System Restore screen is blank!

I used Advanced Registry Optimizer by Samm Soft. I have used it before with no problem. Today I decided to have it restore backup registry from a scan it did in 2008 and after it did that, my computer is now all messed up. Running really slow and like I said, the System Restore is a total blank so I can't even do that. HELP PLEASE!

Are there any newer scans available? If so, try the latest one of them.

I should have mentioned that I actually did run a new scan. After I restored the backup registry from 2008, I then did a new scan and it was after that that my computer went haywire.

Also, on start up, I get two error messages: 1. Error loading C:\Program Files\FBM Software\Zero Spyware\zsscheduler.dll The specified module could not be found. 2. ERror loading C:\Progra~1\FBMSOF~1\ZEROSP~1\zsscheduler.dll. The specified module could not be found.

So Advanced Registry Optimizer does not maintain multiple registry backups, so there is no way you can return to where you were before you did this?

Do you have a XP Install CD? If so, the best way to fix this would be to do a Repair Install. This leaves your data and most installed software alone and in working condition. Some will have to be reinstalled, especially Anti-virus.

It's always a good idea to back up your data just in case something goes wrong. As Murphy's Law dictates, the likelihood of this happening is directly proportional to how important your data is to you, and how irreplaceable it is. Basically, the more important the data, the more likely it is that a problem will occur

I'm going to try to restore the most recent backup and see if that won't correct it. To tell you the truth, I freaked out and when my computer went haywire like this and was afraid to do anything else w/out some input from this forum. I'll try the backup restore first, then the Windows Repair. Of course I have been meaning to backup my files and have been putting it off! i'll get back to you. Thanks a lot for your help so far!

Another possibility is to manually copy the registry files from a System Restore point. They may be there but System Restore itself may not be working right, especially after what you did.

This linke used to have the directions: http://forums.cclonline.com/showthread.php?t=1183 but is now defunt. Fortunately I copied them just in case this happened:

Sometimes I notgood up my machine so bad, that i couldnt boot into windows anymore, not even safe mode. So i looked around for ages and eventually found out how to do it in the recovery console. For anyone who is new to windows, the recovery console can be found by booting up your machine with the XP CD in the drive, and booting off of that CD. Then it will ask you if you want to go to the recovery console, and select that option. The recovery console is basically a MS DOS command prompt, with a little more functionality.

If you don't have an XP CD, download and create a bootable CD from the .iso file XP Recovery Console
You don't burn the iso file itself to CD., you create a CD from the iso file using your CD burning software. There is a good freeware burner called ImgBurn which will
do this.

Boot the CD and at the first opportunity, enter R to start the Recovery Console.
Next, choose which XP installation you want to login to. Normally this will be 1.
Lastly you will be asked for the Administrator password. Just press the Enter key as the Administrator does not have a password (unless you gave it one, then you would enter it).

When you get to the recovery console follow these instructions.

* Type CD\ then Enter
* Then cd system~1\_resto~1 then Enter
* Type dir then Enter

When you hit enter it will list all the restore point folders like rp1, rp2 …….. If the restore points have more than one page then u have to keep on hitting the Enter key to view the last restore point folder. You will have to choose the second to last option folder
* Type cd rp {the second to the last restore point no. } (Note: Example: cd rp9, if rp9 is the second to the last restore point where the last restore point no. is 10
* Then type cd snapshot

Now the command prompt will look like this
c:\system~1\_resto~1\rp9\snapshot
* Type: copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system
* Press enter
* Then type:
copy _registry_machine_software C:\windows\system32\config\software
* Then type exit

If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:

* Type CD\ then press Enter
* Type cd windows\system32\config then press Enter
* Type ren system system.bak then press Enter
* Type exit press Enter

Your PC will reboot, go back into the Recovery Console and then you have access

If you still cannot get access in anyway to your installation in the recovery console then your SAM database files are corrupt. There is no way you can restore these with the recovery console. You may need to do a fresh install.

Walk through this and see if it makes sense. Come back with any questions you may have.

You should be able to get rid of two error messages by deleting the entries in Startup that are trying to launch that program.

These are good tutorials on using msconfig in XP or Vista:
How to use msconfig in Windows XP
How to use msconfig in Windows Vista

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Startup tab then see if you can find the entry that launches Zero Spyware and disable it.

Reboot and you will get a popup about using System Configuration. Just check the box at lower left that says don't show this to me agsain, then click OK. You should not see the other two error messages any more.

Thank you for your help. So far, the only thing I have done is to go into Startup and I unchecked the 2 entries that were giving me the error messages. Now that is fixed at least. WHew. I'm nervous to do the other. First of all, my computer isn't configured to boot up to a CD, so I saw that I have to go into BIOS and change that, which that alone makes me nervous. And the XP CD I do have is at least 7 years old so it is only with SP1. I saw in other instructions on here, that if we reinstall it, to be really careful about viruses. I wouldn't know how to protect my computer from that! I wonder if I should just get a newer version (I want to stay with XP if at all possible because of all of the bad press about the newer Windows) and just install it. If I do that, will it uninstall the XP that is on my computer and install itself? I'm somewhat brave, but this situation just feels overwhelming and too complicated for me to try to tackle on my own. Any input would be very much appreciated!

You can create a new XP Install CD with SP3 (the latest Service Pack) on it. Not hard to do, just takes a little time and patience.

The simplest way to create a Bootable Windows XP Pro or Home Installation CD Slipstreamed with SP3 is to use Autostreamer. You point to your XP Pro/Home CD, the SP3 Service Pack .exe file, give it a path to write the .iso file to and off it goes. In 5 or 10 minutes you have a .iso file that you can burn to CD with almost any CD burner program you want to use. I used Roxio 2010. There is also a good freeware burner called ImgBurn which will do this for you.

Here is the link to Autostreamer: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-…ostreamer.shtml

You can download the SP3 .exe here: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers

Once you have the new CD, you can use it to do the a Repair Install. That should resolve any registry induced problems.

You will then have to apply any Windows Updates that were released after SP3, somewhere in the 50-60 area I think. You will also have to reinstall your Anti-virus and maybe some other programs. Most should continue to function okay but some will need to be reinstalled.

The alternative is to follow the steps I posted earlier to see if you can restore the registry from a System Restore point.

Do you have any data on the computer that you do not want to lose? If so, now would be a very good time to back it up.

Yes, my husband helped me backup my data last night. So thanks for that advice. Thank you for all of this information. I will read thoroughly thru it all and try to muster up the courage to do this. I do want to try your original suggestion with the System Restore. I am afraid however of changing the BIOS for the computer to boot to a CD. Is that easy to do? Am I worrying about that for no reason? Thanks again, Rich.

Yes, my husband helped me backup my data last night. So thanks for that advice. Thank you for all of this information. I will read thoroughly thru it all and try to muster up the courage to do this. I do want to try your original suggestion with the System Restore. I am afraid however of changing the BIOS for the computer to boot to a CD. Is that easy to do? Am I worrying about that for no reason? Thanks again, Rich.

Yes, changing th eboot order or boot priority is easy and not destructive. All you do is make the CD/DVD drive the first boot device.Floppy drive (if you have one) can be second and Hard Drive third (or 2nd if no floppy drive).

I went into the recovery console. When I typed CD\, it said "The command is not recognized." Then I just typed CD then Enter. Couldn't tell if it did anything so I typed, "cd system~1\_resto~1 it said, "The system cannot find the file or directory specified." Any idea why?

CD\ should have worked from the RC.

Try CD \ (space between CD and \)

What it's supposed to do is change your location to the root of the boot drive. After that you should be sitting at C:\>

If still no good, do the following:

1. Open notepad (Start then Run, type notepad and press Enter)

2. Copy the following red text by selecting it with your mouse then right clicking and selecting Copy

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\setup\recoveryconsole]
"setcommand"=dword:00000001

3. Switch to the notepad window and click on Edit then Paste. That will copy the data shown in red above into the notepad window. It will not be in red there.

4. In the Notepad window, click on File then Save as. Pick a location to save the file. Desktop is a good place. You'll delete the file when done.
Make the File name: "RCPower.reg" - include the double quotes as shown. This prevents XP from adding .txt to the name of the file, as it must end in .reg as shown.

Close Notepad and minimize your browser window do you can find RCPower.reg on your Desktop.
Right click on RCPower.reg and select Merge. Click Yes when asked if you want to continue.

That will change the value of "setcommand" in the registry from 0 to 1. This gives the Recovery Console more power or ability.

Now boot the RC and try the steps again, see if they work.

Delete RCPower.reg when done.