XP-Strange boot error

Kamuix · 03-29-2007, 05:09 PM

After windows just finished loading i got a strange blue screen that said something about Windowsroot/system32/config/SOFTWARE. I figured the file it specified was corrupt or something so I booted from another HD in the same computer, for some reason it would not let me into C:/ (the icon did show up)which was the drive i couldn't boot from earlier, it said it was corrupt. Then i thought that maybe my HD was dieing.

Then i went and used an external case to see if another computer of mine would detect it/if it would work etc...Anyway! It detected it then took awhile to show up, about 1 minute, ussually only takes about 10 seconds or so.

I tried replacing the file SOFTWARE in system32/config but after that when i tried to boot it, it just sat at a black screen before the login screen is suppost to come up

So does it look like my hard drive could be having issues? or my OS

Thanks for any help!

subtle · 03-29-2007, 05:37 PM

Since you did not describe the blue screen error too good (like error code), I'm not sure what exactly happened but try that:
(This is fix for: "C0000218:Registry file failure. The registry cannot load the hive file System Root\System32\Config\Software ")

boot into the recovery console from and type the following:

cd system32
cd config
ren software software.bak
ren system system.bak
cd ..
cd ..
cd repair
copy software c:\windows\system32\config
copy system c:\windows\system32\config

This restores XP to brand new. You have all data, but a fresh registry. Whatever
you do, DON'T REBOOT UNTIL YOU'RE DONE WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING!!! It will probably
die again.

From here.

terii · 03-30-2007, 04:17 AM

Sometimes the error you are seeing is not closely related to the actual problem. I have seen that same problem several times and have been able to fix some of them by going to the recovery console and typing fixmbr and fixboot. Usually I will do a chkdsk /r while I am there. As I said this works most of the time but not all the time.

03-29-2007, 05:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kamuix Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 39	XP-Strange boot error After windows just finished loading i got a strange blue screen that said something about Windowsroot/system32/config/SOFTWARE. I figured the file it specified was corrupt or something so I booted from another HD in the same computer, for some reason it would not let me into C:/ (the icon did show up)which was the drive i couldn't boot from earlier, it said it was corrupt. Then i thought that maybe my HD was dieing. Then i went and used an external case to see if another computer of mine would detect it/if it would work etc...Anyway! It detected it then took awhile to show up, about 1 minute, ussually only takes about 10 seconds or so. I tried replacing the file SOFTWARE in system32/config but after that when i tried to boot it, it just sat at a black screen before the login screen is suppost to come up So does it look like my hard drive could be having issues? or my OS Thanks for any help!

03-29-2007, 05:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
subtle Platinum Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 699	Since you did not describe the blue screen error too good (like error code), I'm not sure what exactly happened but try that: (This is fix for: "C0000218:Registry file failure. The registry cannot load the hive file System Root\System32\Config\Software ") boot into the recovery console from and type the following: cd system32 cd config ren software software.bak ren system system.bak cd .. cd .. cd repair copy software c:\windows\system32\config copy system c:\windows\system32\config This restores XP to brand new. You have all data, but a fresh registry. Whatever you do, DON'T REBOOT UNTIL YOU'RE DONE WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING!!! It will probably die again. From here. Last edited by subtle; 03-29-2007 at 05:41 PM.

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03-30-2007, 04:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
terii Gold Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 268	Sometimes the error you are seeing is not closely related to the actual problem. I have seen that same problem several times and have been able to fix some of them by going to the recovery console and typing fixmbr and fixboot. Usually I will do a chkdsk /r while I am there. As I said this works most of the time but not all the time.