Registry Becoming Corrupt During Shutdown?

[Pink Sparkle Girl]

For the last week I have been getting this message on start-up each morning:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt in
\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

Sometimes it goes straight into the error message, other times I just get
past the welcome window and the PC reboots into the error message.

I follow the sequence provided in: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545
to get the pc back into Windows using the Recovery program.
I have tried System Restore using dates going back to the beginning of this
month but nothing has yet stopped the problem.

It has been suggested that the corruption occurs when the registry is saved
back to the hard drive during the shut-down process, but my pc does not
become corrupt every time I shut it down, only when it has been left off
over night. On shut down I regularly get an error sound, but as the windows
shutdown screen is up I can't see what is wrong. Is there any way of seeing
what happens during shutdown?

Would a Windows Repair Install fix this problem? I'm guessing it only would
if the problem is caused by windows itself.

I will perform a thorough memory test tonight, and also do a complete disk
check incase it is the hard-drive causing the problem.

Any other advise as to what is causing the problem, and how to fix it
greatly received. I don't much fancy doing a clean install unless it's
really necessary!

Thanks, Sarah

 

[Wesley Vogel]

If you see a lot of Userenv/1517, Userenv/1524 or Userenv/1500 errors in the
Event Viewer, download and install the User Profile Hive Cleanup Service.

Download details: User Profile Hive Cleanup Service
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&displaylang=en

UPHClean v1.5e readme.txt
http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/8/7/a87b3d05-cd04-4743-a23b-b16645e075ac/readme.txt

Troubleshooting profile unload issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;837115


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[John Wunderlich]

It has been suggested that the corruption occurs when the registry
is saved back to the hard drive during the shut-down process, but
my pc does not become corrupt every time I shut it down, only when
it has been left off over night.

This is a symptom of a hard disk failure. Data is written to the disk
correctly but over time (overnight) the disk fails to remember (as if
the coating on the disk is wearing thin). Some spots on disk will
"remember" better than others but the bad areas tend to spread over the
rest of the disk over time. Back up your data now while you can and
prepare yourself to replace the disk soon.

HTH,
John

 

[Pink Sparkle Girl]

Hi, I do indeed have a lot of Userenv/1517 errors and have now installed
UPHClean.

I also ran Chkdsk last night and it fixed something, but don't know what!
Now when I boot up I have to pick a user, where as before it just went
straight into windows as I only have one user profile.

My PC turned on fine this morning, but am not holding my breath!

 

[Wesley Vogel]

For a look at the chkdsk log.

Open the Event Viewer...
Start | Run | Type: eventvwr | Click OK |
Look in Application | Listed as Information |
Event ID: 1001
Source: Winlogon
[[Description: This includes file system type; drive letter or GUID, and
volume name or serial number to help determine what volume Chkdsk ran
against. Also included is whether Chkdsk ran because a user scheduled it or
because the dirty bit was set.]]

[[When Autochk runs against a volume at boot time it records its output to a
file called Bootex.log in the root of the volume being checked. The Winlogon
service then moves the contents of each Bootex.log file to the Application
Event log.]]
-----

I have no idea what caused the welcome screen to appear, unless you
installed .NET Framework.

Do not use control userpasswords2 to create accounts if you are using XP
Home!!!

1. Click Start and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type control userpasswords2 and then click OK.
3. Clear the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this
computer" check box, and then click Apply.
4. In the Automatically Log On window, type the password in the Password
box, and then retype the password in the Confirm Password box.
5. Click OK to close the Automatically Log On window, and then click OK to
close the User Accounts window.

From...
How to turn on automatic logon in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315231

Welcome to Windows Screen Appears When You Start Windows XP After You
Install the .NET Framework 1.1
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827072

What is the ASP.NET Machine Account?
http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/aspdot.php

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Pink Sparkle Girl]

This morning (31st) my pc opened all the way to the desktop, then restarted
and told me that a file was missing or corrupt in
\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM (again). I have now installed the Recovery
program as a start up option, but it couldn't read from the floppy so had to
type all the commands in by hand which was rather annoying!

I checked the Event Viewer and there are a whole lot or errors and warnings
(as I would expect). I can't attached my Application Log as the file is too
big.

If I need to reinstall Windows should I do a recovery install or a fresh
install?
I can't keep using the recovery tool each morning, and as I'm not the only
user it is a real problem:-(

Thanks, Sarah.

 

[steam3801]

This morning (31st) my pc opened all the way to the desktop, then restarted
and told me that a file was missing or corrupt in
\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM (again). I have now installed the Recovery
program as a start up option, but it couldn't read from the floppy so had to
type all the commands in by hand which was rather annoying!

I checked the Event Viewer and there are a whole lot or errors and warnings
(as I would expect). I can't attached my Application Log as the file is too
big.

If I need to reinstall Windows should I do a recovery install or a fresh
install?
I can't keep using the recovery tool each morning, and as I'm not the only
user it is a real problem:-(

Thanks, Sarah.

You could spend hours looking for the cause and/or trying to
repair/fix (it gets "personal" after a while!), but my first thoughts
would be - clean/fresh (re)install. Only problem might be you lose
your data files/emails/documents/etc, unless you can back up to
somewhere.

 

[Pink Sparkle Girl]

I think I will try the Recovery Install first. If that doesn't work then
I'll have to do a Fresh Install.

My Hard-Drive gave up earlier this year, so I have taken to saving all files
every week (including emails and favourites etc), just incase!