asked on

This action is only valid for products currently installed

I am fixing a dell laptop with windows xp home installed. There was a registry error and the computer wouldn't load but after replacing c:\windows\system32\config\system (along with some other files) in repair mode and it booted up. However, my user account was not there and only had the option of "owner". When I log in and go to my old documents folder and try to run a program I get this error - This action is only valid for products currently installed. Is there a way to create my old user account and get all my programs and old settings back without having to reinstall everything(don't have authentication keys for things like office and stuff)? Thanks

karephre

what was the other files you replaced ?

Bryon H

you could replace the system hive with the original and fix the problem another way...

OR... take your old system hive, mount it in regedit, export it, then re-import it

i think you whacked the software hive too so you might think about doing that

in regedit, click on hkey local machine, system
file > load hive
browse to your backed up system hive, name it like temp-system
right-click it in the tree at the left, export it
then import it, should be good

repeat for software if you want

obviously make a backup of what you have first.
(i mean back up c:\windows\system32\config)

secondeff

ASKER

All the files I replaced were from the c:\windows\repair\ folder. I copied them to here:
c:\windows\system32\config\system
c:\windows\system32\config\software
c:\windows\system32\config\sam
c:\windows\system32\config\security
c:\windows\system32\config\default
I made copies so would you think that if I put the copies of every file except config\system back I would have my older user name back?

karephre

The SAM stored your user account name and password. I would start there first.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

karephre

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