corrupt registry

squibs

I got an xp machine to fix from a desperate neighbour. It refuses to boot cos it can't find c:\windows\system32\config\system. So I'm thinking corrupt registry.

I tried a system restore from a hidden partition using F10 (the machine is an iQon with it's own restore tool). This seems to restore the contents of the windows directory and then prompts for a reboot. On the reboot, the XP logo appears but then there a BSOD - Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The Registry Cannot Load The Hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE Error
If I reboot, it returns to the original message.

So it looks like this restore tool cannot fix the registry. How would I repair/regenerate the registry without wiping the partition?

Oh - and I can't access regular system restore using an XP CD, as nobody knows the administrtor password

Optikus

Instead of using the Icon system restore have you tryed using Xp's own one C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe?

squibs

Well right now I cant access the command prompt at all cos it won't boot. I tried booting from a win98 cd yesterday, but c drive was listed as invalis drive specification (presumably cos 98 is FAT and cant see NTFS formatted drives?).

jor el

Boot from a windows XP disk and choose recovery console. Then run chkdsk /r to check the disk for errors. This might work.

Also see http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545 for details on registry recovery.

squibs

When I boot from XP disk ans select recovers, it asks me to select my install. looks like the 2 choices are the 2 partitions (the hidden recovery partition and the windows partition). If I select the first one I'm dropped to DOS and dir shows only a few files. If I select the second, I get prompted for the administrator password, which as I mentioned is unknown.

Optikus

Can you not just reinstall Windows from CD. But first back up your files by using the HDD as slave in someone elses PC, backing up onto their HDD or to CD/DVD.

squibs

Yup that's the last resort.

I'm looking at a linux boot disk which claims to be able to reset the admin password.

gamer

Boot from xp cd, press r ,use fixboot command, reboot, see does winxp load up, as a last resort use fixmbr command ,that fixs the harddrive master boot record.Or look at htpp://.support.microsoft.com,search restore winxp registry ,and just follow the directions.It shows you how to fix reg from automatic backups on drive c ,just a matter of copying, renaming some *.bak files .

art

squibs wrote:

When I boot from XP disk ans select recovers, it asks me to select my install. looks like the 2 choices are the 2 partitions (the hidden recovery partition and the windows partition). If I select the first one I'm dropped to DOS and dir shows only a few files. If I select the second, I get prompted for the administrator password, which as I mentioned is unknown.

The password could simply (ie usually) be blank - have you just hit return when prompted for a password?

squibs

Yup empty password was the first one i tried

jor el

squibs wrote:

If I select the first one I'm dropped to DOS and dir shows only a few files.

That's exactly what you want. Run chkdsk /r at this DOS prompt. Or as gamer says, fixboot or fixmbr may also help, but I think these only fix the MBR or bootsector of a hard disk and won't help recover a broken registry.

gamer

if you follow all commands on support.microsoft page to the letter it will restore the registry,you will need to put in xp cd ,press r to get to recovery console.this matter comes up every 3 weeks on this forum, cant boot xp, registry corrupted.you wont need admin password to restore reg.

squibs

if you follow all commands on support.microsoft page to the letter it will restore the registry,you will need to put in xp cd ,press r to get to recovery console.this matter comes up every 3 weeks on this forum, cant boot xp, registry corrupted.you wont need admin password to restore reg.

Sorry gamer that's wrong. The microsoft support page in question even says so (see point 4):

1.Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
2.When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
3.If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
4.When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
5.At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you type each line:

I'm looking at the password prompt right now.

_CreeD_

Is your neighbour worried more about having access to the applications installed in the XP installation or data on the HDD? If it's just the data you can save yourself time and trouble by doing a fresh parallel installation of XP (ie. Choose new install but to a different folder than the original). When it's installed take ownership of the entire drive. At this point you can delete the old XP installation and keep going but it's messy (Lots of old app.s left on the HDD that the new XP doesn't see etc.), I would advise backing up what was needed and then formatting/reinstalling.
If they encrypted any files using EFS then you might be in trouble (you can take ownership of the files but you won't have the certificates/keys to decrypt).

squibs

It's used by a kid who thinks that 30 seconds is too long to wait for a power down so she just switches it off at the wall. Wonder how that registry got corrupted.

I'm doing a re-install. One quick question - its dawns on me that while I've done loads on win 95 and 98 installs, I've never done an XP fresh install. I'm using the XP recovery CD from my Dell as the busted machine only came with the recovery partition. Will this give me problems with the authentication?

Thanks.

jum4

pretty sure you can only use the dell recovery cd on a same Dell/Model PC.

tbh never actauly tried using one on a different pc.