Registry cannot load the hive FIXED but lead to LOSS of everything :(

[natushke]

So, my first problem was the BSOD:

the registry cannot load the hive file:registry file failure
system root\system32\config\software

After restarting, attempting to start in Safe mode, and looking through many, many help sites, I used the info from http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm and did this:

I started from my XP CD-Rom and went into Recovery Console. Then, I typed the following commands:

cd system32\config
dir software
ren software software.bak
copy c:\windows\repair\software
exit

This seemed to solve my problem. The blue screen was gone and Windows started normally. Except that everything I had ever saved or downloaded to my computer was gone. Gone! Help! I don't know how to get it back, and I'm sure it's there somewhere because I didn't delete anything. Any ideas?

you only processed one
file.

however, there is a set
of files you need to keep
together.

therefore, in addition to
"software" you also need
to include the others located
inside the repair directory.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"natushke" <natushke.3izdbf@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message news:natushke.3izdbf@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> So, my first problem was the BSOD:
>
> the registry cannot load the hive file:registry file failure
> system root\system32\config\software
>
> After restarting, attempting to start in Safe mode, and looking through
> many, many help sites, I used the info from
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm and did this:
>
> I started from my XP CD-Rom and went into Recovery Console. Then, I
> typed the following commands:
>
> cd system32\config
> dir software
> ren software software.bak
> copy c:\windows\repair\software
> exit
>
> This seemed to solve my problem. The blue screen was gone and Windows
> started normally. Except that everything I had ever saved or downloaded
> to my computer was gone. Gone! Help! I don't know how to get it back,
> and I'm sure it's there somewhere because I didn't delete anything. Any
> ideas?
>
>
> --
> natushke
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> natushke's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/natushke.htm
> View this thread: Registry cannot load the hive FIXED but lead to LOSS of everything :(
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>

natushke <natushke.3izdbf@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in
news:natushke.3izdbf@DoNotSpam.com:

>
> So, my first problem was the BSOD:
>
> the registry cannot load the hive file:registry file failure
> system root\system32\config\software
>
> After restarting, attempting to start in Safe mode, and looking
> through many, many help sites, I used the info from
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm and did this:
>
> I started from my XP CD-Rom and went into Recovery Console. Then,
> I typed the following commands:
>
> cd system32\config
> dir software
> ren software software.bak
> copy c:\windows\repair\software
> exit
>
> This seemed to solve my problem. The blue screen was gone and
> Windows started normally. Except that everything I had ever saved
> or downloaded to my computer was gone. Gone! Help! I don't know
> how to get it back, and I'm sure it's there somewhere because I
> didn't delete anything. Any ideas?

Your first attempt should have been to try System Restore:
Start->Programs->Accessories->Systems Tools->System Restore

Barring that try:
"How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP
from starting"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545>

Given you are where you are, try locating your files in the
C:\documents and settings\
directory looking for a sub directory that looks similar to your past
login.

or you might try:
"How to recover the damaged user profile in Windows XP"
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555473>

HTH,
John

[natushke]

Okay, that makes sense. But I'm not sure how to go about doing that. Would you mind explaining?

[natushke]

This is so strange. Thank you for suggesting to look in the Documents and Settings folder--I did find all of my files there (thank goodness!).

However, I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how to get all of the programs I've installed and downloaded back on my desktop. Basically, at this point, my desktop looks like it did the day I bought it. I tried the Microsoft article on How to recover a damaged profile, but I wasn't able to go through all of the steps. I'll try searching around the Microsoft site some more, but if anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know!

[natushke]

Things keep getting worse for me, and I think it might be time to just chuck this computer.

This time, I used the "How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting" article from Microsoft (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/) and was disappointed to find that I apparently don't have a system file in my repair folder (c:\windows\repair\system). This happened during the following command:
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
The system cannot find the file specified.
So, I got stuck on the first step and now have a new problem:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

The Microsoft article has me going in circles, and I'm not sure where to go from here. I really botched things up. :/

well, it simply sounds
that your file system is
crashing.

have you ever initialized
a check disk or a defrag?

perhaps, the above questions
is no longer important.

because you may also be
experiencing an infection
or perhaps simple hardware
failure - "perhaps"

------------

if you have a windows xp
installation disk, you can
use it to repair the system,
that is if your o.s. is the same
version as the disk.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"natushke" <natushke.3j1lvb@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message news:natushke.3j1lvb@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> Things keep getting worse for me, and I think it might be time to just
> chuck this computer.
>
> This time, I used the "How to recover from a corrupted registry that
> prevents Windows XP from starting" article from Microsoft
> (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/) and was disappointed to find
> that I apparently don't have a system file in my repair folder
> (c:\windows\repair\system). This happened during the following command:
> COPY C:\WINDOWS\REPAIR\SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
> THE SYSTEM CANNOT FIND THE FILE SPECIFIED.[/b]
> SO, I GOT STUCK ON THE FIRST STEP AND NOW HAVE A NEW PROBLEM:
>
> [b]WINDOWS XP COULD NOT START BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING FILE IS MISSING OR
> CORRUPT: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
> The Microsoft article has me going in circles, and I'm not sure where
> to go from here. I really botched things up. :/
>
>
> --
> natushke
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> natushke's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/natushke.htm
> View this thread: Registry cannot load the hive FIXED but lead to LOSS of everything :(
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>

[natushke]

I have been using the XP installation disk to attempt to repair, but I keep getting stuck on that one file that I apparently don't have. There's no way for me to check to see if it's misplaced, if that's even possible, so I'm just a sitting duck.

well, it's not a good situation
if the windows setup cd
cannot repair your system.

there are simply to many ways
to corrupt the operating system,
so it doesn't help me to guess
what is the true nature of the
corruption.

---------

perhaps, it might help if you
initiate some commands at
the disk prompt>:

chkdsk
fixboot
bootcfg /rebuild
fixmbr

then exit and try to
boot into the system
with out the cd.

if you still get the error then
retry the steps you had taken
previously.

perhaps, the missing files
will show up after initiating
the commands.

if however, you still cannot
repair the registry manually or
the windows cd still cannot repair
the system, then you might simply
reinstall windows from scratch.

however, what would be an ideal
setup is to install windows into a
different partition or disk, instead
of overwriting the corrupted o.s..

that way you can utilize the new
installation to work on the corrupted
one or at least get access to the
personal files and transfer them onto
the new installation.

----------

not sure what assets you have
available, but having an additional
partition or disk means you don't
have to always have all your eggs
in one basket.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"natushke" <natushke.3j3m3c@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message news:natushke.3j3m3c@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> I have been using the XP installation disk to attempt to repair, but I
> keep getting stuck on that one file that I apparently don't have.
> There's no way for me to check to see if it's misplaced, if that's even
> possible, so I'm just a sitting duck.
>
>
> --
> natushke
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> natushke's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/natushke.htm
> View this thread: Registry cannot load the hive FIXED but lead to LOSS of everything :(
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>