Corrupt Ntuser.dat

[tim2002]

I closed down as per normal last night but this morning the laptop took a long time and much disc read/write to bring up the desktop after my user password was entered.

All my files, icons, rights and attributes had disappeared and I was now logged on as my name(temp) instead of just my name.

On checking the Error log it tells me "wondows unable to load the registry. Detail - the configurations registry database is corrupt for C\Documents & Settings\username\ntuser.dat"

It also said that therefore the machine had created a temporary new account in my name which would be deleted once the original s recovered.

So how do I recover / repair the old corrupt registry ? Any offers.

Most damaging is that I cannot access my outlook email files since I have lost access rights.

I am as you can probably tell not the most XP gifted person but just struggling to keep head above water.

Thanks if you can shed some light .......

Sorry forgot to add my config info.

OS - XP Home

Using Office XP with Frontpage

Fujitsu laptop

Owner a technical moron ! Yes, that's me.

[Rick]

If I see no helpful advice from our regulars...I can get the right answer for you but for now. Have you tried to restarting windows and hitting F8 to bring up the boot menu...then select start with last known good configuration?

If that doesn't work, try to restore your Windows from the restore feature. Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore. Pick a restore point from before yesterday.

If that doesn't work and you get no easy answers, you can always do what I had to do today and pop in the windows XP disk and do a repair installation. The way this works is that you just tell it to install (don't hit the first repair option which says you can use the repair console). It will find your installation and then pop up with either fresh install or repair. Hit repair and it will reinstall the system files without erasing all your stuff. You have to enter the registration key again too.

[tim2002]

Thanks for your ideas Rick. I checked the XP restore function and it told me that the last saved restore point was 8 weeks ago. In terms of config this is no problem but I was not sure if that means that data files and especially the Outlook .pst files would also roll back 8 weeks, hence I refrained from using this.

Does it keep the data files and only roll back config files or will I lose 8 weeks work as well ?

Yes, I appreciate I am a dork for not backing up since 8 weeks. I was so relieved to have rebuilt the thing from the install disk 12 weeks ago that I lost the will to live ! But now I am getting the punishment.

Cheers

[FthrJACK]

try this (not 100% on it fixing your problem however)

put your XP cd in the drive, if you have installed SP1 you will have to have a slipstreamed XP cd in the drive.

go to START > RUN

in the run box put in

sfc /scannow

thats sfc<space>/scannow

XP should check and replace corrupted files, but i doubt it will solve your issue, im a bit drunk.. ill come back and have another lookie in the morning...

give it a try tho.. wont break anything. (sfc /scannow = System File Check /Scan now, it checks XP files and replaces damaged/altered ones)

Right ... back to this bottle of Glenfiddich, merry XMAS tim2002, and welcome to the board!

(very proffesional drunken welcome there...)

[Doggie]

i've actually found that most times it becomes corrupt due to someone trying to modify the file w00t

[tim2002]

I know my limitations and playing about with the registry was always beyond me, hence that is one thing I don't try to modify.

However, if there is a way to edit out the corrupt entries and repair the database I would like to know about it.

Since I made the common mistake of setting myself, the only user as the administrator, I have also wiped all the rights of the administrator so the damage is even greater.

Can someone who has used the restore function advise me if this will erase any changes to data and email files to the restore date or whether it only restores data files ??????

Thanks again

Tim - even more perplexed than before.

I am backing up all the data files now ready for a rebuild but hoping there is a quicker way.

[FthrJACK]

doing the scan option above wont change any of your settings at all.

[Rick]

Yes...do the scan like everybody is telling you to do and before you do that...do the restore. I know it's old but it will not take anything off of your computer that you have put on there since the last restore point. The best thing is that if you do the system restore and it does not work or you are missing stuff...you can simply go undo the system restore to go back to where you are now.

Rick

[tim2002]

Thanks to all, I used the XP restore function which does (as you probably know but I did not) tell you once you start it that it will not touch your data or email files.

It worked perfectly.

Unfortunately I committed the cardinal afterwards of opening outlook as per normal.

It immediately created a nice blank outlook .pst file, of the same name as my existing one, thereby overwriting all 200Mb of my old data, much gnashing of teeth.

Still I have learnt something and will be wiser for next time.

Thanks for helping guys.