Err Msg: STOP: C0000218 ...Registry Cannot Load the Hive

[jason]

When Windows starts up I recieve this message:
" 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 writeable."

Then restarts, over and over. I have recieved this advice;

"This problem was not reproducible at Microsoft. If you run
into this problem, the following steps may help:
* Use only hardware listed on the hardware compatibility
list (HCL).
* Ensure that the SCSI bus is properly terminated at both ends.
* Try a different SCSI cable.
* DTC has a firmware upgrade that fixes certain over-run
problems."\

My cable modem was unplugged, but thats it, it still works.
I am unsure what step to take next. Can you help?

 

[Dave Patrick]

If the software hive is corrupt, it may be possible to rename the software
hive found in;
%windir%\system32\config\software
to software.old
then copy the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback
as
%windir%\system32\config\software

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%windir%\repair\software
This file is an image of the hive at the time the OS was installed, so you'd
have to reinstall all software. This being the case you might just as well
blow it away and start a new install. (note: this would at least allow you
to start the OS to make any necessary backups prior to wiping the drive.)

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the
RecoveryConsole quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

:
| When Windows starts up I recieve this message:
| " 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 writeable."
|
| Then restarts, over and over. I have recieved this advice;
|
| "This problem was not reproducible at Microsoft. If you run
| into this problem, the following steps may help:
| * Use only hardware listed on the hardware compatibility
| list (HCL).
| * Ensure that the SCSI bus is properly terminated at both ends.
| * Try a different SCSI cable.
| * DTC has a firmware upgrade that fixes certain over-run
| problems."\
|
| My cable modem was unplugged, but thats it, it still works.
| I am unsure what step to take next. Can you help?
|

 

[Guest]

Okay, I'm in the recovery console, I put in my password,
typed "help" for my command list. "rename" is a command but
I'm unsure of how to use it...

 

[Mark V]

Okay, I'm in the recovery console, I put in my password,
typed "help" for my command list. "rename" is a command but
I'm unsure of how to use it...

Rename (Ren)
Changes the name of a single file. The rename command with the
parameters listed below is only available when you are using the
Windows 2000 Recovery Console, which can be started from the Windows
2000 Setup program. The rename command with different parameters is
available from the command prompt in Windows 2000.

rename [drive:][path] filename1 filename2
-or-
ren [drive:][path] filename1 filename2

Parameters
[drive:][path] filename1
Specifies the location and name of the file you want to rename. You
cannot use wildcard characters.

filename2
Specifies the new name for the file. You cannot specify a new drive
or path when renaming files.

[ ]

Assuming you are in the correct location and can see (DIR) a file
SOFTWARE
issue
ren software software.old
(for example)

 

[Guest]

Okay Im in c:\winnt it's the only option I'm given when I
access the recovery console. There is no admin password.
How do I access %windir%? or am I screwed...

BTW, Thanks! This is great!(from a learning perspective)

-----Original Message-----

Okay, I'm in the recovery console, I put in my password,
typed "help" for my command list. "rename" is a command but
I'm unsure of how to use it...

Rename (Ren)
Changes the name of a single file. The rename command with the
parameters listed below is only available when you are using the
Windows 2000 Recovery Console, which can be started from the Windows
2000 Setup program. The rename command with different parameters is
available from the command prompt in Windows 2000.

rename [drive:][path] filename1 filename2
-or-
ren [drive:][path] filename1 filename2

Parameters
[drive:][path] filename1
Specifies the location and name of the file you want to rename. You
cannot use wildcard characters.

filename2
Specifies the new name for the file. You cannot specify a new drive
or path when renaming files.

[ ]

Assuming you are in the correct location and can see (DIR) a file
SOFTWARE
issue
ren software software.old
(for example)
.

 

[Dave Patrick]

You don't necessarily need to cd to those directories. From the root;

rename %windir%\system32\config\software
%windir%\system32\config\software.old
copy %windir%\repair\regback\software %windir%\system32\config

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

| Okay Im in c:\winnt it's the only option I'm given when I
| access the recovery console. There is no admin password.
| How do I access %windir%? or am I screwed...
|
| BTW, Thanks! This is great!(from a learning perspective)

 

[Dave Patrick]

The rename and copy commands are of course supposed to be all on one line.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

 

[jason]

access denied!

this is what my screen looks like;

C:\WINNT>

this is what I type in:
____________________________________________________
C:\WINNT>RENAME c:\%windir%\system32\config\software
c:\%windir%\system32\config\sotware.old COPY
c:\%windir%\repair\regback\software c:\%windir%\system32\config
____________________________________________________

usually I get "the parameter not valid". Sorry, but it
looks like I'm going to need be spoonfed. Well I got this
far so I'm not totally useless. Anymore advice?
Do you need anymore info from me?

 

[Dave Patrick]

Since it the system partition also try;

rename C:\winnt\system32\config\software software.old

copy C:\winnt\repair\regback\software C:\winnt\system32\config

(also note these are two separate commands)


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

:
| access denied!
|
| this is what my screen looks like;
|
| C:\WINNT>
|
| this is what I type in:
| ____________________________________________________
| C:\WINNT>RENAME c:\%windir%\system32\config\software
| c:\%windir%\system32\config\sotware.old COPY
| c:\%windir%\repair\regback\software c:\%windir%\system32\config
| ____________________________________________________
|
| usually I get "the parameter not valid". Sorry, but it
| looks like I'm going to need be spoonfed. Well I got this
| far so I'm not totally useless. Anymore advice?
| Do you need anymore info from me?
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >You don't necessarily need to cd to those directories.
| From the root;
| >
| >rename %windir%\system32\config\software
| >%windir%\system32\config\software.old
| >copy %windir%\repair\regback\software %windir%\system32\config
| >
| >--
| >Regards,
| >
| >Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
| >Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
| >http://www.microsoft.com/protect.
| >
| >| Okay Im in c:\winnt it's the only option I'm given when I
| >| access the recovery console. There is no admin password.
| >| How do I access %windir%? or am I screwed...
| >|
| >| BTW, Thanks! This is great!(from a learning perspective)
| >
| >
| >.
| >

 

[Guest]

okay, it kinda worked.The sysytem could not find
c:\winnt\repair\regback\software, so I went back to one of
your previous posts and used c:\winnt\repair\software that
worked but, like you said, the intial installation
settings. Is there a way to get my stuff back? You've done
so much thank-you! If you could point me to a website or
something that would be cool. Thanks again! take care.

 

[Dave Patrick]

Unfortunately it appears you have never backed up the registry. The hive you
used was the original as-installed copy hence the reason there are no
registrations for any installed software. Best you can do is backup your
data and start a new install.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

| okay, it kinda worked.The sysytem could not find
| c:\winnt\repair\regback\software, so I went back to one of
| your previous posts and used c:\winnt\repair\software that
| worked but, like you said, the intial installation
| settings. Is there a way to get my stuff back? You've done
| so much thank-you! If you could point me to a website or
| something that would be cool. Thanks again! take care.

 

[qazwsxtred99]

-----Original Message-----

When Windows starts up I recieve this message:
" 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 writeable."

Then restarts, over and over. I have recieved this advice;

"This problem was not reproducible at Microsoft. If you run
into this problem, the following steps may help:
* Use only hardware listed on the hardware compatibility
list (HCL).
* Ensure that the SCSI bus is properly terminated at both ends.
* Try a different SCSI cable.
* DTC has a firmware upgrade that fixes certain over-run
problems."\

My cable modem was unplugged, but thats it, it still works.
I am unsure what step to take next. Can you help?

.

Windows 2000 = Reinstall
WinXP = http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;
en-us;830084

 

[francisco]

The solution to your problem is easier than what you have
been told by others. You need to do either of the
following;
reinstall your operating system or install an upgrade to
your operating system. after that download all patches
and upgrades of your opeating system.
You will NOT lose your data

Okay, I'm in the recovery console, I put in my password,

typed "help" for my command list. "rename" is a command but
I'm unsure of how to use it...

-----Original Message-----
If the software hive is corrupt, it may be possible to rename the software
hive found in;
%windir%\system32\config\software
to software.old
then copy the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback
as
%windir%\system32\config\software

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%windir%\repair\software
This file is an image of the hive at the time the OS was installed, so you'd
have to reinstall all software. This being the case you might just as well
blow it away and start a new install. (note: this would

at
least allow you

to start the OS to make any necessary backups prior to wiping the drive.)

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from

the
Windows 2000

Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you

do
not have Setup

floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R

to
repair a Windows

2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the
RecoveryConsole quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.

:
| When Windows starts up I recieve this message:
| " 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 writeable."
|
| Then restarts, over and over. I have recieved this advice;
|
| "This problem was not reproducible at Microsoft. If you run
| into this problem, the following steps may help:
| * Use only hardware listed on the hardware compatibility
| list (HCL).
| * Ensure that the SCSI bus is properly terminated at both ends.
| * Try a different SCSI cable.
| * DTC has a firmware upgrade that fixes certain over- run
| problems."\
|
| My cable modem was unplugged, but thats it, it still works.
| I am unsure what step to take next. Can you help?
|


.

.