deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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So typically, the in-laws old laptop has died with nothing at all backed up. There are some important work files/invoices on here plus photos. It would be great to get the laptop up and running, otherwise just grab everything from the C: "My Documents" off it.
The message it says is:
code:
STOP: C0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable
In lay mans terms, what does this mean? This message appears after the Windows scrolling login screen, if you Start Windows Normally.
So the harddrive is clearly working I assume, just can't get passed this stage. I still have an XP disc somewhere I can chuck in, but this normally just puts a fresh install on and we'd lose everything.
What is the best way of:
1) Getting it up and running to previous state
2) Just retrieve the files we need (remove HDD may be?)
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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Essentially the registry has become corrupted. You can try and repair (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545) it to get the system back to some usable condition (if you follow the typical MS method, then you'll end up with OS access but a lot of the software won't run) but it's a huge amount of hassle and tbf, i've never had success with registry HIVE failures and getting the system back to a 100% previous state.
Easiest solution is to pull the hard drive, stick it in a caddy and backup everything and then do a fresh install.
Edit - If you can find a copy of UBCD4WIN (you'll need the UBCD4WIN app + Windows Install CD; it then creates an iso that you burn to CD), then it comes with a tool called Registry Restore Wizard which is suppose to 'fix' issues like this; didn't work when i tried it but you might have better luck.
[Edited on 31-08-2014 by Dom]
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Neo
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Registered: 20th Feb 07
Location: Essex
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Basically what Dom said, pull the drive, get the data.
I have to ask though, have you attempted to boot using last known good config ? (turn on, bash away at f8, choose last known etc)
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Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
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Use Norton Ghost to replicate the disk or create a ghost image to a USB hard drive.
If you cannot source a copy of NG, download UBCD4WIN with a copy of SnapShot. Do the same thing by replicating the disk.
SnapShot can be downloaded from here if UBCD4WIN does not contain the app:
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Dom
Essentially the registry has become corrupted. You can try and repair (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545) it to get the system back to some usable condition (if you follow the typical MS method, then you'll end up with OS access but a lot of the software won't run) but it's a huge amount of hassle and tbf, i've never had success with registry HIVE failures and getting the system back to a 100% previous state.
Easiest solution is to pull the hard drive, stick it in a caddy and backup everything and then do a fresh install.
Edit - If you can find a copy of UBCD4WIN (you'll need the UBCD4WIN app + Windows Install CD; it then creates an iso that you burn to CD), then it comes with a tool called Registry Restore Wizard which is suppose to 'fix' issues like this; didn't work when i tried it but you might have better luck.
[Edited on 31-08-2014 by Dom]
Taaa. I seem to remember this happening to my dads PC. There is a shorter method that Microsoft give which worked, so will try that first.
If not caddy it is. Mind you not sure it is worth restoring. Laptop is about 8 years old and has a 64GB HDD iirc 
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Neo
Basically what Dom said, pull the drive, get the data.
I have to ask though, have you attempted to boot using last known good config ? (turn on, bash away at f8, choose last known etc)
Everytime it starts up it gives the options. Tried them all including Safe Mode and still get the same blue screen of death.
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deano87
Member
Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
Use Norton Ghost to replicate the disk or create a ghost image to a USB hard drive.
If you cannot source a copy of NG, download UBCD4WIN with a copy of SnapShot. Do the same thing by replicating the disk.
SnapShot can be downloaded from here if UBCD4WIN does not contain the app:
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/
Do you not need access to the OS to be able to install NG?
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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This is the shorter method I believe: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830084
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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£7.50 SATA/IDE enclosure ordered from Ebuyer just in case. I seem to get free next day delivery on everything too 
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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If it's a vanilla 3.5" ide caddy then you'll likely need a 2.5" ide adaptor (40 to 44 pin iirc) for the laptops hard drive.
Tar for posting that link though 
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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It is a proper 2.5" enclosure.
And for information, the link I posted WORKED  when I did CHKDSK /R it fixed it, didn't have to do CHKDSK /F.
I'm pretty sure what it did was replace anything missing on the install with what is on the disk.
Panic over.
And the HDD is about 50GB. So just need a USB stick to back up
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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/r does everything /f does and more. I always use /r.
Chkdsk also doesn't replace anything from the disk, it corrects corrupt sectors. Hard drive is probably about to fail.
[Edited on 31-08-2014 by John]
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deano87
Member
Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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Andrew
Member
Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by deano87
quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
Use Norton Ghost to replicate the disk or create a ghost image to a USB hard drive.
If you cannot source a copy of NG, download UBCD4WIN with a copy of SnapShot. Do the same thing by replicating the disk.
SnapShot can be downloaded from here if UBCD4WIN does not contain the app:
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/
Do you not need access to the OS to be able to install NG?
No, use a bootable NG disc
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deano87
Member
Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
quote:
Originally posted by deano87
quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
Use Norton Ghost to replicate the disk or create a ghost image to a USB hard drive.
If you cannot source a copy of NG, download UBCD4WIN with a copy of SnapShot. Do the same thing by replicating the disk.
SnapShot can be downloaded from here if UBCD4WIN does not contain the app:
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/
Do you not need access to the OS to be able to install NG?
No, use a bootable NG disc
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