Win2000 boot message

[Guest]

My W2000 machine crashed this am. On re-boot I get the following error:
LSASS.EXE - System Error - Security accounts manager initialization failed
because of the following error: the security id structure is invalid. Error
status
0xc0000078. Please click OK to shutdown this system and reboot into
safemode, check the event log for more detailed information.

Rebooting via PF8 into safe mode generates the same error. I am unable to
get back into the system.

The machine is not a Domain controller and no recent changes have been made
to the machine configuration.

How do I get back in to the machine?

How do I repair the security id structure?


Thanks and please help

 

[Steven L Umbach]

Try booting from the install cdrom to repair the operating system with the
fast repair option. That procedure may try to repair by using the sam file
and or other files in the \winnt\repair folder. If that works you may find
that your user accounts in the local sam has changed and if you have a
recent System State backup for that computer you could then use it to update
the computer to the time where that System State backup was done. The link
below has more details. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;238359

 

[Roger Abell]

Unless things have changed, that method is of no use for this,
which is a failure of the lsass to initialize. When I have seen
this it has been from a disk corruption, sometimes apparently
from ill-timed and ungraceful shutdown, leaving the secrets
needed to initalize in an intermediate update state (my guess).

MS eventually did publish a KB on recovery but I will be if
I can put a finger on the one I am thinking of right now.
There is a similar, for XP, but with different error status code
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316751
The poster might cautiously try methods 1 and 2, which would not
hurt if what is there is not removed by just moved or renamed so
going back would be possible. No one wants to try method 3
but for years (since NT4) it was the only solution I had seen work.

As an aside, trying to find this did find for me again that curious KB
about issues when one tries to name a domain machine Internet
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;273875

 

[Steven L Umbach]

I know that the old repair installation is not available in XP Pro but
though it might be worth a try in W2K as there is no need to authenticate
for that type of repair but alas if your experience tells otherwise then
maybe it is a dead end. Interesting about naming a domain controller
internet. I would never have thought of trying that but obviously some
ave. --- Steve

 

[Roger Abell]

It is a dead end. Has been in NT4, in W2k, in XP, but I have not
had "opportunity" to go through the experience (yet) with W2k3.
The repair install needs to get at info that is inaccessible.

Not just DC, but any domain joined machine - strange, last time
I saw that info I did not notice the apparent fact that the name is
OK for a stand-alone.

 

[Jim Nugent]

Interesting about naming a domain controller
internet. I would never have thought of trying that but obviously some
have.

I did some consulting for a guy who had set up a workgroup named DOMAIN. He
also had a domain; I've forgotten what it was called. Had me going in
circles for a while.