Windows 10: Deleting registry keys with embedded nulls

I'm not sure if most people have heard of this, but I am having an issue with a registry key that has a bunch of null values placed in it. Pretty much this piece of malware\software (I have no idea what put it there) added a bunch of null values to the registry key so it makes it impossible for me to view or delete this value. When double clicking on it I get an error saying "Environment cannot be opened". Trying to right click on the key and changing permissions gives a similar error.


There a bunch of tools out there like RegDelNull that's supposed to delete these type of keys but they seem to no longer work with Windows 10.


Anybody have any success deleting this pesky keys on Win 10?


Thanks *Smile

:)

 

Explorer opens when ActiveSync 4.5 does

You are the MAN! I am familiar with the registry key, it's one of my RegEdit favorites. However, the
Default value had somehow been changed to something...NULL maybe? Because when I deleted it, it changed to
(value not set), whereas before it had nothing apparently in the field. I cleared both out, disconnected...no window! Reconnected...no window! I just tried it again and no window!

When I saw Default there and apparently nothing in the field I thought it was empty and kept browsing the registry.

So, those with this issue should delete Default in both keys. You can't actually delete
Default, but you can delete any value that has been assigned to it.

 

How does one run a "Null service"? (missing /dev/null)

I have a problem with Git version control for windows called "Git for Windows". Whenever the git executable is run, it throws the following error:

fatal: open /dev/null or dup failed: No such file or directory

Also tried the following:

>echo hello > nul

The system cannot find the file specified.

Firstly, /dev/null sounds like a Unix/Linux term. What is /dev/null in case of Windows? Secondly, it worked before, so an Windows Update might have broken it.

A user who had a similar problem fixed it by: "The problem was that the Null service was not running on my machine and had to edit the registry to get it working properly again..."

Here is what I have under key:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\DOS Devices\Nul

\Device\Null

What specifically has to be changed in the registry? Is the Null service in Services?

 

1st, make a backup of the registry.
2nd, use any boot disk that have a Registry Editor functionality e.g. Kaspersky Rescue Disk and delete the desired null keys.

Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10

Please note that mistakes could cause your system unbootable, please be cautious.

 

Will give it a go. Thanks

 

Unfortunately did not work. Rescue Disk loaded but the regedit program did not load. Know of any other bootable reg editors that work with win 10?

 

Are you an administrator?

 

What is the exact path to these keys? I don't like the idea of giving advice on deleting keys I know nothing about? Where they are has a bearing on how they can be deleted, and whether this is a good idea.

Edit: Creating registry keys with embedded nulls is a legitimate technique which is used by Windows and some other software. It is not just malware.

 

Key is located in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\*RANDOM STRING OF LETTERS*

 

Try WinRE.

How to load a registry hive in the Recovery Environment Command Prompt

How to Edit the Registry of an Offline Windows System