Most of the malicious programs (also called malware) make entries in the Windows registry in such a way that you are not able to rid of them easily. These registry keys are crafted using special methods and therefore they cannot be removed or accessed using the software which use the normal Windows API calls. You can remove such obstinate registry keys using a special tool called RegASSASIN from MalwareBytes – the makes of the popular anti-malware software.
RegASSASSIN is a portable application which helps you remove difficult-to-remove registry keys placed on your system by malware. This program allows you to remove registry keys by resetting the keys permissions and then deleting it.
You can download the RegASSASIN tool from http://www.malwarebytes.org/regassassin.php. The tool is only 64 kilobytes in size and downloads quickly even on slow connections. Once downloaded, run the file by double-clicking on RegASSASSIN.exe. You should run it with administrator privileges in order to be able to remove registry keys and reset the registry keys permissions.
First of all you have to find and copy the full registry key name of the offending registry key. To do this, open the Registry Editor by opening the Run dialog (Windows logo key + R) and typing regedit.exe in it. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the stubborn key, right-click on it and then select Copy Key Name to copy the key name.
Type the registry key that you are not able to remove, in the text field. If you want to reset the ACL (access control list) of the registry key, then check the checkbox labeled Reset registry key permissions. If you want to delete all the subkeys under this registry key, then check the checkbox labeled Delete registry keys and all subkeys. Finally click on the Delete button.
You will be shown a confirmation dialog to confirm the deletion of the registry key. Click on the Yes button to proceed and delete the registry key (and also the subkeys if selected).
RegASSASIN can be a real lifesaver when it comes to getting rid of the obstinate registry keys, a job which it does excellently. You have to keep in mind that RegASSASIN is not a substitute for an anti-virus or anti-malware software. It is just a helpful in removing the left over stubborn registry keys. For more information about this program, you can visit http://www.malwarebytes.org/regassassin.php.