Registry File Failure

Dell Dimension 4400 - XP Home.

Boots up to Blue Screen with the following message...

STOP:c0000218{Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
systemroot\system32\config\SOFTWARE
it's log or alternate
is corrupt, absent, or not writeable.

Beginning dump of physical memory

Any ideas where to begin? I have an XP Pro disc which I've used to repair corrupt OS installations, but don't have an XP Home disc (it's a friends PC), so I don't know if that will help.

Same message in safe mode and Last Known Good Configuration.


Thanks,

Steve

 

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

 

Thanks Adrynalyne, I was just looking at that very same article. Trouble is, I've only an XP Pro CD and this is an XP Home installation. Thought I'd give it a try, but my XP Pro CD is not bootable, and when trying to download the exe to create the bootable floppys, I find out my floppy drive is bad! Ugh...

So, now I'm just pulling stuff out of my a@@. I tried booting to a bootable 2000 CD-ROM, and then pulling the old switcharoo after selecting the recover option, but it wasn't buying it.

Is there a way to run the CD from a 98 floppy?

I just need to get into recovery console. I still don't even know if the Pro disc will work with the Home Installation..probably not, huh?



Steve

 

Well I'll be...

My XP Home CD that came with my Presario laptop did the trick!

It's funny...even though I've done nothing wrong, I feel as though somehow Microsoft just still wouldn't approve of this.


Steve

 

probably not

Of course, they also probably wouldn't have approved if they knew I clean installed w/ an XP Upgrade CD using a 95 companion CD as qualifying media

You should consider building a Live Windows CD for these sticky situations.

 

Damn! Following the instructions in that article, I get hung up toward the end of Part One. When trying to copy C:\Windows\repair\system to c:\windows\system\32\config\system, it tells me it cannot find the specified file. Tried a few times, syntax is correct.

I copied the system file from the C:\WINNT\repair directory from my XP Pro machine to a floppy, and then in Repair Console, copied a:\system to c:\windows\system32\config\system

I then boot into Safe Mode and get a different Stop Error.

Is there a way to extract the \system file from the HP Home CD-ROM?



Steve

 

Its a reg hive, there is no extraction.

Check this. Look in c:\woindows\repair for a system.bak file. If you find it, rename it to system and then continue.

That Live Windows CD might actually be easier.

 

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Make one of these, then you can do part 2 and 3 in one swoop, and skip part 1 altogether.

 

What the???

Now when I try to get into Recovery Console, it tells me that the Administrator password is incorrect, when I know for a fact that there is no administrator password!

I'll try that Live CD thing.


Steve

 

Thats because of the reg hive replacement. Happens sometimes. Tell me how the CD works out.

 

Adrynalyne,

When attempting to Slipstream using the PE Builder, where are the SP files located?

MY CD is XP Home and has no Service Packs, so I need to slipstream SP2, right?

Question, if I'm trying to build an XP Home PE disc using an XP Home CD on my XP Pro machine, can I slipstream the SP files from the XP Pro machine? In other words, are the XP Pro SP2 files the same as the HP Home SP2 files?

The main thing I need to know is, where are the SP files located? I tried using C:\WINNT\ServicePackFiles...but PE Builder didn't like that.

Thanks again Adrynalyne.



Steve

 

Forgive me, its been months since I built one, but basically:

Copy the i386 folder from XPH to the hard drive.

Slipstream Sp2 into it, then point both paths for files to the i386 directory.

Let me know if thats a flop. When I get home, I'll give precise instructions.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

 

Where is SP2?


Steve

 

Network installation is what you need:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

I found it.

OK, now when I attempt to slipstream the entire contents of the XP Home CD, which I have copied to a directory on the desktop with the SP2 exe, which resides in the same directory, PE Builder begins the process, but about three seconds into it, says "Process Stopped". There are no error messages, however.

Well, that the farthest I've gotten so far! I'll keep trying.

Thanks,

Steve

 

So the slipstream finished, like in the guide I gave you?

 

I suggest follwing the link below to slipstream a RTM or SP1 CD to SP2. Works perfectly for me.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

But to be perfectly honest, for bartpe, you don't really NEED sp2, since you're only running it for a few minutes, bartPE doesn't connect to the internet and works fine with XP SP1/RTM.

EDIT: the above link is for "alternate reading" didn't realise adryn already posted a link

 

I reccomend this CD to anyone who needs a good troubleshooting tool

 

Alright, I managed to slipstream the files at the command prompt following the directions on the Paul Thurrott website. The instructions on the Bart PE website were really confusing. So using PE Builder, I created the bootable CD, and am now at the BART PE desktop.

Now what????


Thanks for all the help thus far,

Steve

 

Nevermind my last post. I fixed it!

Thanks Adrynalyne!


Steve

 

Awesome CD, isn't it

 

Absolutely! Never even heard of such a thing.

Question - Can I use this Bart PE disc for Home and Pro repairs, or do I have to create a separate one for Pro?


Thanks again Adrynalyne, you are the man!!!


Steve

 

Home and Pro