BleepingComputer.com: Registry "Image File Execution Options" problems after running ComboFix

Hi guys,
I recently ran ComboFix at the behest of an expert (nothing was found), however I've ran into a little problem since then. I am an avid user of the notepad replacement Programmers Notepad 2 (http://code.google.com/p/pnotepad/) and use a neat little trick with the "Image File Execution Options" registry key to launch Programmers Notepad 2 in the place of regular notepad, without doing any dodgy replacement of system files. The creator of PN2, Simon Steel, details this method on his blog (http://untidy.net/blog/2009/11/03/replacing-notepad-with-pn-via-image-file-execution-options/) but the gist of it is I make the following addition:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\notepad.exe]
"Debugger"="F:\\Programs\\x86\\pn\\pn.exe --allowmulti -z"

This no longer seems to work. Regular notepad starts up, no matter what I do. I'm using 64bit windows, so the above change is correct - but I've tried regular SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\etc.. to be sure

Edit:
Well, not one but two restarts later and everything is happy again. Not exactly sure why two restarts were required, but I'm not going to complain! Can a moderator please lock/delete/archive this thread or whatever you folks tend to do on Bleeping Computer. Thanks <3

This post has been edited by PetiteCharat: 09 December 2011 - 07:24 PM

Generally changes in the registry require a reboot in order for them to take place. I'm surprised the expert who was helping did not advise you to do that. Working with the registry can be tricky, dangerous and at times even quirky so the two restarts does not surprise me as the first one most likely did not result in the change to take affect.

Anyway, I'm glad you were able to sort it out.