STOP Error

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bert
  • Start date Start date
B

Bert

Since Friday morning my computer has been giving me the following error:

STOP: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\Systemroot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable.

I reinstalled Windows on Saturday, did al the Windows updates (lots of fun
on a 56k modem!) and the machine worked fine. I also installed a firewall
and antivirus checker. I installed MS Punlisher 2002, did all the office
updates and I am back to the abovementioned error.

The only software changes made before Friday was updating my antivirus
software on Thursday evening. I used the same update file on Saturday after
reinstalling.

Is there a way to prevent this from happening again or a way of curing it
(without reformatting and reinstalling) should it happen again?

I used system console to find out if the files were missing from the
\config\ directory but there were 3: software, software.log and sofware.sav

Thanks,

Bert.
 
If the software hive is corrupt, it may be possible to rename the software
hive found in;
%windir%\system32\config\software
to software.old
then copy the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback
as
%windir%\system32\config\software

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%windir%\repair\software
This file is an image of the hive at the time the OS was installed, so you'd
have to reinstall all software. This being the case you might just as well
blow it away and start a new install. (note: this would at least allow you
to start the OS to make any necessary backups prior to wiping the drive.)

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the
RecoveryConsole quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%

You'll probably want to get in touch with the AV vendor on the issue.
 
Thanks for the advice, Dave. The machine is up and running again and has
behaved well so far. I did not install the anti virus software, will do that
at a later date.

Bert

Dave Patrick said:
If the software hive is corrupt, it may be possible to rename the software
hive found in;
%windir%\system32\config\software
to software.old
then copy the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback
as
%windir%\system32\config\software

If that fails you can copy/ use the file
%windir%\repair\software
This file is an image of the hive at the time the OS was installed, so you'd
have to reinstall all software. This being the case you might just as well
blow it away and start a new install. (note: this would at least allow you
to start the OS to make any necessary backups prior to wiping the drive.)

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the
RecoveryConsole quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%

You'll probably want to get in touch with the AV vendor on the issue.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

Bert said:
Since Friday morning my computer has been giving me the following error:

STOP: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\Systemroot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable.

I reinstalled Windows on Saturday, did al the Windows updates (lots of fun
on a 56k modem!) and the machine worked fine. I also installed a firewall
and antivirus checker. I installed MS Punlisher 2002, did all the office
updates and I am back to the abovementioned error.

The only software changes made before Friday was updating my antivirus
software on Thursday evening. I used the same update file on Saturday after
reinstalling.

Is there a way to prevent this from happening again or a way of curing it
(without reformatting and reinstalling) should it happen again?

I used system console to find out if the files were missing from the
\config\ directory but there were 3: software, software.log and sofware.sav

Thanks,

Bert.
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