rerpair corrupt SOFTWARE hive on different partition

  • Thread starter Thread starter jbclem
  • Start date Start date
J

jbclem

I read a recent message about reading a different registry on a different
partition. I need to do the same, but have to figure out which part of the
registry I need to key in on. I couldn't start up this computer, had a blue
screen with an error message that said "The registry cannot load the hive
(file): \SystemRoot\ System32\ Config\ SOFTWARE or its log or alternate",
then an immediate reboot. I have installed another copy of Win2000 (sp4) on
my E: partition and I'm using that for this message.

I see how to get the original registry file(s) from C:\WinNT\Repair, but I
want to try to restore all my current settings, or as many as possible. So
I want to bring this bad C:\WinNT\Config\SOFTWARE section into my current
E:\WinNT registry and see what can be done to find the bad parts and repair
them. However, being new to this, I see there are different SOFTWARE
sections in different HKEY areas, so I need some help with this. If I'm
going to import the corrupt SOFTWARE section into my current registry, where
do I put it? Could someone lay out the secific steps for doing this.

Next I need some advice on trying to repair this corrupt section, any
suggestions on programs that do this well, that would pinpoint the defective
areas?

All this, of course, done on a copy of the currupt SOFTWARE file.

Thanking all of you in advance,

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

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%systemroot%\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. At
the "Welcome to Setup" screen. Press F10 or 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 Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Note If the registry is corrupted
or missing or no valid installations are found, the Recovery Console starts
in the root of the startup volume without requiring a password. You cannot
access any folders, but you can carry out commands such as chkdsk, fixboot,
and fixmbr for limited disk repairs. 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: drive
root, %systemroot% or %windir%

Since you have a parallel install you can of course use the temp install to
perform the file copy.

You can run regedt32, then from the Local Machine Hive, choose Registry|Load
Hive. Then navigate to the location of the hive you want to edit/read. Give
it some tempname (doesn't matter what). Then when your done, move the cursor
back to tempname, then Registry|Unload Hive, Registry|Exit

I wouldn't expect this to work though.




--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
 
Hi Dave,

I tried loading the SOFTWARE file into Regedit32, using Load Hive as you
suggested...but it won't load. Regedit32 give the error message "Registry
Editor could not load the key" and "the file is not a valid registry file".
Any ideas what could be wrong, I am loading a copy of SOFTWARE (no
extension) originally taken from C:\WinNT\system32\config. I gave it a temp
name of "corruptSOFTWARE", without the quotes.

jc




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

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%systemroot%\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. At
the "Welcome to Setup" screen. Press F10 or 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 Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Note If the registry is corrupted
or missing or no valid installations are found, the Recovery Console starts
in the root of the startup volume without requiring a password. You cannot
access any folders, but you can carry out commands such as chkdsk, fixboot,
and fixmbr for limited disk repairs. 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: drive
root, %systemroot% or %windir%

Since you have a parallel install you can of course use the temp install to
perform the file copy.

You can run regedt32, then from the Local Machine Hive, choose Registry|Load
Hive. Then navigate to the location of the hive you want to edit/read. Give
it some tempname (doesn't matter what). Then when your done, move the cursor
back to tempname, then Registry|Unload Hive, Registry|Exit

I wouldn't expect this to work though.




--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

jbclem said:
I read a recent message about reading a different registry on a different
partition. I need to do the same, but have to figure out which part of
the
registry I need to key in on. I couldn't start up this computer, had a
blue
screen with an error message that said "The registry cannot load the hive
(file): \SystemRoot\ System32\ Config\ SOFTWARE or its log or alternate",
then an immediate reboot. I have installed another copy of Win2000 (sp4)
on
my E: partition and I'm using that for this message.

I see how to get the original registry file(s) from C:\WinNT\Repair, but I
want to try to restore all my current settings, or as many as possible.
So
I want to bring this bad C:\WinNT\Config\SOFTWARE section into my
current
E:\WinNT registry and see what can be done to find the bad parts and
repair
them. However, being new to this, I see there are different SOFTWARE
sections in different HKEY areas, so I need some help with this. If I'm
going to import the corrupt SOFTWARE section into my current registry,
where
do I put it? Could someone lay out the secific steps for doing this.

Next I need some advice on trying to repair this corrupt section, any
suggestions on programs that do this well, that would pinpoint the
defective
areas?

All this, of course, done on a copy of the currupt SOFTWARE file.

Thanking all of you in advance,

jc
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
It's because the file is damaged and or corrupt. This is why I said I didn't
think it would work.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
 
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