My run command, registry editor and task manager are all disabled. Is there any way to reenable them?

Question

I've been trying a good potion of the night to try and reenable the registry editor. But to do that I need the run command, and to re-enable the run command I need the registry editor. I'm going in circles here. I've seen and read a few websites on how to reenable my run command but I'm actually missing the file for it completely (the file would be GPEdit.msc). So then I went to try another way by opening regedt32.exe but that requires the registry editor to be enabled.

I feel like I got totally screwed over by this goddamn virus. Is there any way I could possibly reenable the registry editor, task manager and my run command?

Also here's my system info if this is what will help:

System:
Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2

Registered to:
Michael **********
home
76477-OEM-0052536-18754

Computer:
AMD Duron(tm) processor
1.36 GHz, 480 MB of RAM

If you need more info, let me know how to get it and I will add it to my answer. Thanks so much~

Answer 1

EDIT; I appologise about the disabled deal, I knew you said it was I should have worded it all different. It suddenly came back to my memory a little bit ago that I have had this happen to me about maybe 2 or more years ago where everything was disabled like you mentioned. I think I fixed it with a strange combination of tools called combofix, smitfraudfix, and vundofix. It seems like there was something else I also used but cannot for the life of me remember. I have found this tool you might try but it requires the microsoft net framework. But from peoples reviews it seems like it works.



http://www.raymond.cc/forum/general-forum/12672-re-enable-project-ideas-and-suggestions.html (This guy is the maker of a tool called re-enable. You have to scroll down a little to see the download links. You can either download the portable or the regular re-enable file.)



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Regardless whether you have a virus or not, lets get some things straight here. The gpedit.msc command is not for the run command, the gpedit.msc is for the group policy editor that only windows xp professional has, your windows xp home edition does not even come with group policy editor whatsoever.

However you can download a tool directly form microsoft for windows xp home called tweakui that is similar to group policy editor.



Second I don't believe the run command has anything to do with the registry editor. To open the registry editor, assuming a virus has not disabled it,



1. Click start - click on run - type in regedit and click ok - your registry editor will now open up (Assuming a virus has not disabled it.)



2. To open the command prompt - Click start - run - type in cmd and click ok - now your command prompt will open up (Assuming a virus has not disabled it.)



3. Another way to get to command prompt - click start - all programs - accessories - you will find a command prompt shortcut here if it is not been deleted.



4. If your windows task manager is missing the options and screwed up, double click anywhere next to the end process button and then it will be back to normal. (Assuming it isn' disabled by a virus.)



http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx (Here is the microsoft page where you can download tweakui from. You can change tons of settings with this tool. The tweakui download link is on the right side of the page down towards the middle of the page.) Make sure you download the regular tweakui, and not the tweakui itanium version.



http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/ (As for your virus, I would scan your computer with hijackthis and upload a log to the internet and some people will help you out on what to remove. Also check out some other tools by trendmicro they are great at antivirus software.) Be careful on what you remove with hijackthis.



http://www.malwarebytes.org/ (Go here to malwarebytes and download the free version and install it. Boot into safe mode and do a virus scan with malwarebytes. This is a great scanner for antivirus.



If you need further help add some additional details and I will do my best to help you further.

Answer 2

Re Enable Task Manager

Answer 3

Hello; Same thing happened to a buddy of mine! We decided to fix the problem once and for all. I installed Linux on his machine (Ubuntu 8.04 with subsequent upgrades). First to say -- Linux isn't for everyone, there are some things that are very difficult in Linux (Linux isn't very good with games for instance). However for basic computer work, word processing, internet work, Linux is in some ways superior to MS Windows. Ubuntu is very easy to install. It has built in security against viruses and tampering by unauthorized users. It is built to run on older systems, a 1000 Mhz machine with 256 megabytes of RAM and a moderate hard drive becomes very usable computer. Because it is not running a virus check it appears to be running faster. Many systems don't run firewalls -- again this makes the computer more efficient. The last great point about Linux is that it is free -- most of the apps are free and the updates are free. I hope this was helpful, Bill

Answer 4

download smadav, a portable antivirus, under setting, you will notice option to re enable all windows default tool, aslo this av is small and can scan your registry error.

Answer 5

try a sytems restore to an earlier date before you had the problem.

Answer 6

try malwarebytes from malwarebytes.org fully update it do a full system scan.