I am trying to uninstall a piece of software but get an error could not open
key and then a long entry into local etc\windows\.....\run

The run entry is empty and cannot be opened or permissions changed.

I have tried using the Ramesh fix using subinacl but no difference.

You can see the problem at
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Richar...73088965061714

Advice would be very helpful. Everything else seems just fine and it is just
this application from Vodafone which is causing the probs. It seems that the
original drivers cause terrible crashes and the new drivers will fix this.

there was a similar issue however
described a bit differently and
also entailed that "vodafone".

here is a link that with
a description and possibly
a solution for you:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...2-f75c82630aa2


"organum" <organum@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:8DDC566D-725A-4C8D-B2EA-7175D3E573C2@microsoft.com...
I am trying to uninstall a piece of software but get an error could not open
key and then a long entry into local etc\windows\.....\run

The run entry is empty and cannot be opened or permissions changed.

I have tried using the Ramesh fix using subinacl but no difference.

You can see the problem at
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Richar...73088965061714

Advice would be very helpful. Everything else seems just fine and it is just
this application from Vodafone which is causing the probs. It seems that the
original drivers cause terrible crashes and the new drivers will fix this.

Thanks for the thought but actually this was different although associated
with a Vodafone prog running at startup.

That is not my problem which is down to the registry run entry being empty
and no access possible, so the uninstall has a look in the registry, cannot
read anything and reports this and then backtracks.


"db" wrote:

> there was a similar issue however
> described a bit differently and
> also entailed that "vodafone".
>
> here is a link that with
> a description and possibly
> a solution for you:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...2-f75c82630aa2
>
>
> "organum" <organum@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:8DDC566D-725A-4C8D-B2EA-7175D3E573C2@microsoft.com...
> I am trying to uninstall a piece of software but get an error could not open
> key and then a long entry into local etc\windows\.....\run
>
> The run entry is empty and cannot be opened or permissions changed.
>
> I have tried using the Ramesh fix using subinacl but no difference.
>
> You can see the problem at
> http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Richar...73088965061714
>
> Advice would be very helpful. Everything else seems just fine and it is just
> this application from Vodafone which is causing the probs. It seems that the
> original drivers cause terrible crashes and the new drivers will fix this

ok,

the prior postings would be
a bit differently, in that the other
used a system restore which
no longer contained the registry
key like the one you are experiencing.

there are "2" utilities that may be
helpful to gain control of your
registry. also, there is "a" suggestion
that may be helpful too:

1) there is a utility from
microsoft.com called autoruns

if you find any items pertaining
to that vodofone listed in autoruns,
you can check it, then double click
the filename and the registry will
open up and show you the new state
of the key as "disabled"

also, if the keys can be disabled by autoruns
then you may also have this opportunity
to delete those keys as well.

additionally, autoruns let's you see entries
registered under different "users". so
double check all the avail "users" listed
under the menu in autoruns.

2) the other option is to run a
registry cleaner like

Eusing Free Registry Cleaner
or
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm.

all registry cleaners work differently
because they utilize different criterion.
so it wouldn't hurt to run both the above.

what the above will do is to
validate the keys in the registry to their
parent program files on the disk.

invalid keys will be removed if there
is no parent program on the disk. in
this case that valid key will likely get
removed by the cleaner.

a) one other suggestion is to
delete any prefetch files that may
be loading for vodofone or one
of its components.

in this case something
related to vodofone may be
launching via prefetch.

i suggest that instead of scrutinizing
over which prefetch file are directly or
indirectly related to vodofone, it
is simply easier to delete all the
prefetch files.

fortunately, windows is programmed to
recreate them when / as you launch
any program.

here are the command lines i use:

C:\WINDOWS>cd prefetch
C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch>del *.*
C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\*.*, Are you sure (Y/N)?


"organum" <organum@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:EF131219-AC1B-4B15-B5DE-553780D6C5FE@microsoft.com...
Thanks for the thought but actually this was different although associated
with a Vodafone prog running at startup.

That is not my problem which is down to the registry run entry being empty
and no access possible, so the uninstall has a look in the registry, cannot
read anything and reports this and then backtracks.


"db" wrote:

> there was a similar issue however
> described a bit differently and
> also entailed that "vodafone".
>
> here is a link that with
> a description and possibly
> a solution for you:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...2-f75c82630aa2
>
>
> "organum" <organum@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:8DDC566D-725A-4C8D-B2EA-7175D3E573C2@microsoft.com...
> I am trying to uninstall a piece of software but get an error could not open
> key and then a long entry into local etc\windows\.....\run
>
> The run entry is empty and cannot be opened or permissions changed.
>
> I have tried using the Ramesh fix using subinacl but no difference.
>
> You can see the problem at
> http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Richar...73088965061714
>
> Advice would be very helpful. Everything else seems just fine and it is just
> this application from Vodafone which is causing the probs. It seems that the
> original drivers cause terrible crashes and the new drivers will fix this

Hi organum,

Have you checked the permissions for the "Run" registry key? You can do so by launching the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigating to that key. Right-click the key and choose "Permissions". Make sure that the administrators group has full control over the key. And if there are any "deny" permissions set, then that explains the problem.

Note: You can also use AccessEnum utility from the following Microsoft site to investigate the problem.
AccessEnum v1.32:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...ccessEnum.mspx

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"organum" <organum@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:8DDC566D-725A-4C8D-B2EA-7175D3E573C2@microsoft.com...
I am trying to uninstall a piece of software but get an error could not open
key and then a long entry into local etc\windows\.....\run

The run entry is empty and cannot be opened or permissions changed.

I have tried using the Ramesh fix using subinacl but no difference.

You can see the problem at
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Richar...73088965061714

Advice would be very helpful. Everything else seems just fine and it is just
this application from Vodafone which is causing the probs. It seems that the
original drivers cause terrible crashes and the new drivers will fix this.