Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Use SCANREG to correct this error. Above the message are 4 options: 1. Normal 2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT) 3. Safe Mode 4. Step-by-step confirmation Okay, so Safe Mode doesn't come up ever. Computer just sits and grinds with black screen. I don't know what option 2 or 4 do and 1 doesn't work either. To get a prompt I downloaded a bootdisk from bootdisk.com. I can run scanfix but then it just sits forever after the bar completes to 100. So I don't know that it does/did anything. Restarting computer generates same message as above. I can not run scanreg or scanreg /restore. both sit with the blue screen and say searching for files or whatever but never do anything. I did run scandisk and fixed errors that came up but that did nothing as well. Same error message. I also have cox internet and though I have disabled or uninstalled all their extraneous software ages ago, I have a feeling the wininit.ini (or however it's spelled) file might be a problem. I did try a system restore several months ago and it will no longer work. When I searched the net for anwers on that problem it seemed that I might have a program installed that is changing that file. But, since I got the computer working again I never worried about getting system restore working again. Now I wish I had if that is what it stopping scanreg from working. So I can't get the windows operating system to come up. I was able to edit system.ini file and change shell= to progman.exe but computer still gives same error message upon reboot. Can I restore the registry any other way? I've read something about this: ATTRIB -R -S -H SYSTEM.1ST ATTRIB -R -S -H windows\SYSTEM.DAT COPY SYSTEM.1ST WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT ATTRIB +R +S +H SYSTEM.1ST ATTRIB +R +S +H windows\SYSTEM.DAT But am chicken to try it unless someone can tell me what I am actually doing? I am no computer expert, that's for sure. And if I take this to someone to fix, can they fix it with hard drive contents intact, or will they wipe it and reinstall? I can do that myself and don't want to pay someone to do that. Any help would be appreciated. Thank, thanks, thanks, Karyl

Karyl I can't help;but that was a long post for no comments.Good luck with your problems& have a happy new year.

hello try this link m.e wont start http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/30687.html Windows Millennium Edition Kb Articles http://www.kbalertz.com/technology.aspx?tec=241

Thank you Dave, I will try all. Karyl