Help pleeeeease!

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

I have, what I think are file extension & or registry problems?
I can't open any programmes or even system restore as I just get a message saying 'unknown file type'? This is the same for all file types I try to open. All my icons including those on the desktop all have the same look to them, a kind of white sheet of paper with the top right corner turned down & a file type box within that!!
The last thing I ran last night was the 'ISSUES' scan using CCleaner. I went to bed & left it running. My daughter said this morning that there was a box saying 'OK' & she had to keep clicking it loads of time before it went away. I suspect that this has deleted items from my registry? I can't download any software as it also comes up as 'unknown file type' too!!
I am running windows xp which is fully up to date including service pack 3.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks.

[cesare]

i would try going to command prompt and typing in

sfc /scannow

it should ask for your windows cd and will check all files and registry entrys against the cd's

if not the only other thing i could think of is mabey a windows reinstall?

hope this helps

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

i would try going to command prompt and typing in

sfc /scannow

it should ask for your windows cd and will check all files and registry entrys against the cd's

if not the only other thing i could think of is mabey a windows reinstall?

hope this helps

Hi.
My system came with windows pre-installed, so I don't have a disc??
There still seems to be a copy of windows on my system that I can access by pressing F10, but it just wants to reset my system back to the factory settings, I can't seem to repair. If I opt for system restore, it starts the pc as normal, but as before I can't use it because the file type is not recognised!!
Any other ideas? pleeeease, lol
Cheers.

[blueivy]

Hi.
My system came with windows pre-installed, so I don't have a disc??
There still seems to be a copy of windows on my system that I can access by pressing F10, but it just wants to reset my system back to the factory settings, I can't seem to repair. If I opt for system restore, it starts the pc as normal, but as before I can't use it because the file type is not recognised!!
Any other ideas? pleeeease, lol
Cheers.

Is it an HP computer?

Can you start a command prompt (ie. Start->Run, type cmd.exe and press Enter)? If so, can you type regedit and see if the Registry Editor comes up?

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

Is it an HP computer?

Can you start a command prompt (ie. Start->Run, type cmd.exe and press Enter)? If so, can you type regedit and see if the Registry Editor comes up?

Hi.
Yes, it is an HP pc.
When I type in regedit, it also comes up as unknown file. The box that comes up asks if I want to go online to find the appropriate programme or to choose it from a list on my pc.
I have managed to get a couple of programmes to load by choosing them from the list, but can't get system restore as I'm not sure where to find it??
Anything else I could try please?
Cheers.

[blueivy]

Hi.
Yes, it is an HP pc.
When I type in regedit, it also comes up as unknown file. The box that comes up asks if I want to go online to find the appropriate programme or to choose it from a list on my pc.
I have managed to get a couple of programmes to load by choosing them from the list, but can't get system restore as I'm not sure where to find it??
Anything else I could try please?
Cheers.

I thought you had said System Restore didn't work, but I see what you actually said was you couldn't get into it! That will teach me to read the message properly!

To get into System Restore reboot your PC and just after your BIOS screen disappears Press F8 a few times (leave about a 1 second gap between pressing it) and you should get a menu to come up. If the Windows logo appears you pressed too late. Reboot and try again.

From the menu choose Safe Mode and follow the instructions from there and restore it to an earlier time. If that doesn't work we can try the Registry Editing.

Let us know how you get on.

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

Hi.
I was just typing a reply to you there & had a power cut, but it's obviously back now, lol.
I can't get restore to work that way either.
The mishap occurred while using the issues scan with CCleaner. It did leave 3 back-up logs, but I can't get them to load either?
What next??:(

[cemmts]

CCleaner has a option that saves the registry before it changes anything it stores a file by default in My Documents that looks like a small blue cube on a white bit of paper if you double click that it will restore your registry to the state before last clean if you have choosen to save of course. If she pressed all the ok's it would have.

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

CCleaner has a option that saves the registry before it changes anything it stores a file by default in My Documents that looks like a small blue cube on a white bit of paper if you double click that it will restore your registry to the state before last clean if you have choosen to save of course. If she pressed all the ok's it would have.

Hi.
I have tried that already, but the system doesn't recognise the file type etc. as above.
Anything else I can try?
Cheers.

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

Hi.
After checking some help issues on CCleaner's site, it sounds as if my reg file associations may need restoring?
I don't get the option to 'merge' when I double click or right click on the back-up files that were left even though they are saved as .reg files.
I have been able to open them though with notepad & view the contents if that could help in any way??
Cheers.

[blueivy]

Hi.
After checking some help issues on CCleaner's site, it sounds as if my reg file associations may need restoring?
I don't get the option to 'merge' when I double click or right click on the back-up files that were left even though they are saved as .reg files.
I have been able to open them though with notepad & view the contents if that could help in any way??
Cheers.

Did you get my emails?

The problem is EXACTLY as you describe it - your file associations, in particular your .exe and exefile associations are gone which stops you running programs. The problem at the moment is the way to get them back.

This would normally be simply a matter of importing a REG file into your registry, however you need to run Regedit to do that which you can't as you can't run .exe files ... catch 22.

I'm looking at something just now to try and get it fixed.

[blueivy]

The easiest solution I can see is to get a Windows XP CD and do a repair of the PC and then reapply Service Pack 3. I tested that here and it works to fix your problem.

The problem with this is you don't have a disk?

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

I managed to get the problem sorted & would like to say thanks to all those who posted & helped especially blueivy. A true Gent.

Thanks again all,
Kcb.:)

[Kevin Milkins]

I managed to get the problem sorted & would like to say thanks to all those who posted & helped especially blueivy. A true Gent.

Thanks again all,
Kcb.:)

He is a good egg ,that blueivy and am still waiting to buy him a beer for getting me sorted.

[blueivy]

He is a good egg ,that blueivy and am still waiting to buy him a beer for getting me sorted.

Thanks for the kind words guys. I really appreciate it.

I think after that maybe I need to buy you a beer Kevin? ;)