How do I deal with a 'regedit.sys' message?

Q Every time my computer loads an error message appears that says ‘cannot find script file C:\Windows\System 32\regedit.sys'. What has caused this, and is there any way I can remove it?
Brian Sharp

A That missing file sounds as if it has something to with the Registry Editor, an integral part of Windows. However, it isn’t a missing file, and it's likely your PC has a virus, disguised to appear as a legitimate part of Windows.

Many files that end in .sys are part of Windows and are perfectly legitimate but regedit.sys is not one of them and has nothing to do with the Registry Editor. The Registry Editor application is called regedt32.exe.

This is a virus that has been given a name that appears trustworthy and then buried itself in a Windows folder containing lots of files. We do not recommend looking around these folders because of the risks of damaging Windows. Security software will check these folders.

From your description of the error message it sounds like this has happened and the file has been deleted. The error is reporting that the file cannot be found rather than a warning about what it might be about to do.

Even so this doesn’t necessarily mean the virus has been completely removed from the computer, as it may have copied and renamed itself. Update your anti-virus software and scan the entire computer once more.

If you don’t have an anti-virus program you should install one as a matter of urgency. AVG Free can be downloaded from our website and installed at no cost. Perform a full scan of your computer to ensure it’s virus free.

The message itself is harmless though and can be removed by preventing Windows from trying to load this file each time it starts. To do this, click the Start Menu, click Run and type msconfig. Click on the Startup tab, then look for an entry for c:\windows\ system32\regedit.sys, If it’s there, untick the box to disable it.

There may also be a shortcut to the file in the Start Menu, in a folder named Startup, which can be deleted. Right-click on the icon in the Start menu and then left-click on Delete.

If you need more information on using msconfig, see our tutorial on how you can use it to stop programs running when your PC starts.

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