Problem with Windows Registry and not being able to complete System Restore. What to do?

Question

Background: About a month and a half ago I formated my DELL computer. I did a back up and followed the instructions on Dell's website to format my HD since they do not send computers with installation CDs. Everything worked out perfectly.

Recently, I noticed I had a virus issue. I don't remember for sure but I think it attacked a "restore" file. My antivirus AVG apparently could not heal it so I sent file to vault. To make sure, I ran another online antivirus that mentioned a virus and said it cleaned it.

Now I get a message once I start windows that it cannot find "C:\WINDOWS\update32.exe" and then a message that says it "could not load or run "C:\WINDOWS\update32.exe" specified in the registry.

I run a system restore on different dates (dates in which there is a system checkpoint) back to the day I formated HD but it tells me the restoration is incomplete. "Your computer cannot be restored to... (date)" No changes have been made to your computer.

What should I do? How could I add that file back to registry? How do I know what's going on with the System Restore? Or should I format my HD again (I have heard I should not be doing it too often - not to mention it takes a lot of time to install everything again).

Answer 1

try to do system restore using safe mode,restart computer press f8, go to safe mode, choose xp,log-in as admin,do system restore from there. It was the symantec which is preventing system restore to be completed.

Answer 2

Reformat and buy whatever operating system you're using and do a clean install.