RegSeeker can't permanently delete some entries

I've been trying to do some cleaning up on my computer, and I've noticed that if I reboot and run RegSeeker for a second time, it turns out that some of the entries that RegSeeker deleted on the first go-round are back.

Having make a backup first (!), I tried deleting those entries manually, but was unable to.

For the three programs in question, the recurring entries are:

Avast
1) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\TrayNotify [IconStreams]

Spybot S&D
1) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\AppCompatibility [AppCompatCache]
2) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\Session Manager\AppCompatibility [AppCompatCache]
3) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet\Control\Session Manager\AppCompatibility [AppCompatCache]

Copernic Desktop Search
Total of four - exactly the same as the one for Avast and the three for Spybot S&D.

Can someone tell me what the significance of this is, and is there a way that I can manually get rid of the entries?

Thanks!

 

Hi Becky

It is not an issue with Regseeker but would be there with "almost" any other registy cleaner tool including XP Regedit.

Can be several reasons but most likely these particular entries do not have the proper permissions. Below is a link to how to change permissions.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310426

Another reason could be they are in use by Explorer.

Another reason is windows will protect some of its own if it would cause damage to the OS. Or if it is tied to a Hardware or software device that is required for critical system processes especially if required for booting.

Before the above try this:

Open CMD prompt

Once CMD is open Hit Ctrl Alt Del for taskmgr kill explorer.exe (screen blanks but you are still in CMD.

cd to Program Files\Regseeker
Type RegSeeker to run it now try to remove

Alternatively run regedit from CMD prompt with Explorer killed!

You can exit either and run again to see if the entries are gone without rebooting!

When finished at cmd prompt type
Explorer and hit enter to get back to Windows GUI!

Hope you know what you are doing with these entries!

Mike

 

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not computer-savvy (or daring, or stupid, or desperate?) enough to tackle your instructions, Mike, but they did get me thinking to at least try running RegSeeker in Safe Mode. What I should have done, in retrospect, was uninstall the programs in Safe Mode - maybe that would have made a difference in terms of those lingering/reappearing registry entries.

Just as a matter of curiosity/interest, I had RegSeeker search for Copernic logged in as Administrator, as Gary and as Rebecca. Under Admin, RegSeeker found 2 entries; under Gary, it found 17; under Rebecca, it found 7.

I've gone ahead and reinstalled the latest version of Copernic, so at this point, those leftover registry entries no longer concern me. The Spybot S&D and Avast ones, I can live with. Actually, they're really not an issue either, because I currently have both those programs installed, too. I was just experimenting with a backup of my OS exclusive of any anti-virus/ anti-spyware programs - and I can definitely live with the four extra lines in my registry there!