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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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 Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:31 am Post subject: STOP: C0000218 error |
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Hi,
Today, when I started up the computer, I got the following error message (in german, as it is a german system)
Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate.
The structure is corrupt, not available or not writable.
A memory map of the physical memory is being created.
Map of the physical memory has been created.
Turn to your system administrator or technical support.
(I translated the last paragraph from German. I don't know the exact words that would appear in English)
I went to the Microsoft website for support, and followed the steps on this page:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/EN-US/
I worked from the german support page, but here the link is to the english page.
I chose to do part three, in the hope that I don't lose any settings. When I got to the copying part, I got a message saying that the files could not be found. So I copied the files in the first part. I then restarted the computer, and the computer did start up as usual until it got to the point where it was meant to show the welcome screen. From there on, it just stayed black.
Was it a mistake to copy the files from part one?  If I hadn't, wouldn't all the files have been gone, and then the computer would have found nothing? 
I...just realised. Can it be that I was meant to go through the steps from 1 to 4? Was that my mistake? I hope not.
Can I solve this problem, or do I need to re-install windows xp? I would really like to avoid this!
I'm working on windows xp professional sp2.
I hope someone can help!
Thanks
El |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:00 am Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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Hi El,
To my knowledge there are only two ways to repair a corrupted registry.
1. Restore a backup copy, as with a Ghost backup image file.
or
2. Reinstall Windows.
There's not much middle ground.
When a customers' registry has become corrupted here's what I've done.
Install their HD on my own computer and locate all their data files and burn them to a CD. Then put the HD back in its own system and reinstall windows.
If you can find some other method that works for you, go for it.
Please do let us know what you finally found that worked for you.
Cheers!
The Shadow  |
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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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I'm afraid I haven't installed a HD into another computer before! I don't suppose I can just disconnect the HD from the other computer, and connect the one from the broken computer, else it won't have all the system files it needs? How do I do it then? I would be happy about step-by-step instructions!
El |
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zlim
Joined: Mar 11, 2005
Posts: 2636
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| Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject: [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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Maybe you can try this first
| Quote: |
1. Boot your system with the Windows XP/2000 Install CD, let the system start the Setup. Once in the Setup, choose to run the Recovery Console.
First, try to recover the Software Hive.
Type the following commands pressing Enter after each line.
md tmp
copy C:\windows\system32\config\system C:\windows\tmp\system.bak
delete C:\windows\system32\config\system
copy C:\windows\repair\system C:\windows\system32\config\system
Try to boot the system, if it doesn't start, get back into the Recovery Console and enter the following commands.
md tmp
copy C:\windows\system32\config\software C:\windows\tmp\software.bak
delete C:\windows\system32\config\software
copy C:\windows\repair\software C:\windows\system32\config\software
Try to boot the system. |
Look in a good computer to see the locations because the names, of course, are different in your German version of Windows.
Next this:
| Quote: |
If you don't have an XP/2000 CD with the Recovery Console on it, you can try removing your hard drive and connecting it another computer as a slave drive. Then you can access the \Windows\System32\Config folder. Copy the files System, Security, Sam, Software and Default to a safe location. (like a USB flash drive or burn to a CD) Then go to the \Windows\Repair folder. Those five files are your original registry files created when XP/2000 was first installed. Copy the file (with the name as the corrupted one) from the \Repair folder and paste it into the \Config folder.
Try to boot your system. |
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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:38 am Post subject: [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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I tried your suggestions, zlim, and none of the files were missing, so I could do everything, but the computer still didn't start up as normal.
I think I'm starting to understand the mistake I made. I misunderstood the german microsoft support page, and jumped to part 3, thinking there were 3 options (I only realised when reading the english support that I was possibly meant to go through everything step by step). So I deleted files I was meant to have copied at the beginning. And now they're missing.
I think I've got myself into quite a mess, and the only way to get the files back where they are meant to be is to reinstall windows xp.
The computer does actually start up as it should, but it doesn't display the welcome screen. I probably deleted it .
I would still be grateful for a step-by-step on how to build in (and install) the hd into another computer (as a slave?)
How do I actually deinstall windows from the computer, once I've installed the new one?
Thanks for the support up to now!
El |
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brat
Joined: Jun 05, 2003
Posts: 2326
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:24 am Post subject: [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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You can try this delete SP2, then boot up put your CD in, it will give you 2 choices.
choice 1 Installation type Upgrade ( Recommened )
Choice 2 New Installation ( Advanced )
If this is a Factory Build PC i don't know if it will work.
mrsbrat |
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Gnomie715
Joined: Jun 29, 2007
Posts: 21
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject: Install XP [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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| Start your PC with the setup CD in the drive. When you get the Press any key...message, go from there. |
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zlim
Joined: Mar 11, 2005
Posts: 2636
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:57 pm Post subject: [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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| Quote: |
| How do I actually deinstall windows from the computer, once I've installed the new one? |
You don't need to de-install, windows will take care of that part. If you have a windows XP CD put it into the drive and boot with it. You may be told that there already is a windows install present and you will be asked if you want to 1. keep this install, 2. repair this install or format the drive and do a clean install.
You could try the repair install first to see if it puts the proper files back in place. If that doesn't work, then boot up with the XP CD again but this time choose the clean install. You'll get a warning that everything will be lost because it will wipe out the files and format the hard drive then proceed to install one copy of windows.
Boot up with the CD and see the choices. If you aren't sure, write down the choices, cancel and post back here for help with what to select.
Note: I don't run XP (the only XP CD I currently have is an HP upgrade CD so I can't put a disk in to check and see what choices actually appear when you boot from a full XP CD). |
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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:59 pm Post subject: [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try the repair tomorrow. Hope it helps!
El |
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star
Joined: May 19, 2004
Posts: 245
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| Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 11:11 am Post subject: [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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| brat wrote: |
You can try this delete SP2, then boot up put your CD in, it will give you 2 choices.
choice 1 Installation type Upgrade ( Recommened )
Choice 2 New Installation ( Advanced )
If this is a Factory Build PC i don't know if it will work.
mrsbrat |
I was getting lots of errors, i was going to empty the HDD then do a new installation till i read this posting.
I tried to do a repair that didn't work, i deleted SP2, then done choice 1 as you posted that done the JOB, i reinstalled SP2, i'm up and running again.
Mine is a home build PC.
Thanks |
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| Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:03 am Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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| el wrote: |
I'm afraid I haven't installed a HD into another computer before! I don't suppose I can just disconnect the HD from the other computer, and connect the one from the broken computer, else it won't have all the system files it needs? How do I do it then? I would be happy about step-by-step instructions!
El |
El, just now getting back to you. Probably too late, but for future reference, here is what I was talking about:
In most computers, with IDE hard drives, there is a data cable running from the motherboard to the one and only hard drive. Convention says that the end connector on that cable will be connected to the only hard drive, thus making it a Master Drive. The second connector (not used) can be connected to a second hard drive, thus making it the SLAVE. Jumpering that drive as SLAVE is usually recommended. And at the same time, the Master drive should be jumpered as Master and not Cable Select.
You'll also need to connect one of the unused power connectors to the drive.
Then once the computer is booted into Windows, using the Windows Explorer you can access that drive and examine or copy any files you wish. You can even run diagnostics, like Chkdsk (Check Disk) on that drive to fix any problems with its directories, files, etc.
I've resurrected non-bootable drives using this technique.
If the hard drive is SATA and you have an unused SATA port on your own computer, you will just need a SATA data cable to connect the extra drive to your own Mobo. The data cable already on the extra drive should do nicely. If you don't have a spare SATA power connector, you'll need an adaptor, to go from an existing Molex (4 pin) power connector to the new SATA power connector.
If you have good Anti Virus and Anti Spyware programs installed on your computer, you can also use those programs to scan the slave drive for malware. NO use doing a repair install of windows on a drive that's infected with Viruses and who knows what. Right?
I hope that sheds some light on the subject.
Cheers Mate!
The Shadow |
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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:42 am Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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The reply was a little too late, but I'm now reassured that my friend and I did install the HD correctly!
The repair didn't work, as we seem to have an OEM windows (I was not aware of this!).
We pulled off what data we could get to. The C drive was unaccessable (got an error message saying it is either corrupt or unreadable). Luckily we didn't have a lot of data on there.
I now re-installed windows xp, and everything worked great. For a day! The next day, the file called system was missing. So I tried to get into the recovery console to fix this, but it hung itself up on scanning the HD.
We shouldn't have any viruses, as I scanned the computer for viruses and spyware (using avast! pro and avg antispyware pro). I scan with each every second day.
I think the HD is corrupt. We already had a STOP error, concerning the HD, and fixed it using chkdsk. I read elsewhere, that, even if one repairs this error, one should be aware that one has a serious HD error. So it has probably gone somewhat crazy, and is deleting or moving system files!
We will buy a new HD, and install windows xp AGAIN! That should solve the heaps of errors we've been getting lately.
Thanks for all your support.
El |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:41 am Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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If only you'd of made a Ghost backup Image of that HD when it was working correctly, you'd never have to Install Windows again.
Doing a Ghost Restore only takes a few minutes on most systems and puts everything back exactly the way it was when the Ghost Image was made.
I make several Ghost backups of my C: drive every week and store them to different media. The most permanent backup is the one I make to a DVD at least weekly and store in a fireproof vault.
My daily (quickie,,,5 minute) backups are made to second internal SATA2 hard drive. After that backup image is created and verified, I do an immediate restore, for the most fabulous "Defrag" you ever saw.
Don't get caught with you proverbial 'pants down'......Ghost it!
Cheers!
The Shadow |
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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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A question to Ghost:
Could one copy the system (make a backup) onto another HD, and then run the system from that other HD, in the case of a system breakdown, as well as reinstate the HD on which the system originally was?
What happens if you clone the system, while there are already (for example) files missing? Does one then have several clones to choose from?
El |
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| Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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Of course.....Ghost will do: "Partition to Image"
or "Partition to Partition"
or "Disk to Disk" which is also called "Cloning".
And yes, when you clone a drive with Ghost, it will boot just like the original drive did.
Before you ever CLONE a drive, though, make sure it's absolutely 100% error free.
Ghost, for instance, will abort if it detects an error on the "From" drive.
A Clone takes up an entire drive. (extremely wasteful of drive space)
Making an Image file of your C: drive can only take a few gigs on a receiving drive.
I can even get mine on a 6 gig flash drive, or a single DVD.
You can store many Image files on an external drive, for instance. Or just burn the image to a DVD and store it in a safe place for future reference.
Don't make something complicated or difficult out of something that's just inheritantly SIMPLE.
K.I.S.S. ......(Keep It Simple Sam!)
Cheers mate!
The Shadow |
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el
Joined: Nov 14, 2006
Posts: 255
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 3:20 pm Post subject: Re: STOP: C0000218 error [Login to view extended thread Info.] |
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Thanks for all the info on Ghost. However, like I already said in the other post (Looking for system backup program from Microsoft), I've decided to take Acronis. It's a little cheaper too. Still, thanks again. I appreciate the help.
Another matter. I now understand about installing a HD in the computer. I do that with the jumper! Now I finally understand the installing stuff! (I got a manual with the new HDs). That's where I always got somewhat lost.
El |
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