What methods exist for eliminating what appears to be immovable registry records?
What methods exist for eliminating what appears to be immovable registry records?
I'm really tired, I have a headache and should have gone to bed hours ago. If something seems off, just ask me and I'll check it after sleep.
On Windows, I can connect to Bluetooth and find many old devices.
For each device, I uninstalled the drivers and searched for leftover registry entries online, but they weren't there.
Then I spent about 45 minutes repeatedly pressing F3 to look for just one device, being careful not to copy any key or action unrelated to it.
I ended up with 50 items that needed removal.
My regedit was elevated, no luck.
Safemode didn't work either.
Using a batch script in CMD helped a bit, but I still couldn't find anything.
"Access Denied" kept appearing everywhere.
I went back to Windows and tried a program from Nirsoft that seemed promising from a few reviews, but I couldn't figure out the setup.
Then I attempted PSExec with regedit, but it failed with "Access Denied."
Running terminal and cmd with PSExec also resulted in "Access Denied."
I'm sure these entries are safe to delete because they don't do anything. The device doesn't exist anymore (a S24 Ultra if you're curious).
As I was getting tired, I decided to make a sys restore and backup of the registry beforehand, but that's not really helpful here.
Despite rebooting several times, if tomorrow is the second coming of Christ and it still won't boot, I have at least some backup options.
Edit; My mind is getting fuzzy. The first thing I tried after removing drivers was a few sfc commands, but everything came back normal without issues. I still ran a rebuild, but nothing changed.
My suggestion is to completely disregard those entries and keep the registry untouched.
Registry editing should only be considered as a final option when a known issue exists with a documented solution that necessitates a registry change.
Excellent that backups were created.
That said, if you still want to delete those entries, use Powershell (Microsoft, free) through an Admin account.
FYI:
https://woshub.com/how-to-access-and-man...owershell/
https://www.itprotoday.com/powershell/ho...s-registry
You can also locate additional guides, tutorials, and videos.
I have only one concept to attempt, though it might not succeed. Still, it’s not a bad try.
Download and install Ccleaner, link: https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download
Please be very cautious during installation, as it typically installs additional software (such as some antivirus programs). You can disable the option to install bloatware when prompted.
Apart from that, it’s a useful tool. It features a user-friendly interface and is straightforward to use. Besides regular cleaning, it also offers registry cleanup, identifying and removing outdated entries. Before making any changes to the registry, consider saving your current settings as a backup, just in case.
My advice is to disregard those entries and leave the registry untouched.
Registry modifications should be considered only as a final option, reserved for issues that are clearly documented and have a known solution that necessitates a registry edit.
Excellent that backups were created.
That said, if you still want to delete those entries, use Powershell (Microsoft, free) through an Admin account.
FYI:
https://woshub.com/how-to-access-and-man...owershell/
https://www.itprotoday.com/powershell/ho...s-registry
You’ll find other similar guides, tutorials, and videos easily.
xxx-Item
serving as the main cmdlet along with
xxx-ItemProperty.
Where xxx stands for Get, New, Remove....
Powershell is likely already installed on your system; you might need to install additional modules for advanced features. Also, ensure you have the necessary user permissions.
You can handle each item individually or write a Powershell script to remove several entries at once.
Using Powershell gives you greater control over the deletion process and allows you to experiment as needed without relying on third-party tools.
For instance, you can target specific devices like the S24 Ultra.
Make sure to document everything carefully so you can revert any changes if necessary.
The issue remains unresolved despite previous attempts. The registry cleaner couldn't locate any related keys. Using BT for transfers has become more convenient, though it's causing confusion with multiple device models still appearing. I'm curious if PowerShell could simplify this process by adjusting the deletion script for a WindowsPE environment.
May or may not assist in your present scenario, yet a valuable resource overall; LockHunter,
link:
https://lockhunter.com/
This useful utility helps remove locked folders or files by revealing what is restricting them. It also allows you to lift the locks, enabling permanent deletion. I've relied on LockHunter for years to free up stubborn files from my system and to understand which processes lock specific files.
Note: Misusing this could potentially damage your system by corrupting key files or causing registry issues.