Help please - registry file failure - in a boot loop

[Greg H.]

My other PC with Windows 2000 Professional was not
properly shut down and now it is in a "boot loop" which
displays this message before it attempts to reboot itself
over and over:
stop: C0000218 Registry file failure
The registry file cannot load the hive (file):
\Systemroot\root\system32\SOFTWARE
or it's log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent or not writeable.

I have a bootable Registry editor that I used one time to
reset the administrators password - but can this be used
to fix my current problem? Sorry - I regretably do not
have a normal bootable disket or CD...can anyone offer
help? Can I fix this myself or have I lost the hard-
drive...Thanks to anyone who can assist.

 

[Bryan Martin]

Can you F8 at startup and boot to safemode?

 

[Greg H.]

Hi Bryan - I tried F8 and then picked safe mode, but it
still gives the same message. I was also told it might be
a virus....ouch! Thanks for your reply.