How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

Question

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

Nice article, but I'm confused about something...  Here I quote from the article: 

If you have access to another computer, to save time, you can copy the text in step five, and then create a text file called "Regcopy1.txt" (for example). To use this file, run the following command when you start in Recovery Console:

batch regcopy1.txt

With the batch command in Recovery Console, you can process all the commands in a text file sequentially. When you use thebatch command, you do not have to manually type as many commands.

If I create a file called "Regcopy1.txt" on another computer, how do I access this file on the problem PC?  If I put it on a flash drive, I know of no way to get to that flash drive from within the recovery console.

Answer 1

IMHO, KB307545 is a very risky procedure.  Part 1 begins by restoring the original registry when Windows was first installed and then attempts to boot from it.  If you've installed the three service packs plus the uncountable updates that have occurred in the past decade, the chance that this old registry will boot your current system is marginal at best.  IMHO, KB307545 might have worked when XP was young, but is not to be trusted now.

The fastest and quickest way to recover a corrupted system registry is to create a free Hirens Boot disk by downloading a .iso file and using your computer burner's "Burn Image" feature to more-or-less instantly create a bootable CD filled with diagnostic programs -- including "Registry Restore Wizard" which will recover your system registry PDQ. -- None of the complicated steps of KB307545 required.  See one of my earlier posts:

< http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-system/when-i-start-up-up-the-computer-i-get-this-message/f7358220-2d30-4d02-899e-2c773f977d1e >

HTH,

  JW

Answer 2

The fastest and quickest way to recover a corrupted system registry is to create a free Hirens Boot disk by downloading a .iso file and using your computer burner's "Burn Image" feature to more-or-less instantly create a bootable CD filled with diagnostic programs -- including "Registry Restore Wizard" which will recover your system registry PDQ. -- None of the complicated steps of KB307545 required.  See one of my earlier posts:

 

< http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-system/when-i-start-up-up-the-computer-i-get-this-message/f7358220-2d30-4d02-899e-2c773f977d1e >

 

HTH,

  JW

Did not even realize that my Hirens CD had the Registry Restore Wizard (I had to actually READ your article to find it was in the Mini-XP application).

So I performed the wizard, selecting 02/21/2013 as the date.  It completed successfully.  I looked for a system restore on Hirens but couldn't find it in the Mini-XP, so I just removed the disk and rebooted.  It successfully booted to the desktop but things don't seem to work.  When I went into System Restore the calendar was empty - no days, not even a heading.  When I clicked the IE icon I got a msg box - The ordinal 410 could not be located in the dynamic link library urlmon.dll.

I set the system for a chkdsk and restarted, and I got the original BSOD (the one that started me on this path), the stop 0x7B (0xF789E524, 0xC0000034)    

Now what?

Answer 3

Frequent contributor ElderL says that you should never have to use the method described in KB 307545.  Instead, do a chkdsk /R from the Recovery Console.  Or use Hiren's Boot CD instead of the Recovery Console: http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

Downloading the new version of Hirens now.  And I cannot get to the recovery screen because the system thinks there's an Administrator password.

Answer 4

This is a Dell Dimension 5100 desktop running XP Home SP3.

I've got a Hirens Boot disk but it doesn't have the Registry Restore Wizard.  It's several years old (version 13.2) and although it has a Password & Registry Tools area, the only Registry entry is something called Registry Viewer/Editor which seems to do nothing.  I guess I'll have to use the link and create a new one.

The original problem was an 0x7b BSOD, and when I booted with a Dell XP Home CD I figured I'd run Fixboot and Fixmbr from the repair console.  But when I got to the console and hit [Enter] for the Administartor's password,.... I got no further, getting an Invalid Password return.  There is no password on this PC.

Then I restart the CD and hit enter to install the OS, click on Windows Home and type R. It copies a mess of stuff, and when it gets to 100% it reboots. I do not press any key, but when it finally displays something, it's a light blue Windows setup screen with white writing Setup is being restarted..., which is only there for a few seconds before the screen goes dark, I get the cursor arrow, and a box pops up that says When trying to update a password, this return status indicates that the value provided by the current password is not correct (it only displays for about a half second), and it reboots, going into the same setup will continue, invalid password loop.

I'll create a new Hirens and will look for the Registry Restore Wizard.  I'll report back.

Thanks.

Answer 5

Maybe MS expects you to burn it to a CD or DVD:

[KB 314058] When you use the Windows Recovery Console, you can use only the following items:

• The root folder
• The %SystemRoot% folder and the subfolders of the Windows installation that you are currently logged on to
• The Cmdcons folder
• The removable media drives such as the CD drive or the DVD drive

If you think of it BEFORE you need the Recovery Console, you can make some changes to the Security Policy that will then allow you to enter commands in the RC that will, in turn, permit access to removable media.  There is also a policy that removes the need to enter the Administrator password in RC.  Of course, this is much easier if you have XP Pro, because XP Home doesn't have the secpol editor.

See, e.g., http://commandwindows.com/recovery.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312149

Frequent contributor ElderL says that you should never have to use the method described in KB 307545.  Instead, do a chkdsk /R from the Recovery Console.  Or use Hiren's Boot CD instead of the Recovery Console: http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/