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Corrupt Registry: Root Cause in Startup Repair.

Anonymous
2010-02-15T17:13:26+00:00

Toshiba Satellite L505D-S5965.  Originally loaded with Vista Home, upgraded to Windows 7 with the option that came with the laptop when purchased on September 09.  Upgrade to Win 7 was flawless.

Today the computer shutdown and restarted running the Startup Repair console.  After scanning the system for problem it came back with the following report and log file.  

View Problem Details showed the entry below.

Problem Signature

Problem Event Name:    StartupRepairOffline

Problem Signature 01: 6.1.7600.16385

Problem Signature 02: 6.1.7600.16385

Problem Signature 03: unknown

Problem Signature 04: 21201049

Problem Signature 05: AutoFailover

Problem Signature 06: 7

Problem Signature 07: CorruptRegistry

OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1

Locale ID: 1033

View diagnostic and repair details showed this log entry:

Multiple tests are run and all return an error code of 0x0 until the last line in the log file which reads:

Root cause found:

Registry is corrupt:

Repair action: Registry roll back

Result: Completed successfully.  Error code =0x0

Time taken =7722 ms

I tried booting into Safe Mode at Windows startup with the F8 key.

Safe Mode would not start, the Startup Repair console started again.

Tried to start up with Last Known Good Configuration.  Same result.

Tried to run the System Restore from the advanced system recovery and support tools available from within the startup repair console.  There were no restore points created on the system drive.

From the Command Prompt I tried to run c:\bootrec /fixmbr.  It ran successfully but did not solve the problem.

I created new recovery disks after I successfully upgraded to Windows 7, but I am afraid they are identical to the original recovery disks I created when the system was brand new, so I am reluctant to use the System Image Recovery tool available in the System Recovery Options because I believe it will take the computer back to the factory image of Vista.  Not to mention losing all the data and having to reinstall the upgrade to Windows 7.

If anyone has any solid solutions to repairing a Corrupt Registry in Windows 7, I would be very grateful for a solution.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-15T22:07:25+00:00

    You can restore your registry files manually to an earlier point by going through the steps outlined below. The process is involved and requires some careful typing. Ask a computer-savvy friend to assist you if you lack experience in this area.

    1. Keep tapping F8 during the early boot phase.
    2. Select Safe Mode Command Prompt from the menu.
    3. Log on as Administrator if prompted.
    4. Select Repair when prompted.
    5. Select the Command Prompt.
    6. Identify the correct drive letter for your Windows installation. It could be drive E: or F:. You do it by typing the commands

        dir C:\Win*

        dir D:\Win*

        dir E:\Win*

        until you find the Windows folder.

        I will call that drive "Q:".

    1. Type these commands:

        cd /d Q:\windows\System32\config

        xcopy *.* Q:\RegBack\

        cd RegBack

        dir

    1. Examine the dates of the Software, System and SAM files. Were the files created before or after your problem became apparent?
    2. If they were made before the problem became apparent then you can type these commands:

        copy /y software  ..

        copy /y System  ..

        copy /y Sam ..

        (the two dots are part of each command)

    1. Reboot normally. If things do not work out then you can backtrack by copying the original registry files from Q:\Regback to Q:\Windows\System32\config.
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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-16T23:39:07+00:00

    I failed to mention in the original post that I has already tried renaming the Software, Default, SAM, System file in c:\windows\system32\config and then copying the same files from \regback.  Unfortunately, I believe system repair may have tried this with a rollback attempt, because the file date and time stamps were the same in each directory.  So your method was tried but it did not work.

    I am restoring the computer back to the original out of box condition with the restoring disk images I created.  This should bring the computer back to the Vista Home Premium state and then I will upgrade it back to Windows 7.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-27T05:42:10+00:00

    What do you do if the files have dates after the problem? 

    I just tried this but the files have dates after the problem.  I had tried reinserting the install discs and now I see

    Directory of C:\

    08/25/2010   06:44 PM    <DIR>   Windows

    08/25/2010   01:04 PM    <DIR>    Windows.old

    08/25/2010   07:29 PM     <DIR>  Windows.old.000

       0 File<s>     0 bytes

       3 Dir<s>    285,549,121,536  bytes free

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-09-04T15:06:10+00:00

    I have had nearly an identical result to what Maikata had. The numbers listed in problem signature 04 and 06 were different for me, but all the rest was the same. I wondered the same as Donuts01. What if the System SAM and Software files are after the date that the problem started. Mine are after the problem date.

    I am in the same boat but do not want to loose the files and programs that I have installed. Also, note, I am under a warranty for my hardware that covers accidental damage, so removing my drive to attach to another PC and copy important files risks losing that warranty. If I go to the store carrying the warranty, I'll be without my PC for several days. I use this for graphic design work and will loose a few jobs if I'm without it.

    BTW my PC is an ASUS G72, it has an OS that is still working called Express Gate. It allows me to access the web, but not much else.

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