editing registry

i deleted a program that was in startup in the registry, and the registry entry is still there, so i cant get past the windows ME logon screen. can anyone tell me how to edit the registry before windows starts up? i think it is one of the f-keys, like how you get into bios, but i am not sure.

 

If you mean the Start Menu, where you can choose Safe Mode, that would be F8.
What program was this?
You seem to have a problems logging on, a quick thing to try would be to delete all PWL files. This are used during the login process, and if deleted a new one will be created. Stored passwords will be lost.
Please post any error messages that occurs when you try to get into windows normally.

 

registry

the error message i get is

ERROR LOADING: C:/unzipped/shellon[1]/shelloninstall/shellon.exe.

YOU NEED TO REINSTALL WINDOWS
--------

i just need to boot in dos or edit the registry before windows loads to fix it

 

I do not believe that is coming from your registry. You need to look in the System.Ini file, located in the windows folder. Boot with a floppy, you can go to Bootdisk's and get a file that when doubleclicked with a floppy in the drive will create one. The command edit c:\windows\system.ini will open it.
When it opens, at the very top will be this line shell=C:/unzipped/shellon[1]/shelloninstall/shellon.exe, change to this shell=Explorer.exe. Save
Rapidly pressing F8 when you see "Starting etc" will get you the Start Menu, if you are unable to access the Start Menu to get Safe Mode because of timing, try these commands at the command prompt when booting off of the floppy.
attrib -h -r -s -a c:\msdos.sys
edit c:\msdos
Add this line to the bottom:
Bootmenu=1
Save, remove floppy, boot up.

 

c:> edit c:/windows/system.ini
bad command or file name

what am i doing wrong?

 

Use slashes \\\\ instead of backslashes //////.

 

sorry, typed it wrong in my post. i was using \\slashes

c:\>edit c:\windows\system.ini
c:\>edit c:/windows/system.ini
c:\>edit windows\sytem.ini
c:\WINDOWS\>edit system.ini

all of these are not working. i must be doing something wrong.

 

Did you got to the Bootdisk's link [the blue letters], and did you download the Custom No Ramdrive file? If you did, this is why the command is not working. The reason for this is because the boot floppy creates a Ramdrive, like a hard drive in memory, and files are extracted and copied off of the floppy into the Ramdrive, Edit is one of them.
In short, No Ramdrive = No Edit.
Get the OEM file for ME, or you can get the one for 98SE OEM, either should work for this.