I went into DOS mode and ran scanreg_/restore from a C:\ prompt. The latest date is 11/08/07!! I thought with Win ME your registry is updated every time you boot up and the last 5 boots are saved in a .cab file. How did this get turned off? Any help? Thanks

Run msconfig, click 'startup' and make sure 'scanregistry' is checked. If it isn't then the registries won't be backed up.

Also make sure your PC is showing the correct date.

Thank you for the reply.

I ran msconfig and went into "startup", I do NOT have any item listed 'scanregistry' to check or uncheck. Is there a way of getting that process in the startup menu?

And yes my PC is showing the correct time and date.

Thanks

This may be of some assistance.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/198864

What does it say when you go through the motions of typing scanreg in the Run box (follow it through)?

And exactly what do you have unchecked in msconfig?

Edit: Typing scanreg in Run usually kicks starts the run key (in the MS article) without any editing.

It sounds like someone had cleaned up your registry a bit too much and deleted that entry. As already suggested you might want to post back everything showing in MSCONFIG--STARTUP so we can see if something else is missing too.

You can either run scanreg each time you boot up in order to back up the registry or edit the line back into the registry. If you need help in addition to the microsoft link post back and we can give more details.

I think I got the dates current, but they all say "not started" then the .cab number, even though the computer booted up properly. From what I think, in order to restore a good registry from scanreg /restore or scanregw /restore it has to say the date and time then "started" and not "not started". Don't understand why the back ups say "not started"...any suggestions?

Windows normally creates a backup the first time a computer is turned on each day. So if you shutdown and then restart windows in the same day no second backup is created.

'Not started' means a backup wasn't created at that first boot and hasn't been used to initiate a windows session.

So if you run scanreg from within windows and choose to create a backup, that one will show as 'not started' should you do a scanreg/restore. Also, each time you do a scanreg/restore a new backup is created. If you were to do another scanreg/restore that new backup would show as 'not started'. I think that particular backup is a copy of the old registry that was replaced by the restore process.

Other than those two situations, all the registry backups should show as 'started'.

Thank you DAVEINCAPS. I fully understand your explantion and is absolutely correct. When I did a check first thing this morning it did say 01-22-2008 "started" since this was the first registry backup for the new day. I am almost sure I have everything working back to normal again. I added the ScanRegistry command to my msconfig Start list. I have no idea how it got deleted from there in the first place. Thanks to all for the suggestions and fixes.

You're welcome. I'm glad you got it fixed. If you think you may be missing any other msconfig entries, post back the STARTUP list.

Here is my STARTUP list, everything seems to be fine now:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"ccleaner"="\"C:\\PROGRAM FILES\\CCLEANER\\CCLEANER.exe\" /AUTO"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"AVG7_CC"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\GRISOFT\\AVG7\\AVGCC.EXE /STARTUP"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"AVG7_AMSVR"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\GRISOFT\\AVG7\\AVGAMSVR.EXE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"SetPoint"="C:\\Program Files\\Logitech\\SetPoint\\KEM.EXE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Logitech Utility"="Logi_MwX.Exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"ScanRegistry"="C:\\WINDOWS\\scanregw.exe /autorun"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"LoadPowerProfile"="Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
"*StateMgr"="C:\\WINDOWS\\System\\Restore\\StateMgr.exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
"Keyboard Manager"="c:\\Program Files\\Netropa\\One-touch Multimedia Keyboard\\MMKeybd.exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
"LoadPowerProfile"="Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme"

I found the less you have running at startup, the better ME runs...thanks

Systray, Mtask (scheduling agent) and task monitor aren't there but that's not a big deal. Maybe they're unchecked or, if they're missing, you can add then too. Post back if you need the exact line syntax.

They are listed in the msconfig STARTUP, but I have them unchecked. I don't feel the need to have them running.

Even though I have SYSTEM RESTORE disabled, I still run STATE MANAGER ("STATEMGR"). Not sure if I have to though.

I don't find the need to have System Restore running since the Registry Checker (scanreg /restore)gives you 5 good registrys to chose from if you have a problem. That's why I wanted to get that working again...If I have a problem, I use my Start Up Disk and go into DOS mode and run scanreg /restore from there and then pick a time or date and restore a good registry....

System restore would be a more complete restore but I'm not exactly sure which files it contains. Scanreg/restore is just system.dat and user.dat (the 2 files that contain the registry) and system.ini and win.ini.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/267952

You need PCHealth and StateMgr for the nightmare that is system restore to work properly.

Uncheck both LoadCurrentPwrScheme entries, StateMgr & CCleaner. Launch CCleaner manually when you need it.

And it would probably be a good idea to uncheck all the Logitech entries. I'm sure your keyboard & mouse will work without them. Besides, the MMKeybd.exe entry appears to be spyware:

http://www.gank.com/spyware/HP/

quote: Uncheck both LoadCurrentPwrScheme entries, StateMgr & CCleaner. Launch CCleaner manually when you need it.
And it would probably be a good idea to uncheck all the Logitech entries. I'm sure your keyboard & mouse will work without them. Besides, the MMKeybd.exe entry appears to be spyware..

Okay, I do use LoadCurrentPwrScheme, I like my monitor to shut down after 10 minutes of non-use, just my preference. StateMgr I will uncheck since it is useless without PCHealth and I don't run System Restore.
I do like CCleaner to run at start-up, a preference again.

I can uncheck the mouse application from running, but I have my keyboard set up for different functions that need the software to run.

Netropa or MMKeyboard been on my computer since I first got it back in 2001, never caused a problem, bur really don't need it because I have the Logitech keyboard software running..

Your suggestions make good sense, thanks..