Obscure XP boot up issue - SOFTWARE file corrupt

[pringlex]

hey all,

I'm having a problem with my XP machine, I booted it this morning, and got a blue screen just before the login screen appears, saying "STOP etc... Could not load SYSTEM32CONFIGSOFTWARE, its log or alternate. Hive file corrupt"

So i reboot, and get the same error, no matter whether i go into safe mode, last known good, etc... I've used the recovery console to restore the default SOFTWARE file, however, this means i am using the default registry that is installed with XP, meaning, i have lost all of my settings since i installed.

I renamed the corrupt file, so I still have it, so my question is:

Is there any way of "uncorrupting" or extracting the data from this file?

I've tried to load it into regedit, but it tells me the key is invalid.

This is the 4th time this has happened, and every time I've given up and just reformatted, but I'm getting pretty p*ssed off with it now, and want to correct the error, rather than just ignore it and reinstall windows.

Thanks,

Dave

[Fedr0]

I'd suggest you to buy a new stick of ram.

[pringlex]

thanks for the advice, but surely there must be a way to fix this with out spending money?

I ran windows 2000 for a long time, and never had this issue..

Dave

[Daniel F. Administrators]

2 things to try

1. Try using chkdsk or eqivilent to check the file/ hdd is ok

2. Try file/hdd recovery software e.g Ontrack

Hope that helps

[pringlex]

thanks voodoo, i'll give it a go.

anyone else know of anything, in case this doesnt work?

thanks,

dave

[Joel]

You didn't list the STOP code, you should look it up on the Microsoft Knowledge Base. I recently had to repair a computer by booting into the recovery console and running chkdsk /r at the command prompt. This was according to a KB article and it worked (took a long time, but it did work).

[0sit0]

Yup, that happened to me once using Windows XP beta. what i did was format then install windows again, that's it, i dunno what else can u do. :(

[pringlex]

Stop: 0xc0000218

The registry cannot load the hive (file):

SystemRootSystem32ConfigSOFTWARE or its log or alternate.

It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

i tried chkdsk, to no avail....

The MS KB tells me how to restore the registry from a previous restore point, which would be OK, except the last restore point (with a registry) the system created was a month ago....

aaarrrghhh

-Dave

[Joel]

http://support.microsoft.com/search/previe...b;en-us;Q314874

All 4 steps did not work?

[pringlex]

i didnt do the steps listed there, however, even if i did, i dont have a recent copy of the software hive file, the latest Restore Point was February 13th, a month ago.

Is there any way of uncorrupting or extracting the data from the original (corrupt) file?

thanks,

-Dave

[Joel]

Why do you keep saying that you need a copy of the registry? Not one of those solutions says "have your registry backup handy". Start from the top and work your way down. If the first 3 don't work, the last will, since it says "the drive might require low-level formatting, repartitioning, reformatting, and a restoration of the entire system from a tape backup to clear up the error."

Follow the steps.

[-T- Member]

I've had this problem on a few XP boxes and the same solution seems to work every time for me..

Boot from the XP CDROM into the recovery console or , if FAT32 , using any msdos start up disk to the C: prompt

Then type repair eg C:winntrepair

this folder contains backups of the software file and the system and security files

copy the software file into system32config

reboot and that should be problem solved

works for me every time

also works for anyone with the sytem file corrupt problem

[pringlex]

I've got a working copy of windows XP, i copied the software file from the windowsrepair folder...

however, i'm saying i need a copy of my old registry because it contained all of my settings, etc etc...

The registry in the repair folder is the default registry, so as far as XP is concerned, it's running off a fresh installation... it's reverted back to the Luna theme, it's given me the Fast-User switching screen (i prefer the 'classic' logon), it doesnt auto-logon any more...

I'm just trying to restore my system to the state it was in before the registry got corrupt, without reformatting... that's all.

-Dave

[pringlex]

oh and also, low-level formatting is out of the question, as i have over 30GB of files that i dont want to lose, and nowhere to put them if i format.

-Dave

[orphic]

get some free-dos bootdisks, then create a FAT32 Partition with sufficient space to backup what you really need to save. Then just copy the data that needs to be saved to the new FAT32 partition. Then format the old partition, and install XP again on it....Or if you had the BootDisks and CD for XP, you should be able to do a repair installation.

[orphic]

Oh, and your registry...is ****ed unless you can boot into XP and back it up...

[pringlex]

thanks for the help everyone... however, i think everyone is getting the wrong impression...

All I need to know is whether it is possible to retrieve any or all of the information from the supposedly corrupt registry file.

If not, then I guess i'll have to re-install windows.

cheers,

Dave

[-T- Member]

I've had this problem on a few XP boxes and the same solution seems to work every time for me..

Boot from the XP CDROM into the recovery console or , if FAT32 , using any msdos start up disk to the C: prompt

Then type repair eg C:winntrepair

this folder contains backups of the software file and the system and security files

copy the software file into system32config

reboot and that should be problem solved

works for me every time

also works for anyone with the sytem file corrupt problem

[pringlex]

castor_troyuk: you do realise you posted that twice, right?

right well i cant be bothered to arse around with stupid corrupt files, i'm going to re-install XP. oh joy.:disappoin:S:dead::ermm:

[-T- Member]

:ermm: didn't realise that sorry :ermm:

[pringlex]

i gave up in the end an re-installed :)

mmmm shiny new windows :)

let's just hope it doesnt do it again! dammit! :)

thanks for all the help people.

-Dave

[Vinh]

  Quote

Originally posted by castor_troyuk

I've had this problem on a few XP boxes and the same solution seems to work every time for me..

Boot from the XP CDROM into the recovery console or , if FAT32 , using any msdos start up disk to the C: prompt

Then type repair eg C:winntrepair

this folder contains backups of the software file and the system and security files

copy the software file into system32config

reboot and that should be problem solved

works for me every time

also works for anyone with the sytem file corrupt problem

wow excellent, i get corrupted a C:windowssystem32configsystem, my way was to backup system file on another partition and incase it gos corrupt, i just move the file system backup over, but your method seems cool.

All this time ive wasted backing up system file every day or so and when the files are just in /repair/

God i hate myself sometimes.