Corrupted hive file

  • Thread starter Thread starter Daniel BODEA
  • Start date Start date
D

Daniel BODEA

Does anyone know if a utility for repairing hive files
exists ? I seem to have a slightly broken ntuser.dat file
that I really really really need to get back and there
doesn't seem to be any way to either correct the data
inside or extract the valid data from it. I'd even be
prepared to do some HEX work but I need to know what bytes
to change.

Thanks all,
D
 
Daniel BODEA wrote in
Does anyone know if a utility for repairing hive files
exists ? I seem to have a slightly broken ntuser.dat file
that I really really really need to get back and there
doesn't seem to be any way to either correct the data
inside or extract the valid data from it. I'd even be
prepared to do some HEX work but I need to know what bytes
to change.
Click to expand...

FWIW I know of no way to "repair", only to replace it from the last
good backup or create a new one (new profile). Hex editing has about
a 99.9% chance of making things worse IMO.

In terms of extraction, perhaps. If you logon with another (admin)
account and "LOAD HIVE" in regedt32, you may be able to Export some
keys from regedit. That's _if_ regedt32 will load it at all. Ensure
you close regedit and than "Unload Hive" before closing regedt32.

If that works examine the exported files content carefully before
using any of it.

Regular backups are a "good thing" and that's registry hive files on
disk (system and User accounts) as well as "data".
 
I never bother people but as a last resort. I had tried to
load the hive as you say with no luck. I even tried a MS
utility I found that's supposed to "repair" the system
hive at boot time but still no luck for the user registry.

Guess I'll just start a whole new week from scratch ;)
Thanks for taking the time to answer.

D
 
Daniel wrote in
I never bother people but as a last resort. I had tried to
load the hive as you say with no luck. I even tried a MS
utility I found that's supposed to "repair" the system
hive at boot time but still no luck for the user registry.

Guess I'll just start a whole new week from scratch ;)
Thanks for taking the time to answer.
Click to expand...

Just check at %systemroot%\repair\RegBack\ to make sure you don't
have a recent ntuser.dat / UsrClass.dat there (from a recent ERD with
the same account).
 
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