Meddled with Autoruns and now Vital Programs no longer works...

Hello kind helper(s),

First for the basics: I have a Dell laptop computer and am running Windows Vista on it.

Just yesterday night I downloaded Autoruns and, with the help of BC's Startup Database started unchecking some values that I thought weren't necessary. As a result, when I started up my computer this morning, many programs no longer work. The error message that frequently pops up is :

"The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it."

Crucial programs are affected by this: I can no longer run msconfig, regedit, or even System Restore, and I can't look at my network's properties.

My first intuition was that I could solve all of these problems by simply re-checking all of the values that I had unchecked yesterday night. But catastrophe lurks there as well: when I try to re-check an entry, I get the following message:

"Error changing items state: Access is denied” with two possible options: "Run as Administrator" and "Cancel."

Now it's worth noting that I got that message when I was editing the values yesterday as well, and all I had to do then was click on "Run as Administrator" (I'm an administrator on my system; in fact I'm the only user on this laptop) and then the values would be edited according to my will. Now, however, when I click "Run as Administrator" there is no effect, the error message doesn't budge and the value remains unchanged. Moreover, when I try to start Autoruns by right-clicking on autoruns.exe and choosing "Run as Administrator" from the drop down menu, I get the deplorable "The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it" message. I actually get this message whenever i try to run ANYTHING as an Administrator.

Because I foolishly tampered with Autoruns, I have some programs that will no longer start; and not only that, but I'm unable to modify Autoruns entries to rectify the problem! Please help me recover from this catastrophe, I hope to God that I won't have to manipulate my hardware because I'm not at all hardware-savvy, and I have no other Hard Disk from a second-party laptop/PC to use to help me.

I’ve attached my Autoruns log so that you can see what I unchecked. Please help me get out of this quagmire!

Under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell:

explorer.exe Windows Explorer Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\explorer.exe

Under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run:

dellsupportcenter Dell Support Center Updates SupportSoft, Inc. c:\program files\dell support center\bin\sprtcmd.exe

Under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Malwarebytes Corporation c:\program files\malwarebytes' anti-malware\mbamgui.exe

Under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run:

SUPERAntiSpyware SUPERAntiSpyware Application SUPERAntiSpyware.com c:\program files\superantispyware\superantispyware.exe

swg GoogleToolbarNotifier Google Inc. c:\program files\google\googletoolbarnotifier\googletoolbarnotifier.exe

Under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components:

Microsoft Windows Media Player Microsoft Windows Media Player Setup Utility Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\unregmp2.exe

Microsoft Windows Media Player Microsoft Windows Media Player Setup Utility Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\unregmp2.exe

Under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad:

WebCheck Web Site Monitor Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\webcheck.dll

Under HKLM\Software\Classes\*\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers:

WinRAR c:\program files\winrar\rarext.dll

Under HKLM\Software\Classes\Directory\Shellex\DragDropHandlers:

WinRAR c:\program files\winrar\rarext.dll

Under HKLM\Software\Classes\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers:

WinRAR c:\program files\winrar\rarext.dll

Under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects:

Google Toolbar Helper Google Toolbar Google Inc. c:\program files\google\google toolbar\googletoolbar_32.dll

Google Toolbar Notifier BHO GoogleToolbarNotifier Google Inc. c:\program files\google\googletoolbarnotifier\5.5.4723.1820\swg.dll

RealPlayer Download and Record Plugin for Internet Explorer RealPlayer Download and Record Plugin RealPlayer c:\program files\real\realplayer\rpbrowserrecordplugin.dll

Under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar:

DAEMON Tools Toolbar ToolBand Module c:\program files\daemon tools toolbar\dttoolbar.dll

Google Toolbar Google Toolbar Google Inc. c:\program files\google\google toolbar\googletoolbar_32.dll

Under Task Scheduler :
\Apple\AppleSoftwareUpdate Apple Software Update Apple Inc. c:\program files\apple software update\softwareupdate.exe

\Microsoft\Windows\Bluetooth\UninstallDeviceTask Bluetooth Uninstall Device Task Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\bthudtask.exe

\Microsoft\Windows\DiskDiagnostic\Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticResolver Windows Disk Diagnostic User Resolver Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\dfdwiz.exe

\Microsoft\Windows\SideShow\SessionAgent Microsoft Windows SideShow services Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\auxiliarydisplayservices.dll

\Microsoft\Windows\SideShow\SystemDataProviders Microsoft Windows SideShow services Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\auxiliarydisplayservices.dll

Under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services:
Appinfo Facilitates the running of interactive applications with additional administrative privileges. If this service is stopped, users will be unable to launch applications with the additional administrative privileges they may require to perform desired user tasks. Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\system32\appinfo.dll

Bonjour Service Bonjour allows applications like iTunes and Safari to advertise and discover services on the local network. Having Bonjour running enables you to connect to hardware devices like Apple TV and software services like iTunes sharing and AirTunes. If you disable Bonjour, any network service that explicitly depends on it will fail to start. Apple Inc. c:\program files\bonjour\mdnsresponder.exe

ehRecvr Windows Media Center Service for TV and FM broadcast reception Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\ehome\ehrecvr.exe

ehSched Starts and stops recording of TV programs within Windows Media Center Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\ehome\ehsched.exe

ehstart Starts Windows Media Center Scheduler and Windows Media Center Receiver services at startup if TV is enabled within Windows Media Center. Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\ehome\ehstart.dll

gusvc Google Updater keeps your Google software up to date. If Google Updater Service is disabled or stopped, your Google software will not be kept up to date, meaning security vulnerabilities that may arise cannot be fixed and features may not work. Google c:\program files\google\common\google updater\googleupdaterservice.exe

IDriverT Provides support for the Running Object Table for InstallShield Drivers Macrovision Corporation c:\program files\common files\installshield\driver\11\intel 32\idrivert.exe

idsvc Securely enables the creation, management, and disclosure of digital identities. Microsoft Corporation c:\windows\microsoft.net\framework\v3.0\windows communication foundation\infocard.exe

IPod Service iPod hardware management services Apple Inc. c:\program files\ipod\bin\ipodservice.exe

I'd start with trying system restore to a date from before changes.

Hi Broni,

As I mentioned in my original post, I cannot run System Restore. When I try to run System Restore, I get the message "The service cannot be started be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.

Would it be helpful if I posted a HijackThis log? I have a HijackThis log from a scan I did a couple of hours before I started meddling with autoruns, and now that I can't run anything as an administrator privileges HijackThis no longer produces a new log, it gives me a long error message sayin I should "Run as Administrator" (which can't) and then produces the same log as it produced before the problems with Autoruns.

Enable temporarily hidden Vista administrator account: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vis...-windows-vista/ and see, if you can run system restore from there.

No luck. When I richt-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator," I get the "The service cannot be started, either because it has been disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it." I get this message whenever I try to run ANYTHING in that manner. I think it's because I unchecked the "Appinfo" thing (listed in my original post).

When I try to run the command anyway, I get a message that says;
"System Error 5 has occurred.

Access is denied."

Edited by oemzazri, 28 February 2010 - 12:23 PM.

You don't have Vista DVD by any chance?

No.

I'm afraid, you're facing reinstall.

What does that mean?...

Well, you'll need to back up your data and reinstall Windows, unless someone else will come up with some bright idea.

Can you access Services via Control Panel and Administrative Tools in Safe MOde by hitting F8 just after the post where it shows your RAM and stuff.

Bless your heart, cryptodan!

I was able to access Service Controls in Safe Mode and start the Appinfo service that was marked "disabled" and that was preventing me from running programs as an administrator. I set it to "Automatic," should I have set it to "Automatic (delayed start)" or "Manual" instead?

In any case, now I can run Autoruns and check/uncheck values as I please. I posted the values that I unchecked in my original post. I was wondering, which ones should I re-check to avoid further problems?

Thanks!

Nice job, Dan

Bless your heart, cryptodan!

I was able to access Service Controls in Safe Mode and start the Appinfo service that was marked "disabled" and that was preventing me from running programs as an administrator. I set it to "Automatic," should I have set it to "Automatic (delayed start)" or "Manual" instead?

In any case, now I can run Autoruns and check/uncheck values as I please. I posted the values that I unchecked in my original post. I was wondering, which ones should I re-check to avoid further problems?

Thanks!

You welcome. If you are unsure which does what then leave well enough alone.