HKEY_USERS PE_C_<username$> Maximum registry size is too small

[DeepBlueSky]

Using Spybot Version 1.5.2.20 in Window 2000 pro with SP 4. It seems that Spybot has been creating registry keys in the HKEY_USERS hive employing the following template PE_C_<username$>.<WorkgroupName>.0<NN> where NN varies from 01-56. These registry keys aren’t loaded until I start Spybot. I decided to write about this problem because the following message box is now generated by Windows when Spybot starts: “Your maximum registry size is too small….” . The message box has the following title: “Windows – Low on Registry”. There are also the corresponding user directories subordinate to the “C:\Documents And Settings” directory for each of the generated user keys. This computer was once part of a Windows Domain and the username being replicated is the once domain managed account.

I did recently search the forum and found a similar post, however, the thread offered no solution. I’ve tried since closing that browser session to relocate the post and have been unable to find it.. It also seems that the forum’s Search operation has problems finding text such as “PE_C”, as this was clearly mentioned in the body of the message but the search function fails to locate it.

In addition to this forum, I used Google to search the web using the same “HKEY_USERS” “PE_C” keywords and did find one page that mentioned this problem but it was written in Spanish.

I plan to delete these problematic keys once a current manual scan by Spybot finishes. But I concerned that these generated user keys will only reappear. Therefore, if there is a solution to this problem, then please advise.

Thanks!

[md usa spybot fan]

DeepBlueSky:

Does this article help?

• RegistrySizeLimit
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro....mspx?mfr=true

... If the system notifies you that your registry is too small, use System in Control Panel to change this value. Typically, increasing the registry size limit by 1 MB is sufficient. ...

[PepiMK]

Spybot-S&D does not create them, it "just" loads them from registry hives found on the hard disk. Having 56 there looks like your machine had quite some trouble with the domain if it had to create so many separate backup copies

Closing Spybot-S&D will also unload these hives from the active registry (do not terminate it the hard way from task manager though, in which case you would have to reboot to have them unloaded).

To avoid them getting loaded in the first place, you can skip the loading of all inactive user profiles found on the current machine by specifying the /nouserhives command line parameter.

[MikeMcD]

To avoid them getting loaded in the first place, you can skip the loading of all inactive user profiles found on the current machine by specifying the /nouserhives command line parameter.

I'm getting the same registry error...only on one W2K PC.

Where should I place this "nouserhives" statement, in what command line?

Thanks!