I've deleted things I shouldn't have!

Hi everyone I am desperate for some help and this seems the perfect board! I am running a laptop with Windows 2000 professional, which was purchased second hand with Windows pre-installed. I decided to give it a good clean up using the advice in these forums, but my inexperience got the better of me! I accidently, or so it appears, have deleted some essential certificates required to run internet explorer (IE6). My e-mail (Outlook Express) runs perfectly but when I try and open IE6 the following error comes up:- Validation failed for C:\WINNT\system32\VSINIT.dll. You are probably missing a necessary root certificate. Another Window has also opened with the following:- Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced with unrecognized versions. To maintain system stability, Windows must restore the original versions of these files. Insert your Windows 2000 Professional CD now. I looks as though I have messed this up completely. I do not have the Windows 2000 disc either. Is there anything I can do? Can anything be downloaded using my desktop PC (Win XP) and transferred to my laptop? Alternatively, can I do a system restore to take me back to before I deleted the certificates? I feel like such a moron!! Many thanks

Windows 2000 doesn't exactly have System Restore the same way XP does.

To "Restore" a Windows 2000 machine, you must have "intentionally" gone through the steps to create a restore image. If you or someone else has done this, then you may be able to return to that earlier state.

Read here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240363/

You CAN however, run System File Checker to identify and replace any missing or corrupted operating system files.
Start - Run - (type)sfc /scannow

You will need a Windows 2000 operating system installation disk for SFC to copy and replace from.
Fortunately, it can be "any Windows 2000 install disk" since SFC doesn't require Product Identification Key.

See if you can borrow one.

You might also try re-installing Internet Explorer.
Download and install from here:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Internet_Explorer_d2290.html

Please keep us posted with your progress, since other Members may learn from your experience.

Best Regards

Thanks a lot for your advice. I'm trying to locate a Windows Disc at the moment - unfortunately most people seem to be running XP! I'll let you know if I have any luck. In the meantime I'll let my laptop gather some dust!! Kind regards Adam