I downloaded a program called RegistryFix and it made me restart the computer. After it did, the computer would not boot pass the desktop. Once it gets to the desktop(no icons loaded yet) an error box pops up and states there has been a error and could not load explorer.exe. I hit OK and another box pops up and states that the file shell32.dll may have been corrupted and to reinstall windows! I have tried almost everything that I can think of and read of on the net. I bought some floppy and tried to make a boost disk, but the computer just boots like normal without going into DOS mode. I cant get into safe mode either because those same error pops up. Since I cant get access to these, I cannot do the system restore.

The only thing that has been helpful so far is a little device that I can plug my harddrive into and make it turn into a USB drive that I can access on any other computer(doesn't have to be windows me). So I can get into the system.ini files, and also replaced the shell32.dll file. Still it doesn't work. If anyone have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciated.

It's fixable, usually, but it's a sliding scale of how painful and awkward things are going to be because it's pretty much dependent on you having a windows ME CD to hand, or, on you successfully creating and using an ME startup disk / boot disk.

So, do you have an original Windows ME CD ?

Is the machine able to even read the floppy disk on boot up? Is it part of your boot order set in the BIOS ?

You say you tried to make a boot disk but it didn't work. Better explain exactly how you made it and what you did.

Did you, for example, go to bootdisk.com and follow the instructions, download and make an ME bootdisk ?

If not, follow the instructions and try making a new bootdisk using the above (Choose, Windows Me OEM).

Try it again, if it works, then it's pretty straight forward extracting and replacing the two files in question using the ext command.

You follow the instructions from the MS article below, starting from the point where it says: Windows Millenium Edition >> Cannot start Windows >> Extract Files By Using Startup Disk..

MS Article ID:129605 - HOW TO: Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

Pesky registry fixers but they don't usually interfere with "files" (except the registry itself). More likely that the registry is now screwed up and can no longer access/find the files.

Unless you backed up the registry you might be in for a re-install. Whatever, as per Viking you will need the ME CD and a boot disk. Sometimes folk just put the download onto the floppy which is no good. You have to use the download to "create" the bootdisk on another machine.

DerekW

Most registry cleaners come with DLL clean up options amongst other things. If you check out the "RegistryFix" site it comes out with a classic line - Harassed by DLL errors?

It's a reasonably safe assumption it's either flagged a load of stuff up marked as possible problems and the OP got rid of the lot not knowing any better.

Or it really is a bad app and just deletes stuff for the fun it. I've seen more "accidents" happen with poorly programmed registry cleaners than virtually anything else.

ME should have backed up the registry automatically so restoring the registry is a possible option, but when it starts bitching about explorer.exe not loading and shell32 is possibly corrupt you just know that "RegistryFix" has been hacking at files it shouldn't.

Viking

Yeah, I guess I forget those other features that some reg cleaners provide (such as dll removing) because I avoid them like the plague. I'd sooner have a few spare files around than land in trouble.

I do sometimes run simple registry cleaning but then only let it delete stuff which I know for a certainty has long since gone or most definitely invalid. Whatever, I don't just "delete all" and stand back but prefer to use them as an information source.

Unfortunately I have found some registry cleaners with undo's that do not reverse restore the entries (last removed should obviously be put back first). This can lead to keys that were there previously not ever being restored - long story but I expect you know what I mean.

I don't think reg cleaners are really suitable for those with little knowledge of the registry and often wonder if it really matters such a great deal if there happen to be a few loose ends around, as they are usually ignored anyhow.

A form of faith healing maybe, but the more I've learned the less I've trusted them.

DerekW

If you can't edit the registry manually, or aren't registry fluent you don't need to touch it at all.

Sure, make a minor tweak here and there because you've been instructed to from reputable websites such as winguides, or a Microsoft article walks you through a fix, or you need to edit under instruction from a reputable source because of a malware / virus infection etc. ...Or special case uninstalling. 0_o

But any instruction will come with a big fat warning to back the registry up first before you do a thing - and preferably export the backup reg file to a usb stick or something else.

But cleaning obsolete registry entries out just because they're there borders on the anally pointless - and does nothing for performance, or much else for that matter - and worse case scenario you end up committing computer manslaughter.

why not just restore the registry?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221512

Did say it was an option. But not much point if your registry cleaner has cleaned critical system files out.

Depends what damage has been done (unknown, can only go off the error messages).

Far easier to just extract the missing / damaged files and boot back up so you can see the desktop again and work from there.

But if you ain't got an OS disk handy, or can't get a bootdisk to work, then your left with the last paragraph of OP to work with ...not fun.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I have been working these last few days and have not have a chance to play with it. I will probably purchase the install CDROM off ebay, unless someone know where I can get a CD faster and for free(might call up DELL).

I can't boot into DOS mode, so I cant work with the command prompt. Maybe Im doing something wrong, but I just followed the instructions on bootdisk.com and ran the EXE to the floppy. But the computer still doesn't boot into the command prompt.

The reason why I tried to install RegistryFix was that I was searching for something to fix the memory problems I have been having. Recently the computer slows down while downloading in Mozilla. I ran a couple searches with my symptoms and one possible cause I read was that I might had obsolete or damage registry files and needed to clean it. Hence the reason why I install the program after seeing it advertise on those websites. I guess I have learned my lesson.

The closest I have been to fixing it is by using a device that turns the internal harddrive into an external USB one. It allowed me to see all my files on the computer. Only thing is that I don't know how to enter the registry..everything I try, I end up looking at the main registry of the laptop that I hooked it too. I hope I didn't confuse anyone. If anyone have any other suggestions or had a similar experience, don't mind sharing please. Thanks for all the comments and advice so far.

trmtran, you might wanna print this off *

Don't go buying an ME CD yet (see below). Focus on your floppy disk drive for a second. Have you checked the BIOS to make sure it's part of the boot order and the disk is actually being read ?

Reboot the box and hold down the Del - (F1) - (Ctrl, Alt & Enter) key, or whatever is applicable for getting into the BIOS for Dell machines (forgotten), and check. Adjust accordingly if needed.

Also if you can get inside the box make sure the connecting floppy disk cables are tight and secure. Unplug them and reseat them.

======================

Failing that. Grab one of these: Boot CD - Win ME boot CD with internal CD-ROM support - ISO images ....(Download the - Boot CD - MS-DOS 6.22 Boot CD with internal CD-ROM support - while you're there)

Scroll down to get the appropriate Windows ME one for you (US or UK), download, unzip it and burn the ISO image using burning software (eg. nero), to a CD. ...ask if you need instructions to burn an ISO image to disk.

Insert the disk you just created and boot up with it, selecting - with CD support - and get to the A:\> prompt.

Type ext and press enter.

Next it will say "please enter the PATH to the windows CAB file:"

Just type: c:\windows\options\install and press enter.

(there is an alternative if it doesn't like that one - c:\windows\options\cabs).

Next it asks for the files: "please enter the name(s) of the file(s) you want to extract:"

Do one file at a time and start with explorer.exe first. So type: explorer.exe and enter.

Next is, "please enter the PATH to extract to:"

for explorer.exe you put: c:\windows and press enter.

It then confirms the options you've chosen and asks if it's OK [Y/N] - select Y for Yes. Let it run.

Now rinse and repeat for shell32.dll only when asked for the path to extract to, put: c:\windows\system

Reboot.

My A drive should be working, its the first on the list of the loading devices. I have checked and unplug/replug the cables and the drive lights up and spins, but doesn't go into DOS mode. I will give the BOOT DISK a try. Hopefully that works. Thanks!

I have tried to do that, but the only way the computer will go into the command prompt is by disabling the primary drives(the 2 harddrives) and leaving the secondary devices(cd rom, and burner drive) on. This would allow the computer to go to the DOS mode, but the computer doesn't recognize the C drive after that since it is disable...so Im kind of stuck here.
Am I doing something wrong...I burned 2 disk images from the response above and tried to load the computer with the disk in, but the computer just goes straight into loading windows and the desktop(where I would keep getting the error).

I doubt you are doing anything wrong. It's straight forward creating a floppy boot disk, as is burning two ISO images to create two bootable CDs.

So as it stands you have an ME floppy boot disk, a bootable ME CD and a bootable DOS 6.22 CD ....and you can't use any of them as god intended. That's unusual 0_o :p

Do you have a linux live CD such as Knoppix handy ? Can you download a 700 MB ISO file ? First thing I'd do is see if I could boot into a linux live CD (I'm guessing you couldn't) - but that's not always practical if you don't have one and don't have time to download an ISO and burn it to a CD.

Still. If you have time to play, then the knoppix mirrors are here (choose - KNOPPIX_V5.1.1 CD 2007-0x-0x-EN.iso @ 713064 KB - date will vary mirror to mirror, size may also vary slightly)

Anyway, I would start playing with the boot order and disabling stuff. ....Remembering exactly what originally went where.

You have 2 hard drives, 2 optical drives and a floppy drive. I would physically disable (unplug) your second hard drive (keeping the primary "broken" one).

I would disable the CD-ROM optical drive that you normally use to boot. And I would disable the floppy drive.

So you just have 2 devices hooked up, the "broken" hard drive and the other optical drive. Adjust the jumper on the hard drive accordingly then adjust the BIOS accordingly. Try booting with the bootable CDs.

Now start playing around with variations on that theme, swap the optical drives round, then start introducing the floppy drive (booting with the ME floppy bootdisk) taking the optical drive out - then leave both in. Mix it up a little.