What command will help restore the registry?

[+Mystic MVC]

I'm trying to help my brother fix his computer problem. He has a working cd/dvd drive (door open and closes) but the drive does not appear in windows. If you boot into Dell's BIOS though and run diagnostic tests, it is detected. The system detects it but it says code 19.

On that note I have been trying hard to restore his registry with all sorts of commands. Is there any command I can do in the command prompt that will automatically go through and fix everything? He doesn't know where his windows xp disk is otherwise I would try to recover everything from that disk.

Is he screwed?

[sc302 Veteran]

you will have to run a repair install. you will need the xp disk to do this. contact dell for the restore disk, I think it is $20 or so. or find a "friend" who has a disk.

[+Mystic MVC]

Well I have an xp disk at home that he could borrow. Is a restore disk something different?

[Reacon]

  Mystic said:

Well I have an xp disk at home that he could borrow. Is a restore disk something different?

Nope.

Did a quick google search on Code 19 and apparently it means "detected, not recognized".

Might be a hardware problem. If it is, you are in luck as cd/dvd writers come at a measly 20$ these days.

[sc302 Veteran]

yes and no. depending on the system i could just be a xp disk that the computer came with, or it could be a disk or set of disks that it came with that go through a whole process that installs all of the original system software that came with the computer. If you have the same version of xp that he does (oem home, oem pro, or oem media center (doesn't matter too much dell, hp, ibm/lenovo) then you should be fine. You want to use a xp reinstallation disk, not a system restore disk as system restore disks are generally coded for the specific brand pc.

as far as the dvd/cd player is concerned, replace it.

[+Mystic MVC]

Sorry guys he already replaced this once. I told him the same thing where I thought it was just a bad drive. He replaced it but it was still a no go. The system recognizes it in computer management so I know it's working (the drive opens and closes too).

Once I give him the disk, what exactly should I tell him to run? Any commands or should he try to repair XP?

[sc302 Veteran]

repair install. boot off disk, run repair (skip passed the first screen to go into recovery console by hitting c)

good luck

[gdodson]

Start > Run > regedit

Search for: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

Try renaming UpperFilters to UpperFilters.bak and LowerFilters to LowerFilters.bak and reboot the computer. If this works, the drive will reappear, but any burning software using filters will be broken.

[kimsland]

As per above, but a bit easier to do:

Fix CD Missing

Xp

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_cd_dvd_fix.htm

Vista:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461/en-us

Once complete, please restart

[+Mystic MVC]

I'll have him try both and report back to you guys. Thanks!

[+Mystic MVC]

  gdodson said:

Start > Run > regedit

Search for: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

Try renaming UpperFilters to UpperFilters.bak and LowerFilters to LowerFilters.bak and reboot the computer. If this works, the drive will reappear, but any burning software using filters will be broken.

When he goes to that directory, he does not see upper and lower filters.

  kimsland said:

As per above, but a bit easier to do:

Fix CD Missing

Xp

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_cd_dvd_fix.htm

Vista:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461/en-us

Once complete, please restart

He tried that and it still doesn't show up in my computer.

[kimsland]

Then it must be Virus / Malware related

Which Antivirus is "he" using? (note: I prefer free Avira Antivirus)

Has the Antivirus been updated and a full scan completed?

Please download Malwarebytes as well, from here: http://malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php

And then update it

Then run a full scan

Then select all found Malwares and remove them

Restart and test the Drive again

[+Mystic MVC]

I just scanned his computer with Spybot and it found nothing yesterday. He is also running Norton AV.

If I can get him a Windows XP disk, are there are recovery commands he can run?

[sc302 Veteran]

Run a recovery (second r option)

[kimsland]

  Mystic said:

If I can get him a Windows XP disk, are there are recovery commands he can run?

Before running any recovery options from your Bootable Windows Setup CD

Try (1) uninstalling Norton Antivirus, then run the (2) Norton Removal Tool

Once both processes are completed (Uninstall, and the Removal Tool) Then Restart

Check My Computer again, if all is now ok

If there are still issues, I recommend that you try free Avira Antivirus, updated and then a full scan completed

Then run Malwarebytes (fully updated first)

The above programs are all free, and I believe will fix the issue for you

Note: It would also be wise to confirm Virus / Malware free before doing a Windows Repair

[+Mystic MVC]

A repair doesn't harm anything and since I'm not there to do all those extra steps for him I think it will be more a hassle wouldn't it?

[kimsland]

Yes that seems ok

But my concern was that Norton will still be installed during the Windows Repair

To avoid any possible corruptions, Norton should be removed and then the uninstall tool used as well

Another concern was that there still may be Malware installed on the system, it would be wiser to follow my previous post in full, just in case ;)

[+Mystic MVC]

I've got to physically mail him the cd because I don't know when I'll see him next so this next step might be a while. Please keep checking back.

[+allan MVC]

I'm not sure what this guy's problem is with Norton AV, but there's certainly no need to uninstall it.

[kimsland]

  Mystic said:

Please keep checking back.

Will do

I was away for a day just then, so just catching up. :)

  allan said:

I'm not sure what this guy's problem is with Norton AV, but there's certainly no need to uninstall it.

Norton has this tendency to replace Windows System files with its own

It has many drivers and DLLs loading on Windows startup

I have always recommended to remove Norton fully if the user is wanting to do a Windows Repair

Once the Repair has been completed, the user can then put Norton back on (if that's what they desire)

I have mentioned this 3 times now in this thread

If you prefer to leave Norton installed and then do a Windows Repair, just be aware that a corrupted (if it corrupts) Norton Antivirus (any version) can stop Windows from loading properly. Hence the removal first

Your choice ;)

[+allan MVC]

OP: NAV does NOT replace any System files and there is never a reason to uninstall it before doing a repair.

[kimsland]

Norton Antivirus is the No.1 most corrupting Antivirus in the world

Please search Google to confirm ;)

Being so easily corruptible (and usually always under Virus infection, ironically)

I would say that uninstalling Norton before Repairing Windows would be the first thing any tech in the entire world would do. Definitely

Member "allan" may not be aware of how Norton has caused massive headaches to millions of users

I would highly recommend uninstalling it before doing a Windows Repair, as would any computer experienced person. Positively !

[+Mystic MVC]

Giving him the disk today so hopefully this week I'll be able to post back with some good results.

[+Mystic MVC]

Sorry to dig up the post but I've got his tower at my house now and tried a couple things. Even though XP doesn't see the cd/dvd drive when booted to the desktop it still works. I can boot to it. If I hit enter, the F8, and move to the drive XP is installed on, I don't have the "press R for repair" option.

Is there any command I can do in the Recovery Console (press R on the main screen) that will recover just the same as the normal way?

[+allan MVC]

Boot to safe mode. Do you see the drive? If so, something starting with the system is causing the problem. Open msconfig and on the startup tab choose to do a diagnostic startup (disable everything from loading) and reboot. Do you see the drive?

BTW, there are a couple of ways to get back to the original system files or do s system restore from either the RC or safe mode, but I'd like to know the answer to the above question(s) first. Thanks.

Edited July 11, 2009 by allan