XP-Home will not start

[Georgia]

I sit here staaring at my son's computer wondering how my
sister could have killed it. She said she downloaded
microsoft updates but after doing so the computer refused
to start. I figure oh that should be an easy fix. Son
brings me to the computer and I have made no progress.

When you start or I should say try to start the computer
at first you think ah maybe. Then it laughs at you and a
dreaded blue screen comes up. It's lovely message is:
STOP coooo218 {Registry File Failure}
This registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\config\SECURITY
or it's log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable

Then this is below that:
Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete
Contact your system administrator or Technical support
group for further assistance.


Now I found a technical paper that says how to help fix
the problem. Which sounds all and good BUT None of the
safe modes work nor does the return to last known
start... or however it's worded.

I was able to get to the A: with a startup disk but no
matter what I typ in it tells me it's invalid.

Help!

Thank you,
Georgia

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I sit here staaring at my son's computer wondering how my
| sister could have killed it. She said she downloaded
| microsoft updates but after doing so the computer refused
| to start. I figure oh that should be an easy fix. Son
| brings me to the computer and I have made no progress.
|
| When you start or I should say try to start the computer
| at first you think ah maybe. Then it laughs at you and a
| dreaded blue screen comes up. It's lovely message is:
| STOP coooo218 {Registry File Failure}
| This registry cannot load the hive (file):
| \SystemRoot\System32\config\SECURITY
| or it's log or alternate.
| It is corrupt, absent or not writable
|
| Then this is below that:
| Beginning dump of physical memory
| Physical memory dump complete
| Contact your system administrator or Technical support
| group for further assistance.
|
|
| Now I found a technical paper that says how to help fix
| the problem. Which sounds all and good BUT None of the
| safe modes work nor does the return to last known
| start... or however it's worded.
|
| I was able to get to the A: with a startup disk but no
| matter what I typ in it tells me it's invalid.
|
| Help!
|
| Thank you,
| Georgia

 

[sjstanley]

only one thing i would do in that situation is refomat
the hard disk and reinstall windows

 

[Guest]

You should be able to put your XP disk in the drive and then for my machine I have to press and hold F8 to get into the options. If that isn't available to you then just press any key at boot and keep tapping it. Something like the enter key or the space bar. This will allow the machine to boot from the disk and load the minimal generic drivers to get you into the choices screen. Try and get into the recovery console and then type in chkdsk /r and let it to a disk check with repair to see if your disk has some bad sectors. If this doesn't work then type in fixmbr and let it fix your master boot record. If you want to see what other options are available to you then with the recovery window open type in help and a list of options will be shown that you can type into the recovery window. If you want to find out what variables you can add to a command such as the /r after the chkdsk then when you are in the recovery window type in chkdsk help and a list of parameters will be displayed for the chkdsk function. Be sure you put a space in after chkdsk and before the / . Good luck.