Security Account Manager Initialization Failed

Hello,

I run a Windows 2003 server (Standaard edition) and suddenly I recieve this error message:

Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: A device attached to the system is not functioning. Error Status: 0xc0000001. Please click OK to shutdown this system and reboot into Safe Mode, check the event log for more detailed information.

After I click on OK the system restarts and then I recieve the same error. After that I have pushed the F8 button during startup and tryid all other options but every time I recieve this error message :(

Please help me :(

Luc Mook

Hi, here my way...hope it helps

What to do? Boot the server from a CD/DVD. - I used "BartPE" (a Live CD version of the Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 operating systems). Once you load up the CD, go to "C:\WINDOWS\system32\config" and rename the file SAM. Then copy from "C:\WINDOWS\repair" the file SAM in to the folder "C:\WINDOWS\system32\config". Restart the Server and boot from the HDD. Login as administrator (local) and use as password the first password (on os installation).

Good luck

thomas

it DOES WORK !!!!!!
i did use a ubuntu live cd
thank you. system recovered is Windows XP . but on recreating the users accounts you probably have to follow a vocabulary order so that each user is reassigned his or hers proper account, or you will have to rename them to fix.
Thanks again.

and by the way, this software fix means that there was no device attached to the system failing?????