Person helping me disappeared

Another thing I want you to do is do a file search for all files named regedit . I beleive the regedit.com is a bogus file. The correct one should be regedit.exe. Don't delete any of them yet. Let me know what you find from the file search.

Can you also tell me if you have a folder named i386 as in eye 386. If you have it, it should be listed in C:\windows\ServicePackFiles\

Ok, did the regedit and i386 searches. i386 exists and I've sent you an image to show you the results of the regedit search. There's a regedit.com in system32 but there's also regedit.exe files. But, you're not gonna believe this… I have to run again. It seems my wife's strep throat is being really stubborn and I've decided to take her to the doctor. I'm telling you so you don't think I'm not commited to taking your help. I unfortunately do have to continue later.

OK. Will take this up when you can.
Those regedit.com files are bogus. It should be regedit.exe

I got the Windows XP disc from a friend and tride that fix. While the error no longer appears all I get is an MS-DOS screen that flashes on then goes away without starting regedit. I know it's not working cause I used to use regedit so I definitely know what it looks like when it starts properly. Is there any way I can attach files to these posts? I wanted to send you a screen cap of the results of the "regedit" search. Let me know

Copy the text in the following quote box into Notepad:

dir c:\WINDOWS\regedit.* /ah /s > files.txt
dir c:\WINDOWS\regedit.* /s >> files.txt
notepad files.txt

Save it to your desktop as ff.bat

CLOSE NOTEPAD!!!

Now, the ff.bat file on the desktop. A Notepad window will open up.

Please paste it's contents into your next post.

Here's the ff.bat notepad file: Volume in drive C has no label. Volume Serial Number is 20E5-945F Directory of c:\WINDOWS\system32 03/08/2006 10:10 PM 2 regedit.com 1 File(s) 2 bytes Total Files Listed: 1 File(s) 2 bytes 0 Dir(s) 14,216,392,704 bytes free Volume in drive C has no label. Volume Serial Number is 20E5-945F Directory of c:\WINDOWS 08/04/2004 03:56 AM 146,432 regedit.exe 1 File(s) 146,432 bytes Directory of c:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$ 03/31/2003 08:00 AM 134,144 regedit.exe 1 File(s) 134,144 bytes Directory of c:\WINDOWS\Help 03/31/2003 08:00 AM 46,684 regedit.chm 03/31/2003 08:00 AM 12,886 regedit.hlp 2 File(s) 59,570 bytes Directory of c:\WINDOWS\I386 03/31/2003 08:00 AM 39,702 REGEDIT.CH_ 03/31/2003 08:00 AM 134,144 REGEDIT.EXE 03/31/2003 08:00 AM 2,512 REGEDIT.HL_ 3 File(s) 176,358 bytes Directory of c:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 08/04/2004 03:56 AM 146,432 regedit.exe 1 File(s) 146,432 bytes Total Files Listed: 8 File(s) 662,936 bytes 0 Dir(s) 14,216,388,608 bytes free

Copy the regedit.exe from c:\WINDOWS
to c:\WINDOWS\system32\

Open c:\WINDOWS\system32\regedit.com <–Delete this file

Done.

Does regedit work now?

Yes, sir. What now?

Please go HERE and do a online scan.
Let me know what is found.

After scan, reboot and post a new HijackThis log

Also let me know how the computer is running now.

Ok, sure, but what about the previous ATF cleaner you had mentioned before all this regedit stuff happened?

Ok, sure, but what about the previous ATF cleaner you had mentioned before all this regedit stuff happened?

We'll get to that. Please run the scan.

Ok, scan's done. Shall I "automatic clean" or go "item by item"?

Ok, scan's done. Shall I "automatic clean" or go "item by item"?

Did the scan find anything?