\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.ced

[Guest]

We have several Dell Precision 670 workstations that have gotten the
following error on boot up: "Windows could not start because the following
file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.ced" We are using
Windows 2000 Professional SP4.

This error appears randomly. A system can be working for a couple of weeks
before it appears. Then one day the user will be booting up and she will get
the error. After that the computer is unusable and we have to rebuild it.
What is causing this? How can we make it stop?

NOTE: Our registry size is not too large.

We got these computers for our power users because they urgently needed more
power, but instead of helping them they have gotten less unreliable
workstations. We need to fix this quickly.

 

[Steve Parry [MVP]]

We have several Dell Precision 670 workstations that have gotten the
following error on boot up: "Windows could not start because the
following
file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.ced" We are
using
Windows 2000 Professional SP4.

This error appears randomly. A system can be working for a couple of
weeks
before it appears. Then one day the user will be booting up and she
will get
the error. After that the computer is unusable and we have to rebuild
it.
What is causing this? How can we make it stop?

NOTE: Our registry size is not too large.

We got these computers for our power users because they urgently
needed more
power, but instead of helping them they have gotten less unreliable
workstations. We need to fix this quickly.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;269075


http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=22823&DisplayTab=Article

HTH?

 

[Guest]

I've been told that our system hive is only 2 MB. It does not seem to be
the cause of this problem. And we do not have the Promise Technology ATA66
PCI Controller. Could anything else be causing this problem?

 

[Scott Harding]

The other cause is that the System hive is corrupted. You should try the
other steps in the article to replace it.

 

[Guest]

We have tried that. In one particular case, we repaired the workstation,
replacing the system hive, only to have it crash again moments later with the
same error.

If is it a corrupt hive, how can we stop this from happening? What is doing
this? We have had this happen on three different Dell Precision 607's. Each
where install seperately. We have not seen it on any of our other
workstations.

 

[Dave Patrick]

Make sure write cache is not enabled.

Possible Data Loss After You Enable the "Write Cache Enabled" Feature
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=281672

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q233541

--
Regards,

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

:
| We have tried that. In one particular case, we repaired the workstation,
| replacing the system hive, only to have it crash again moments later with
the
| same error.
|
| If is it a corrupt hive, how can we stop this from happening? What is
doing
| this? We have had this happen on three different Dell Precision 607's.
Each
| where install seperately. We have not seen it on any of our other
| workstations.
|
|
| "Scott Harding" wrote:
|
| > The other cause is that the System hive is corrupted. You should try the
| > other steps in the article to replace it.
| >
| > --
| > Scott Harding
| > MCSE, MCSA, A+, Network+
| > Microsoft MVP - Windows NT Server
| >
| > | > > I've been told that our system hive is only 2 MB. It does not seem
to be
| > > the cause of this problem. And we do not have the Promise Technology
ATA66
| > > PCI Controller. Could anything else be causing this problem?
| > >
| > > "suzen" wrote:
| > >
| > >> We have several Dell Precision 670 workstations that have gotten the
| > >> following error on boot up: "Windows could not start because the
| > >> following
| > >> file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.ced" We are
| > >> using
| > >> Windows 2000 Professional SP4.
| > >>
| > >> This error appears randomly. A system can be working for a couple of
| > >> weeks
| > >> before it appears. Then one day the user will be booting up and she
will
| > >> get
| > >> the error. After that the computer is unusable and we have to rebuild
it.
| > >> What is causing this? How can we make it stop?
| > >>
| > >> NOTE: Our registry size is not too large.
| > >>
| > >> We got these computers for our power users because they urgently
needed
| > >> more
| > >> power, but instead of helping them they have gotten less unreliable
| > >> workstations. We need to fix this quickly.
| >
| >
| >

 

[Guest]

Thanks. We checked that and the option was not checked. In fact, it was
greyed out, so we couldn't enable it even if we wanted to. The workstations
have SATA RAID0 configuration I don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[Dave Patrick]

Raid zero has no fault tolerance. You may have a drive failing, a drive
controller problem and or a controller driver issue.

--
Regards,

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

:
| Thanks. We checked that and the option was not checked. In fact, it was
| greyed out, so we couldn't enable it even if we wanted to. The
workstations
| have SATA RAID0 configuration I don't know if that makes a difference.