REGDB_E_INVALIDVALUE (0x80040153) Registry Fix

What You’re Seeing

This error usually pops up when a program tries to read a registry value—often a COM object or a DLL registration—and finds something it can’t parse. I’ve seen it in Windows 10 and 11 after a failed software uninstall, a botched update, or a third-party tool that messed with registry permissions. The exact message is REGDB_E_INVALIDVALUE (0x80040153), and it’s infuriating because nothing obvious broke—just some hidden value that Windows can’t stand.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a registry guru. Start with the quick fix, and stop when the error goes away. Let’s go.

Quick Fix (30 seconds): SFC Scan

I know you probably want to jump into the registry, but start here. A corrupted system file can create invalid registry values. The System File Checker is fast and safe.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator (right-click Start > Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin)).
2. Type:

   sfc /scannow

   and hit Enter.
3. Wait. It’ll take a minute or two. If Windows finds and repairs corruption, restart your machine and test. If the error sticks, move on.

This has fixed the REGDB_E_INVALIDVALUE error for about one in three people I’ve helped. Don’t skip it just because it’s simple.

Moderate Fix (5 minutes): Re-register COM Objects

If SFC didn’t do it, the problem is often a stale COM registration. Windows caches these in the registry, and a bad value breaks the whole chain. Re-registering the common DLLs clears that cache.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator again.
2. Run these commands in order—press Enter after each, wait for the “success” message:

regsvr32 /u vbscript.dll
regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 /u jscript.dll
regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 /u scrrun.dll
regsvr32 scrrun.dll
regsvr32 /u wshom.ocx
regsvr32 wshom.ocx

If you see “The module failed to load” on any, note it and continue—that’s a separate issue, but the others may still fix your error. After all commands complete, restart and test.

This is my go-to for Office and COM-based apps that throw 0x80040153. Works about half the time.

Advanced Fix (15+ minutes): Registry Permission Repair

This is the heavy hitter. If the error persists, some registry key has wrong permissions—probably from a prior install that locked down a key it created. You’ll need to identify the offender first.

Find the Bad Key

Check the event logs. Open Event Viewer (Eventvwr.msc), go to Windows Logs > Application, and look for errors with source “COM” or “RegDB” from around the time you saw 0x80040153. Double-click one—the Details tab will show the registry path. Common culprits:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{some GUID}
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{some GUID}
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{some GUID} (on 64-bit Windows)

No event log? Then try Process Monitor. Download Microsoft’s ProcMon, filter for “RegQueryValue” with result “NAME NOT FOUND” or “INVALID VALUE”, and replicate the error. It’s tedious but precise.

Fix the Permissions

1. Open Regedit as administrator.
2. Navigate to the problematic key (from the logs or ProcMon).
3. Right-click the key > Permissions.
4. Check that SYSTEM and Administrators have Full Control. If they don’t, click Advanced, change the owner to Administrators, then apply Full Control.
5. Also check the key’s value data—right-click the value name, choose Modify, and ensure it’s a valid string (like a DLL path) or DWORD (a number). If it’s garbage (e.g., empty or random chars), delete the value or correct it.

Be careful here: deleting the wrong key can break the app. Export the key first (right-click > Export) as a .reg backup.

Reset COM Permissions Globally

If the error comes from multiple apps, a systemic permission reset might help. This is rare but effective when a security tool locked down the COM registry. Run this in an admin command prompt:

icacls "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\RegBack" /reset /t /c
icacls "%SystemRoot%\System32\config" /reset /t /c

Then run sfc /scannow again, restart, and test.

When to Give Up and Reinstall

I hate saying this, but if neither fix works after an hour, the registry might be too damaged. A clean reinstall of Windows (keeping your files via “Reset this PC”) will fix it. But try the advanced fix first—I’ve seen it save people from that step.

One last trick: if the error only happens in one app, uninstall that app with Revo Uninstaller (use the Advanced mode to scrub leftover registry entries), then reinstall. That fixes the “bad value” problem at the source.