Tweaking the Registry when Vista is down

Hi.

A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an update,
then reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped
forever. What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems to
be possible.

I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry but
I would either need

- an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a separate HD
(yes, I would take the HD to my PC)

- or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux
forum) that could do the same

- or of course any other brilliant idea.

Does anybody think of something?

Thanks.

P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it would
be a nightmare to save it all on DVD.

Hi Samuel,

You could have a look at this freebie:

'PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows registry key-values
without Windows.' (http://www.pcregedit.com/)

Hope it helps

SIW2

Samuel Marin;1126172 Wrote:
> Hi.
>
> A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an update,
> then reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped
> forever. What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
> At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems to
> be possible.
>
> I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry but
> I would either need
>
> - an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a separate
> HD
> (yes, I would take the HD to my PC)
>
> - or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux
> forum) that could do the same
>
> - or of course any other brilliant idea.
>
> Does anybody think of something?
>
> Thanks.
>
> P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
> option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it would
> be a nightmare to save it all on DVD.


--
SIW2

Hi, SIW2,

This just looks like a dream. I've downloaded and burnt. I'll test asap
and post back the results.
Thanks a lot!

Sam.

SIW2 a écrit :
> Hi Samuel,
>
> You could have a look at this freebie:
>
> 'PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows registry key-values
> without Windows.' (http://www.pcregedit.com/)
>
> Hope it helps
>
> SIW2
>
> Samuel Marin;1126172 Wrote:
>> Hi.
>>
>> A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an update,
>> then reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped
>> forever. What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
>> At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems to
>> be possible.
>>
>> I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry but
>> I would either need
>>
>> - an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a separate
>> HD
>> (yes, I would take the HD to my PC)
>>
>> - or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux
>> forum) that could do the same
>>
>> - or of course any other brilliant idea.
>>
>> Does anybody think of something?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
>> option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it would
>> be a nightmare to save it all on DVD.
>
>

Well, I've tried the live CD on my PC, just to check. It is exactely
what I wanted but one point : I'm supposed to select a file.
I've searched the net to no avail. Google was not my friend this time.
Damn. Where is the registry?
Thanks.
Sam

Samuel Marin a écrit :
> Hi, SIW2,
>
> This just looks like a dream. I've downloaded and burnt. I'll test asap
> and post back the results.
> Thanks a lot!
>
> Sam.
>
> SIW2 a écrit :
>> Hi Samuel,
>> You could have a look at this freebie:
>>
>> 'PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows registry key-values
>> without Windows.' (http://www.pcregedit.com/)
>>
>> Hope it helps
>>
>> SIW2
>>
>> Samuel Marin;1126172 Wrote:
>>> Hi.
>>>
>>> A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an update,
>>> then reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped
>>> forever. What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
>>> At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems to
>>> be possible.
>>>
>>> I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry but
>>> I would either need
>>>
>>> - an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a separate
>>> HD
>>> (yes, I would take the HD to my PC)
>>>
>>> - or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux
>>> forum) that could do the same
>>>
>>> - or of course any other brilliant idea.
>>>
>>> Does anybody think of something?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
>>> option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it would
>>> be a nightmare to save it all on DVD.
>>
>>

Hi Samuel,

"C:\Windows\System32\config\SOFTWARE"

instructions are here:

'PC Regedit, How to use PC Regedit'
(http://www.pcregedit.com/regedit_guide.html)

Hope it helps

SIW2

Samuel Marin;1126783 Wrote:
> Well, I've tried the live CD on my PC, just to check. It is exactely
> what I wanted but one point : I'm supposed to select a file.
> I've searched the net to no avail. Google was not my friend this time.
> Damn. Where is the registry?
> Thanks.
> Sam
>
> Samuel Marin a écrit :> > >
> > > Hi, SIW2,
> > >
> > > This just looks like a dream. I've downloaded and burnt. I'll test
> > asap
> > > and post back the results.
> > > Thanks a lot!
> > >
> > > Sam.
> > >
> > > SIW2 a écrit :> > > > >
> > > >> Hi Samuel,
> > > >> You could have a look at this freebie:
> > > >>
> > > >> 'PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows registry key-values
> > > >> without Windows.' ('PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows
> > > registry key-values without Windows.' (http://www.pcregedit.com/))
> > > >>
> > > >> Hope it helps
> > > >>
> > > >> SIW2
> > > >>
> > > >> Samuel Marin;1126172 Wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> > > > > > >


--
SIW2

Samuel - have you consider booting from hte Vista dvd and using startup
repair option?

"Samuel Marin" <samuelmarin@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
news:%23G$lOq0KKHA.4168@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi.
>
> A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an update, then
> reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped forever.
> What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
> At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems to be
> possible.
>
> I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry but I
> would either need
>
> - an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a separate HD
> (yes, I would take the HD to my PC)
>
> - or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux forum)
> that could do the same
>
> - or of course any other brilliant idea.
>
> Does anybody think of something?
>
> Thanks.
>
> P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
> option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it would be
> a nightmare to save it all on DVD.

Dear. The program and location were just fine, but it didn't do the trick.
I believe Windows Update does not write in the RunOnce folder. Does
anyone know better?

Thanks again.
Sam


SIW2 a écrit :
> Hi Samuel,
>
> "C:\Windows\System32\config\SOFTWARE"
>
> instructions are here:
>
> 'PC Regedit, How to use PC Regedit'
> (http://www.pcregedit.com/regedit_guide.html)
>
> Hope it helps
>
> SIW2
>
> Samuel Marin;1126783 Wrote:
>> Well, I've tried the live CD on my PC, just to check. It is exactely
>> what I wanted but one point : I'm supposed to select a file.
>> I've searched the net to no avail. Google was not my friend this time.
>> Damn. Where is the registry?
>> Thanks.
>> Sam
>>
>> Samuel Marin a écrit :> > >
>>>> Hi, SIW2,
>>>>
>>>> This just looks like a dream. I've downloaded and burnt. I'll test
>>> asap
>>>> and post back the results.
>>>> Thanks a lot!
>>>>
>>>> Sam.
>>>>
>>>> SIW2 a écrit :> > > > >
>>>>>> Hi Samuel,
>>>>>> You could have a look at this freebie:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 'PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows registry key-values
>>>>>> without Windows.' ('PC Regedit, Create, delete and edit Windows
>>>> registry key-values without Windows.' (http://www.pcregedit.com/))
>>>>>> Hope it helps
>>>>>>
>>>>>> SIW2
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Samuel Marin;1126172 Wrote:
>>>>>>
>
>

I'm not too much acquainted with Vista. I've only tried the system for
some time but I'm still fan of my XP. However my friend has only got a
recovery partition (no DVD) and I feared we would have too few options
(reinstall / format) for that. And it's obviously too late to build a
DVD out of the recovery partition.
If I can get hold of a Vista DVD, do you reckon I could repair with
minimum damage? The idea is not to reinstall most programmes and
personal data.

Thanks.
Sam

AJR a écrit :
> Samuel - have you consider booting from hte Vista dvd and using startup
> repair option?
>
> "Samuel Marin" <samuelmarin@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
> news:%23G$lOq0KKHA.4168@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Hi.
>>
>> A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an update, then
>> reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped forever.
>> What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
>> At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems to be
>> possible.
>>
>> I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry but I
>> would either need
>>
>> - an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a separate HD
>> (yes, I would take the HD to my PC)
>>
>> - or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux forum)
>> that could do the same
>>
>> - or of course any other brilliant idea.
>>
>> Does anybody think of something?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
>> option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it would be
>> a nightmare to save it all on DVD.
>
>

Hi Samuel,

If you are unable to use system restore you could try this:

Boot Vista dvd/recovery disc to System Recovery options Command prompt,
then rename the Pending.xml file and edit the registry:


1. Type cd C:\windows\winsxs, and then press ENTER.
2. Type ren pending.xml pending.old, and then press ENTER.

3. Type regedit, and then press ENTER.
4. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
5. On the File menu, click Load Hive.
6. Locate the following folder:
C:\windows\system32\config\components
7. When prompted for a name, type Offline_Components.
8. In Registry Editor, locate and then delete the following registry
subkey:
HLKM\Offline Components\AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving
HKLM\Offline Components\PendingXmlIdentifier

Exit RegEdit:

1. At the command prompt, type exit.
2. Press ENTER.
3. Click Restart.

You could try using PCREGEDIT for steps 3-8 if you prefer.

Hope it helps

SIW2


Samuel Marin;1127750 Wrote:
> I'm not too much acquainted with Vista. I've only tried the system for
> some time but I'm still fan of my XP. However my friend has only got a
> recovery partition (no DVD) and I feared we would have too few options
> (reinstall / format) for that. And it's obviously too late to build a
> DVD out of the recovery partition.
> If I can get hold of a Vista DVD, do you reckon I could repair with
> minimum damage? The idea is not to reinstall most programmes and
> personal data.
>
> Thanks.
> Sam
>
> AJR a écrit :> > >
> > > Samuel - have you consider booting from hte Vista dvd and using
> > startup
> > > repair option?
> > >
> > > "Samuel Marin" <samuelmarin@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> > > news:%23G$lOq0KKHA.4168@xxxxxx> > > > >
> > > >> Hi.
> > > >>
> > > >> A friend of mine has his Vista PC automatically installing an
> > > update, then
> > > >> reboots with no prompt before login any user. And that's looped
> > > forever.
> > > >> What's strange is it does the same in safe mode.
> > > >> At present no session can be opened, nor even reached. Nothing seems
> > > to be
> > > >> possible.
> > > >>
> > > >> I'm thinking I could alter/delete the RunOnce entry in the registry
> > > but I
> > > >> would either need
> > > >>
> > > >> - an XP tool that can read a Vista registry from a file on a
> > > separate HD
> > > >> (yes, I would take the HD to my PC)
> > > >>
> > > >> - or a Linux live CD tool (but I'm asking this question on a Linux
> > > forum)
> > > >> that could do the same
> > > >>
> > > >> - or of course any other brilliant idea.
> > > >>
> > > >> Does anybody think of something?
> > > >>
> > > >> Thanks.
> > > >>
> > > >> P.S.: You obviously see that formatting the HD will be the very last
> > > >> option as my friend has made a mess of his files on the HD and it
> > > would be
> > > >> a nightmare to save it all on DVD.> > > > >
> > > > >


--
SIW2

I could use your advice for a similar problem, I have tried using
regedit from the command prompt in system recover, however, when I click
to load hive... there is not response - I can repeat, it is not hung,
but I cannot load that hive no matter what I try.

Any suggestions? Has anyone else had success following those
instructions?

Thanks
Geoff


--
glansberry