is self-built using good components.
I look after the system. AV, Spyware scans. Disk Cleaning, Defragmenting, Registry cleaning etc.

Doing that will keep your PC in good working order.

Chanter · #14 May 12th, 2004, 01:06 AM

Win Me has been a terrific system for me, too. Stable, reliable, fast. I've stuck with it for 2 years and have NO desire to change. And you CAN make a Win ME disk on an XP machine. And you're not "restoring the user.dat file" per se; you are restoring the whole registry -- classes.dat, user.dat, and system.dat, so -- depending on when that backup was made, some of your settings might be different than they were before you deleted the user database, because now the system and classes databases will also be rolled back to an earlier time.

idiotno1 · #15 May 12th, 2004, 07:00 PM

Chanter and Degs, that is good to know about the ME system. I didn't wanna believe the guy either when he told me that. I don't think it's a bad system myself because it really hasn't given me that many problems either. Thanks for the feedback. Still haven't created the bootdisk but will do it in a couple of hours on another computer. Hope all goes well with that and restoring the registry.

Since I'm here discussing problems, this may be the only other major problem I've had with the system when it was working properly. For whatever reason, my DSL hookup is causing my computer to overheat and cause the fan to constantly go on. And I've noticed this that it happens more often when I visit email sites like hotmail or auction sites like eBay. It's like so much information is loading onto the screen and it takes its toll on the computer. My computer is a 700 Mhz, 256 RAM, and frequently does take a while to flip from screen to screen. I tried to get the ISP to help resolve this but they couldn't help me, and since I moved and now using a different ISP, I can only guess that the problem lies with my computer since I still have this problem. I have a lot of programs installed, including Norton A/V and it's firewall if this makes any difference. And the internet cache is emptied on a daily basis. Has anybody encountered problems such as this before?