XP corrupt registry boot failure

  • Thread starter Thread starter BLMuzzy
  • Start date Start date
B

BLMuzzy

I've got an XP pro SP1 laptop that won't boot. Error msg reads something
like bad file c:\windows\system32\config\SYSTEM. I was able to copy in
system, system.log, & system.sav from another identical laptop make/model
using the windows repair console. The system now starts up, gets the XP
splash screen while the disk light flashes, then stops and the screen goes
black. Any suggestions for how I might proceed to restore the registry?

I ran diags on the disk and there were no errors. I have a copy of the
damaged SYSTEM file and have thought about trying to modify it with
regedt32. In NT/2000 it could open a registry key from a file from a
working system; I haven't tried this in XP.

thanks,

Bob
 
I've got an XP pro SP1 laptop that won't boot. Error msg reads
something like bad file c:\windows\system32\config\SYSTEM. I was
able to copy in system, system.log, & system.sav from another
identical laptop make/model using the windows repair console. The
system now starts up, gets the XP splash screen while the disk
light flashes, then stops and the screen goes black. Any
suggestions for how I might proceed to restore the registry?

I ran diags on the disk and there were no errors. I have a copy
of the damaged SYSTEM file and have thought about trying to modify
it with regedt32. In NT/2000 it could open a registry key from a
file from a working system; I haven't tried this in XP.
Click to expand...

Does it boot to safe mode? Could try a system restore from an earlier
date.

Otherwise, the repair option (not the recovery console) off the XP CD
is probably your best bet.

Adam
 
safe mode fails, too so I'm copying some critical files off it w/ an
ntfs-dos program. my impression was that the OS repair option would reset
the entire registry back to default which would then require reinstalling
all apps, etc. Or is there an option to just restore the system key of the
registry?
 
safe mode fails, too so I'm copying some critical files off it w/
an ntfs-dos program. my impression was that the OS repair option
would reset the entire registry back to default which would then
require reinstalling all apps, etc. Or is there an option to just
restore the system key of the registry?
Click to expand...

No, a repair keeps the registry intact. However, if it is damaged
there's really no way of telling what exactly it will do.

You might want to try editting the boot.ini file and adding "/sos
/bootlog" to the first entry and then check %SystemRoot%\NTBTLOG.TXT to
see what file it tries to load last before it locks up.

Adam
 
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