Corrupt Registry Key

[rATANJOT]

I am having a Windows XP running desktop computer on which I am trying to re-install Internet Explorer 7 but it keeps failing every time. During the re-installation process I receive and error something related to "mailto" key in the registry. I event to fix the key in registry editor. I can see that key but it wont allow me to do any changes in the same. How can I edit this key or fix this problem? Please help.

[Javalr]

Hello friend. Just try out the following steps and see if it makes any difference:

Go to Start > RUN > Type 'regedit' and press Enter.
Navigate to the following two Keys and edit the permissions to give yourself a full control on them:

HKEY_CURRENT_ROOT\mailto
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\mailto

Here right click the "mailto" and select Permissions from the List and see which assigned there to your account or change to have full control on that Key!.

Furthermore just check out this MS KB describing error message when you try to install Internet Explorer 7: "Internet Explorer 7 could not be installed
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917925

Hope it helps.

[hindustnidude]

Just go through the following in order to take ownership of the mailto key and sub-keys

• Start Regedit.exe and navigate to the following branch:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\mailto
• On the Edit menu, click Permissions
• Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab
• Under Change owner to, click the new owner (your user account)
• Place a checkmark near Replace owner on subcontainers and objects
• Click OK

[Mr.Walter]

Hello rATANJOT. The reason you are not able to edit the keys is because you dont have permission for the same. First you will need to take ownership of that registry key and then assign Permissions. To know how you can do that, check the the section called "Changing Ownership of a Registry Key" in this article:

How to set or change registry editing permissions in Windows XP or in Windows Server 2003: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310426