Can't Delete Reg Key - Adobe problem

I was trying to update Adobe reader from 9 to 10. The program will not update because it can't edit the below listed registry entries below. I noticed that this had no permissions so I assigned: Admin, System, user, and Creator Owner which didn't work. I even tried the hidden Admin account and I still can't delete it or update the permissions. I then stupidly deleted access to the whole darn key so now I'm really stuck! Anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this. If I right click on it it says I don't have permission to edit but I can add them? I add them and it wont save.


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run\OptionalComponents\IMAIL

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run\OptionalComponents\MAPI

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run\OptionalComponents\MSFS

Welcome

To get access to the key back, a simple system restore will do the trick.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

You should not have to manually edit registry to update Adobe.
See if it can be done in safe mode.

As an alternative to AR I recommend Foxit Reader.

I'd though of that but the machine I'm working on had a virus that I'm sure is in the system restore. I found the problem after I removed the virus and was updating the system. I need another method. Is there a way to copy the reg file and edit it off the box then restore it?

richc46 said:

Welcome

To get access to the key back, a simple system restore will do the trick.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

You should not have to manually edit registry to update Adobe.
See if it can be done in safe mode.

Click to expand...

Hello Thor2911,
If i am understanding you correctly, you found the virus and removed it , but, you feel it may still be in a restore pt. ? If this is the reason for not using system restore to go back to a point before the Adobe episode of a simple update of your reader program, then i have a perfect solution for you.
Microsoft Security Essentials is what you need to use. So, what i suggest is that you download the latest version of MSE, and then turn off your current anti virus you are using, then install and update virus definitions of MSE and then have it run a scan and quarantine this virus. At this time your files will be clean . System restore pts are kept in a shadow copy and are hidden , so they will not be scanned. If you get a clean scan, i would delete all system restore pts up until the one made by MSE. As far as this adobe issue.. just download the latest version and call it a day on that issue . At the very worst are a few register keys that are not used and will not take up any noticeable space on your hard drive .
Then you can either keep MSE as your main antivirus or you can remove it and turn back on your antivirus program you were using , making sure , of course , to update its definitions as well as your MS updates to include latest java and flash programs.
Good luck and thanks for using this site for your issues.. Post back results please so others may learn.

Unfortunately, by design SR points cannot be changed by using an Anti Virus. They are made so intentionally. If it were different a virus would be able to enter a SR point after it is created and this is not so. If a virus is in the SR points its is because you made the point after the virus was already present. If you did not make the restore point after the introduction of the virus, the points are safe to use.

Thank to everyone for the replies. This is a box I'm working on for a friend. It was infected with a fake registry cleaner. I don't know for sure if he did any windows updates when the system was infected,which normally do a system restore point, so I normally count them as infected. Normally, I delete the old ones and make a new one after I remove the problems. I then normally make sure updates that were not done get done before I give the box back. That's how I found the issue with Adobe when I ran the update. I though since I can't run the update I will just uninstall the program and download a full version and reinstall it. That is when I found it would not uninstall it because it would not uninstall the registry keys for Abobe. So I used Regedit and viewed the keys. I noticed that the key (IMAIL) did not have any permissions assigned to it or the other two. I was able to add to the IMAIL key but not the others. So I was removing one group and stupidly removed the permissions all together when I was just trying to remove only one group. That is where I am now, stuck!

Use Revo Uninstaller or Perfect Uninstaller to force a manual removal of AR. Either one will remove all of the files as well as the registry entries.

I still prefer foxit reader because it uses less resources (ram and hard drive space) and it's faster.

Thank you for the reply. I did figure it out. I had to right click on the key and select permissions. Then select advanced then select the owner tab and take ownership of the key. Then I could add permissions to the key. So glad that is over.

I've never heard of Foxit reader but I will check it out. Thanks for the info.

townsbg said:

Use Revo Uninstaller or Perfect Uninstaller to force a manual removal of AR. Either one will remove all of the files as well as the registry entries.

I still prefer foxit reader because it uses less resources (ram and hard drive space) and it's faster.

Click to expand...

You may prefer Sumatra PDF, I use it and think that its great.

I've never heard of that but FR works fine for me. I don't like that AR takes up a few hundred meg of space and 50 or so mb of ram to run it. That's ridiculous IMO. It's also slow to load and slow to use. Off course richc46 I'm sure that I'm preaching to the choir but it's been a good day if I can sell an alternative to someone who only knows of a bloated, overly rated program that is very problematic.

Thor2911 said:

Thank you for the reply. I did figure it out. I had to right click on the key and select permissions. Then select advanced then select the owner tab and take ownership of the key. Then I could add permissions to the key. So glad that is over.

Click to expand...

That was a good fix, as far as the Reader programs, there are, as you see, many fine free programs. If space is not an issue, then the Adobe Reader is fine , but, if you ever get low, remember that you can use other programs that take up less space and do the job just as well .