Got suckered by site for "FREE" Registry Cleaner Software. After you download the "free" software, THEN they tell you that in order to actually use it, you have to buy a "key" (subscription fee)!! Anyway, I uninstalled it, and deleted 2 of their files. Now my system is all screwy. I got one back out of the recycle bin, but the other one is REALLY gone (or hidden?) This scam is new to me. Is there anything I can do to reverse the damage? Some things are working, but everything is slower, and some sites I visit daily I just can't get to at all, and the cursor even seems to have a mind of its own. PLEASE HELP ASAP!! THANKS!!! V

Suckered or not, alterations to the registry can have dire consequences - all the more so in Win95, which has no inbuilt registry backup

Registry cleaners have been known to make unwanted & unforeseen changes - the better ones backup items before removal, so it may have been possible to undo from within the application, or you could have manually backed up the registry files before experimenting.

Care to name this 'scamware'? There are a number of free registry cleaners available, easily found with a little research.

It's difficult to determine what exactly is wrong with your system - you make it sound as if files were deleted, which is not normally a function of a reg cleaner.

You are, once again, Microsoft's bitch

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Yeah, what jboy said.
But I doubt if another Reg cleaner will fix the problem that the first one created. In fact, I'm inclined to think it would more likely make things worse. Of course, I'm biased against using Reg Cleaners.

Do yourself a favor BACKUP!

For future reference, you can add the scanreg function to a 95 system by copying the scanregw.exe and scanreg.ini files from 98 to the 95 windows folder and scanreg.exe to the windows\command folder.

Then run regedit and browse to Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Click 'edit' from the toolbar and choose to create a new string value. Add the value name of ScanRegistry and value data of C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun.

That will give you backup registries to restore should the need arise.

Always get advice from this or some other reliable computer forum before downloading computer utilities.

You might be heading for reformat.

DerekW

Hi Vellen,
may well have to reinstall windows. But if so, I strongly suggest you install scanreg restore. It's a product of windows 98 but works fine in 95. It provides you with 5 backups of your registry, and has saved me more times than I'd like to think.
DAVIENCAPS has the right approach, but you must make the registry entry, as well as the other files.
If your uncomfortable with that, "Steve Easton" from www.95isalive.com has written a complete installation program for windows 95.
Just download it, and install. Simple, and it works perfect. Guy knows his stuff.

I suggest that you download and run JVPowertools195. This program is excellent and free. Powertools has a registry cleaner that really works and is safe. Find it here:
http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html#jv16

Thanks to all for quick responses!!

jboy: the evilware is by bugdoctor.com. I did look around a bit. Had no idea it could make such a mess of things. Would've checked here, but I didn't find this site until I actually got into trouble. Super help site!

DAVE: can I get those 2 scanreg files somewhere online? (I only have floppy drive).

Derek: Have learned my lesson!

jack: Will go see Steve E. This is good news as my PC is 2nd hand and I am w/o the install pkg. Here's a stupid question: If I reinstall, does that mean I start over with a shiny, new reg'r?

OtheHill: Powertools sounds like a winner, will check it out.

THANKS to EVERYONE who responded with advice and suggestions!!! I will check it all out and let you know if Cletus (my pc) lives.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

I'll email you the files if you post your address. (Click the
E-Mail: From My Computing.Net Settings at the bottom of the page and add your email address.

jboy: Just remembered orig. site. Found Bug Doctor at freedownloadtools.com.

DAVE: Okay. THANKS!

Vallen

OK, it should be there. Just so you understand, installing the files and making the registry change now won't help with the problems you're currently experiencing since there won't yet be any backups to restore. But once you get it all installed then with each new day you start windows a new backup will be created.

To restore a previous registry you need to boot to dos via the F8 menu (choosing 'command prompt only') or shut down windows and 'restart in msdos mode'. Then at the prompt type scanreg/restore and enter. The available backups and their dates will show.

You might also consider adding the 98 msconfig files. That will allow you to have better control over what loads on startup.

DAVE: Got it. Probably wait til a.m. to do this; getting a little fuzzy. Thanks VERY much for the files!! I'll let you know how it goes.

Ah, I see. Never used it, but there's a legion of cleaners around, some better than others

Found this cautionary tale

Good or bad, you need to be careful with the registry in 95 - grafting in scanreg should safeguard you from future difficulties.

Yeah, to get a 'shiny & new' registry, a clean install is the best route - however:

"my PC is 2nd hand and I am w/o the install pkg"

... if that means you don't have the Win95 installation CD or set of diskettes, you may be stuck

The setup routine referred to by 'jack' is for installing the registry tool (scanreg) only

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Hey, jboy:
Thanks for the info on Bug Dr. What luck that, out of all the free downloads I checked out, I chose one of the worst!! Guess that won't happen again. Any idea where I can get a set of 95 diskettes?

Thanks again
Vallen

Legitimately, there's eBay or some other reseller

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