Help! At wits end with Cannot find the hive file error

  • Thread starter Thread starter D B
  • Start date Start date
D

D B

Back on Sept. 13th, I first got this error:

Stop: 0xc0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SYSTEM or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

Did a chkdsk /f, no bad sectors. Tried restoring system from a
previous restore point, still same error. Virus and malware scans
showed the system was clean. I still could boot up using Last Good
Config. One day I decided to try applying windows xp updates. Did
that and it rebooted fine. Then I did a cold boot and it booted
fine. I thought my problem was solved. Shutdown the PC, didn't turn
it on again for two weeks. But when I did, hive error again.
Everyone and their brother told me my hard drive was going bad.

For several months now I had still been able to boot up using Last
Good Config. However, the other day that stopped working, and then I
had to boot up be going into safe mode, doing a chkdsk /f and then
reboot for it to come up. I bought Norton Ghost then cleard off my
second hard drive - D: drive and copied the C: drive to it. I removed
my old C: drive and replaced it with my old D: drive, now my new C: I
booted up the PC and it booted fine. So, I shut it down and popped in
the new 1 TB drive I bought to take the place of my old D: drive. I
turned on the PC and hive file error again. I don't get it. How can
it sometimes find the hive files and sometimes not? I mean either
they are corrupt or they arent. Right? While my user account is an
adminstrator on the PC, I don't have the Adminstrator password. So,
I've been hesitant to try the recovery console. I really want to
avoid having to do a whole brand new install of XP.

I have my original hive files in the windows/repair folder. I don't
know what these files do. Could I just copy those over my current
ones or will that mess things up? I don't have any other hive files
from before my problem started other than those.
 
D said:
Back on Sept. 13th, I first got this error:

Stop: 0xc0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SYSTEM or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

Did a chkdsk /f, no bad sectors. Tried restoring system from a
previous restore point, still same error. Virus and malware scans
showed the system was clean. I still could boot up using Last Good
Config. One day I decided to try applying windows xp updates. Did
that and it rebooted fine. Then I did a cold boot and it booted
fine. I thought my problem was solved. Shutdown the PC, didn't turn
it on again for two weeks. But when I did, hive error again.
Everyone and their brother told me my hard drive was going bad.

For several months now I had still been able to boot up using Last
Good Config. However, the other day that stopped working, and then I
had to boot up be going into safe mode, doing a chkdsk /f and then
reboot for it to come up. I bought Norton Ghost then cleard off my
second hard drive - D: drive and copied the C: drive to it. I removed
my old C: drive and replaced it with my old D: drive, now my new C: I
booted up the PC and it booted fine. So, I shut it down and popped in
the new 1 TB drive I bought to take the place of my old D: drive. I
turned on the PC and hive file error again. I don't get it. How can
it sometimes find the hive files and sometimes not? I mean either
they are corrupt or they arent. Right? While my user account is an
adminstrator on the PC, I don't have the Adminstrator password. So,
I've been hesitant to try the recovery console. I really want to
avoid having to do a whole brand new install of XP.

I have my original hive files in the windows/repair folder. I don't
know what these files do. Could I just copy those over my current
ones or will that mess things up? I don't have any other hive files
from before my problem started other than those.
Click to expand...

In terms of corrupting your registry, it could be, that during
the shutdown phase, the files aren't getting flushed to disk.
Normally, a command would be issued, to flush the OS cache,
the disk controller cache (on the disk itself), out to the
platter. And then it would be safe to shutdown. Soon after that,
the PC turns off the power. If that was not completing in time,
it could result in a report of problems later.

But then, you'd probably also see reports of other file system
errors, when running CHKDSK.

Your System Restore points, have copies of your registry, And
those snapshots should be taken, while the system is healthy.
Doing a restore then, should put good copies of the registry
back on the disk. As long as you haven't turfed them, then you
might still be OK.

*******

This is an example, of recovering from a completely corrupted
registry. It relies on the copies in System Restore, to
finally repair the damage. The "empty" registry files, used
in the first step here, aren't sufficient. System Restore
puts back some copy of a "good" registry. The "empty" registry
files, are used for the first reboot, so you can get the
computer running again, and then use System Restore.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

*******

You can probably find a link, that will tell you how
to set the Administrator password.

http://kb.iu.edu/data/arni.html

Paul
 
In terms of corrupting your registry, it could be, that during
the shutdown phase, the files aren't getting flushed to disk.
Normally, a command would be issued, to flush the OS cache,
the disk controller cache (on the disk itself), out to the
platter. And then it would be safe to shutdown. Soon after that,
the PC turns off the power. If that was not completing in time,
it could result in a report of problems later.

But then, you'd probably also see reports of other file system
errors, when running CHKDSK.

Your System Restore points, have copies of your registry, And
those snapshots should be taken, while the system is healthy.
Doing a restore then, should put good copies of the registry
back on the disk. As long as you haven't turfed them, then you
might still be OK.

*******

This is an example, of recovering from a completely corrupted
registry. It relies on the copies in System Restore, to
finally repair the damage. The "empty" registry files, used
in the first step here, aren't sufficient. System Restore
puts back some copy of a "good" registry. The "empty" registry
files, are used for the first reboot, so you can get the
computer running again, and then use System Restore.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

*******

You can probably find a link, that will tell you how
to set the Administrator password.

http://kb.iu.edu/data/arni.html

    Paul- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Paul. My snapshot folder doesn't have anything
prior to December 30th. So, I wonder if it's even possible for me to
get a good config at this point, since my problem started on Sept.
13th.
 
D said:
Thanks for the info, Paul. My snapshot folder doesn't have anything
prior to December 30th. So, I wonder if it's even possible for me to
get a good config at this point, since my problem started on Sept.
13th.
Click to expand...

If you're flushed System Restore by turning it off and then
on again, you're screwed. System Restore is the most convenient
way, to keep snapshots of your registry. If you dump all your
restore points, it's going to make repair very difficult.

If you're not relying on System Restore, or have turned it off,
you should be regularly using backup software, to keep
things safe.

It sounds like you might be getting close to the point, of
needing to reinstall everything. If you no longer have a
good set of registry files, it is going to be pretty hard
to get things running properly again. The "empty" registry
files that are available on C:, are no good for long term
operation. They're a crutch, suited only to getting the
computer to boot. If you want all your settings preserved,
then you need the full registry files to do that. And
they're available in System Restore, as long as you
didn't flush them.

I've allocated only 5% (3686MB) to System Restore, and my
restore points go back to Oct.22, 2010. So I have plenty of
copies of the registry if I need them. You must have a
tiny setting for SR, to only go back to Dec.31, 2010.

The percentage setting, is in the System control panel. There
is a tab in the System control panel, with details about
System Restore.

The second place to look, is Start : Programs : Accessories : System Tools
and the System Restore in there, is what you use to return to a previous
time.

Paul
 
If you're flushed System Restore by turning it off and then
on again, you're screwed. System Restore is the most convenient
way, to keep snapshots of your registry. If you dump all your
restore points, it's going to make repair very difficult.

If you're not relying on System Restore, or have turned it off,
you should be regularly using backup software, to keep
things safe.

It sounds like you might be getting close to the point, of
needing to reinstall everything. If you no longer have a
good set of registry files, it is going to be pretty hard
to get things running properly again. The "empty" registry
files that are available on C:, are no good for long term
operation. They're a crutch, suited only to getting the
computer to boot. If you want all your settings preserved,
then you need the full registry files to do that. And
they're available in System Restore, as long as you
didn't flush them.

I've allocated only 5% (3686MB) to System Restore, and my
restore points go back to Oct.22, 2010. So I have plenty of
copies of the registry if I need them. You must have a
tiny setting for SR, to only go back to Dec.31, 2010.

The percentage setting, is in the System control panel. There
is a tab in the System control panel, with details about
System Restore.

The second place to look, is Start : Programs : Accessories : System Tools
and the System Restore in there, is what you use to return to a previous
time.

    Paul
Click to expand...

I didn't turn off System Restore. And back in October when I tried
through Windows to do a System restore, I had choices prior to Sept.
13, but none of the ones I tried worked at the time. I wonder if
Norton Ghost didn't copy everything over.

What really puzzles me, though, is that before I added in the new 1 TB
hard drive I just bought, this morning, it booted up fine. Makes me
wonder if it might be a drive controller issue on the second hard
drive.
 
D said:
I didn't turn off System Restore. And back in October when I tried
through Windows to do a System restore, I had choices prior to Sept.
13, but none of the ones I tried worked at the time. I wonder if
Norton Ghost didn't copy everything over.

What really puzzles me, though, is that before I added in the new 1 TB
hard drive I just bought, this morning, it booted up fine. Makes me
wonder if it might be a drive controller issue on the second hard
drive.
Click to expand...

The various disk manufacturers, offer testing tools for disks. Does
the new 1TB drive pass the diagnostic ? On Seagate for example, I
downloaded SeaTools to test my drives. WD offers diagnostics as well.

There is at least one disk manufacturer, that doesn't offer much of
value at all, for downloads. And it pays to check that, before deciding
what brand to buy. The companies that provide tools, should get
some promotion from it.

Paul
 
D B said:
Back on Sept. 13th, I first got this error:

Stop: 0xc0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SYSTEM or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.
Click to expand...



Before you try anything else...run a RAM test
 
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