Courrpt file

Have several computer’s on my little office network have one that giving problems it had the blue screen / more important it said C:\windows\system32\config\software was corrupt missing etc. I used the xp cd and repaired it with the software file in the windows \repair folder. Now I have computer that starts but has lost most everything pretty much back to where it was when it was new nothing works word, x cell, qbooks etc my question is this IS there a fix for the corrupt file it is presently renamed software.bak and is in the same folder but I can move it anywhere even another computer if needed. OR just whip it all out and start over, reloading XP MS office, Q books, network, printers, map drives etc. Any help advise is appreciated in advance

Thanks

 

You have changed the file that tells Windows where and what to do with the installed Software, so basically YES you are going to have to reinstall your Application Software, you should be in luck with the files that those programs created, but might not with some. Good Luck, and Welcome to Major Geeks

 

well since you have several computers are they all pretty much the same. if so do you have ghost.

 

You repaired a corrupt hive file and now Windows doesn't know where your installed software is. It's still on the drive (just poke around on C: and you'll see it) but Windows has lost it's file associations. Try doing a system restore to about 3 days or so before the problem occured. If this doesn't work, try this link to the Microsoft web site:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us and it describes how to remedy your situation. There's a chance that it may be too late to follow the procedure outlined at Microsoft. If so, either reload any needed software (reloading Windows might be a good idea too) or if you have other PC's with the same hardware and software, image the drive from the other PC to your HD using Symantec's Ghost or a similar tool.

hopperdave2000

 

Welcome to MajorGeeks