Repeated Registry Corruption

J

jim evans

For the last couple of weeks about every 4th to 6th time I reboot the
system will not start and I get this error message

=========================
Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternative.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable

Beginning dump of physical memory
Dumping physical memory to disk: ##
==========================

It absolutely will not recover from this.

I have a third party registry backup program. So, I have to restore
the registry then everything works find for a while. Then bam it
strikes again.

I have run Memtest86+ all night long and it finds no memory errors.

I have run the disk manufacturer's disk check software -- extended
version. No disk errors.

The drive is a multi-boot setup with two Win98 installations. Both
work without problems.

Anybody have a guess how to isolate this problem?

jim
 
B

Bruce Chambers

jim said:
For the last couple of weeks about every 4th to 6th time I reboot the
system will not start and I get this error message

=========================
Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternative.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable

Beginning dump of physical memory
Dumping physical memory to disk: ##
==========================

It absolutely will not recover from this.

I have a third party registry backup program. So, I have to restore
the registry then everything works find for a while. Then bam it
strikes again.

I have run Memtest86+ all night long and it finds no memory errors.

I have run the disk manufacturer's disk check software -- extended
version. No disk errors.

The drive is a multi-boot setup with two Win98 installations. Both
work without problems.
Click to expand...

Is each operating system installed on a separate hard drive or
partition? If not, there's the likely cause.

Anybody have a guess how to isolate this problem?

jim
Click to expand...


How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from
Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

Once you've recovered, you might want to look here, as well:

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
 
J

jim evans

Thanks for your reply.

Is each operating system installed on a separate hard drive or
partition? If not, there's the likely cause.
Click to expand...

They are all on the same drive in separate bootable partitions using
BootMagic. They have been working fine for 5 years.
Once you've recovered, you might want to look here, as well:

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705
Click to expand...

I had been to that page. There advice is:

File Corruption and Faulty Hardware
If corruption is not limited to registry hives, the corruption may be
a result of faulty hardware. This hardware may include anything that
is involved in writing to a disk, such as the following:
• The random access memory (RAM)
• The cache
• The processor
• The disk controller

This is why I ran the memory and disk checks. I don't know anything
else to do to troubleshoot hardware.


jim
 
B

Bruce Chambers

jim said:
Thanks for your reply.



They are all on the same drive in separate bootable partitions using
BootMagic. They have been working fine for 5 years.


I had been to that page. There advice is:

File Corruption and Faulty Hardware
If corruption is not limited to registry hives, the corruption may be
a result of faulty hardware. This hardware may include anything that
is involved in writing to a disk, such as the following:
• The random access memory (RAM)
• The cache
• The processor
• The disk controller

This is why I ran the memory and disk checks. I don't know anything
else to do to troubleshoot hardware.


jim
Click to expand...


Check for over-heating; this can cause intermittent problems,
particularly with RAM. You'll want to ensure that the interior of the
PC is dust-free (dust is a great insulator), all of the airways are
unobstructed, and all of the fans are working properly.

Also, you might what to eliminate any possible shut-down problems. The
dynamic portions of the registry are written back to the hard drive from
memory as the PC shuts down. A glitch here can easily cause registry
corruption.

Windows XP Shutdown Troubleshooter
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
 
J

jim evans

For the last couple of weeks about every 4th to 6th time I reboot the
system will not start and I get this error message

=========================
Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternative.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable

Beginning dump of physical memory
Dumping physical memory to disk: ##
==========================

It absolutely will not recover from this.

I have a third party registry backup program. So, I have to restore
the registry then everything works find for a while. Then bam it
strikes again.

I have run Memtest86+ all night long and it finds no memory errors.

I have run the disk manufacturer's disk check software -- extended
version. No disk errors.

The drive is a multi-boot setup with two Win98 installations. Both
work without problems.

Anybody have a guess how to isolate this problem?
Click to expand...

The problem continues to happen. The error reports vary all over the
place. I've begun capturing them, but there were many more before I
started this. I've gotten several different "Application Error"
messages. I'm not sure it is ever the same application. Here are the
screens I've captured before it locks up and requires a power off
reboot.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/9201/errorcompositpb296353ra7.gif

Perhaps I should explain -- it makes it through the Windows splash
screen. The one with the square dots moving across the little window.
But it does not reach the Welcome screen.

jim
 
J

jim evans

On Sat, 02 Dec 2006 11:17:13 -0700, Bruce Chambers

Thanks for your reply.
Check for over-heating; this can cause intermittent problems,
particularly with RAM. You'll want to ensure that the interior of the
PC is dust-free (dust is a great insulator), all of the airways are
unobstructed, and all of the fans are working properly.
Click to expand...

I have a utility to check the CPU temp and the temps at all fans.
I'll do that.
Also, you might what to eliminate any possible shut-down problems. The
dynamic portions of the registry are written back to the hard drive from
memory as the PC shuts down. A glitch here can easily cause registry
corruption.

Windows XP Shutdown Troubleshooter
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm
Click to expand...

This article starts by saying:

==============================================
REBOOT INSTEAD OF SHUTDOWN

Most Win XP shutdown problems reported thus far have been that it
reboots when shutdown is attempted.
==============================================

I do not have this problem. But, I'll see if they list any other
symptoms.

jim
 
J

jim evans

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
Also, you might what to eliminate any possible shut-down problems. The
dynamic portions of the registry are written back to the hard drive from
memory as the PC shuts down. A glitch here can easily cause registry
corruption.

Windows XP Shutdown Troubleshooter
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm
Click to expand...

I've now gone through this entire page and have checked all the
suggestions that apply. No help there.

jim
 
B

Bruce Chambers

jim said:
Ok, I've checked temperatures and they're all within specs.

jim
Click to expand...


Don't just check temperatures via a software utility; open the case,
blow out the dust, and watch the fans. Feel how much air they're
moving. Try running for a few hours/days with the case open to see if
that has any affect.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
 
J

jim evans

Don't just check temperatures via a software utility; open the case,
blow out the dust, and watch the fans. Feel how much air they're
moving. Try running for a few hours/days with the case open to see if
that has any affect.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your suggestions.

I'm sensitive to cooling issues. I have extra cooling -- two extra
fans one pushing, one pulling. After your latest comment I did open
the case and it looks good. My case stays pretty clean. I have dust
filters that I check on a schedule.

jim
 
J

jim evans

Try this utility from SysInternals, It will show how bad your registry is
fragmented and can defrag a number of files during a boot.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/pagedefrag.mspx
Click to expand...

I ran it and optimized because I didn't know whether my results were
good or bad. It would be good if it gave you some reference so you
knew how your registry compared with typical systems.

We won't know if this did any good for a few days. It doesn't crash
every day -- about once every 3-5 days.
The corruption still could be a bad hard drive as well.
Try HD Tune, provides drive info and has an option to test your drive.
http://www.hdtune.com/
Click to expand...

Interesting utility. It showed no errors either on health or scan.
It showed no temperature data. What are typical transfer rates? Mine
were minimum 21, maximum 48.

jim
 
J

JS

My transfer rate numbers are about the same for two drives, third is a
little slower.
Two drives show temperature data, third does not.

JS
 

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