Cannot load hive (file)...

[jcarterx2]

When I turn on my machine, I get:

The registry cannot load the hive (file):

\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SAM

or its log or alternate.

It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

Beginning dump of physical memory...

I can get to the recovery console, but have no clue about what to do.

Also, have my files been dumped?

Thanks in advance for some much needed help!

[IcemanND]

There's a couple of ways to possibly fix it. though all require that you have not turned off System Restore.

Easiest, you need a BartPE cd or equivalent.

Boot form the cd, launch your preferred file explorer i.e. A43.

browse your hard drive to:

c:\windows\system32\config

make a new directory in this folder named backup.

copy the file contents from c:\windows\system32\config to c:\windows\system32\config\backup

now go to c:\system volume information\_restore{GUID}\RPxx\snapshot

where GUID is a unique ID, and xx is the second to last RP folder.

From the snapshot folder copy the following to c:\windows\system32\config:

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM

_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT

Go back to c:\windows\system32\config

delete SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM, DEFAULT

Rename the copied files

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM to SAM

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY to SECURITY

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE to SOFTWARE

_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM

_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT to DEFAULT

Reboot system and it should boot up assuming your SAM file was not corrupted in the restore point you just restore from.

Hard way, do all this copying and deleting and renaming by hand in the command window from the recovery console.

[JedMeister]

UBCD4Win is an easy BartPE style environment to build with little or no knowledge. Have a look at www.ubcd4win.org. You can then follow the above advice to save your system (assuming you've gat a non-corrupted restore point).

[jcarterx2]

Thanks for the advice here, but I'm at a loss. I don't have, or even understand, anything about BartPe or any of this!!!

[IcemanND]

the boot from your xp cd to the recovery console. Once in the recovery console type the following, except what is in italics:

c:

cd \windows\system32\config

md backup

copy *.* backup

del SAM

del SECURITY

del SOFTWARE

del SYSTEM

del DEFAULT

cd \system volume information

dir /a

{you will see a directory that the name begins with _restore follow by q unique ID number replace {guid} in the next line with this id number}

cd _restore{guid}

dir /ad rp*.*

{in the list of directories select the second to last one listed RPxxx where xxx is a number, replace xxx with that number in the next line}

cd RPxxx\snapshot

copy _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM c:\windows\system32\config\SAM

copy _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY c:\windows\system32\config\SECURITY

copy _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE c:\windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE

copy _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM c:\windows\system32\config\SYSTEM

copy _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT c:\windows\system32\config\DEFAULT

{reboot}