Windows Vista Restoring Vista

Hi, I think I mutilated my registry somehow. Yesterday I played around with.net3 Framework as my Internet Explorer7 stopped working after enabling .net3.
Anyhow today it will not boot.
Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt.
File:\Windows\system32\config\system
Status: 0xc000014c
When I boot from the Vista DVD to do a Repair it requests the driver CD that I don't have and without it will not do a Repair, in the dialog box my OS Vista does not show up, and the next option is driver CD.
I don't know if downloading drivers would do any good.
Any suggestions apart from new Install
hawk22

 

Hello if you haven't tried this already...it may work.

See the following website for complete details:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000626.htm

 

Hi and yes I have tried that and no go, just tells me that a recent hardware or Software change has caused this. It then recommends to start up using the Vista DVD to do a repair, but as stated the OS does not show.
Would it be worth trying a Safemode with Command prompt and run chkdsk c: /f/r.
hawk22

 

The error message seems to suggest the registry is corrupt. CHKDSK should not have any affect on restoring the registry.

If you can get to Safe Mode, look at running a System Restore.

Matt

 

If that driver is for something that is "non system ", like a PCI card or some other connected device, take the device out until Windows is running again.

Hmmm, if the registry is corrupt, drivers may not (eventually) fix it anyway.

Replacing the registry with an older version may be your only hope.

Look closely at the error messages.

Matt

 

Hi Matt, thanks for responding, this could be a problem as I am running C drive off a SATA PCI card, and I can't take that out.
File:\Windows\system32\config\system
Status: 0xc000014c
One of the last things that I did was connected a 4GIG SD Memory Card to test if Ram boost was working and as I mentioned turned on .net3 Framework, no problem when I turned the PC off, but it would not boot up again next day.
hawk22

 

Hi Matt, this is what goes, when I boot off the Vista DVD:
Windows is loading Files It will then load the Vista install page, Install Vista, or Repair Computer
I go Repair Computer, it will bring up a Dialog box that reads:
If you do not see your operating system listed, click load Drivers to load drivers for your hard disks.
Click Add Drivers: brings up
Insert the installation media for the device and click OK to select the driver. No idea what installation media.
That is how far I get.
hawk22

 

I've been following this silently because it's Vista and I'm short on experience with this OS. However, I'll wonder outloud if this might be your Promise drivers again? Its certainly worth a shot and they would be required for a repair installation.

There is a very quick fix for Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt. File:\Windows\system32\config\system with Windows XP but I'm not so sure with Vista. Microsoft also has a very extensive set of instructions for repairing this in XP if you search their Knowledge Base - again, I don't know about Vista and I don't know where Vista would store a "good" copy of this file.

Sorry for the "no real help" post but to add a positive spin, please consider it moral support.

From a command prompt in the recovery console XP fix is:
CD C:\Windows\System32\Config
REN system system.old
COPY C:\Windows\Repair\system
Press ENTER after each command.

Good Luck,

 

The supporting files for all hives except the HKEY_CURRENT_USER are located in \Windows\System32\config. There are six files, named COMPONENTS, DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE and SYSTEM. This set of files form the registry that is loaded when the computer is booted. A backup of the files is located at \Windows\System32\config\RegBack. Also in the RegBack folder is another backup which represents the registry as at the previous boot - recognised by having an extension of OLD.

So, boot from the Vista DVD, go to Repair > Command Prompt and change Rockster2U’s third statement to
COPY C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack\System

 

Thanks BurrWalnut.

 

Thank you, now just to make sure I understand this correctly,do I do now just the one command: COPY C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack\System
or the first two commands from Rocksters list as well.
hawk22

 

You must type all three statements, i.e. Rockster2U’s first two followed by my one, each followed by the Enter key.

Ordinarily, you should copy the whole "˜set’ of files but in this instance, I think you’ll be OK.

 

Hi BurrWalnut, and thank you again, now one more thing that you might be able to answer and clear up for me is,
when I was looking around in the Vista Repair - Restore I came across the System Restore via Command prompt and it lists the following:
System Restore
To perform an offline System Restore you must specify which Windows installation you would like to restore.
For example, if the installation located in "C:\Windows" should be restored enter the following command:
rstrui.exe /OFFLINE:C:\Windows
I do not know what they mean by OFFLINE and if this is any good or what.
And one more question is to do the original copy, as I can not boot into Windows which is my correct access to the Command Prompt the one in Safe Mode or the one I get by booting with the Vista DVD in the Restore options.
hawk22

 

So here it is:
CD C:\Windows\System32\Config
REN system system.old
COPY C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack\System

Hawk - depending on what else you may have mucked up, this should work but you might want to wait for BurrWalnut's presence before you proceed. He sure gets my vote of confidence.

 

I interjected on this thread as I knew the registry file locations. I have since reread all the posts and would suggest you do the following and let us know the outcome of each operation. I know it is fiddly but after trying each of them, try booting normally.

1. Boot in Safe Mode with Command Prompt (F8 at switch on), type chkdsk /r and press Enter. Sometimes a chkdsk will cure it.

2. Boot from the Vista DVD. The sequence of events is; loading files, select language, time/currency and keyboard and bottom left of the window is Repair. Select Repair then select the OS to repair. If there are no operating systems listed, press Next or similar wording. Somehow you need to circumvent the ‘Load Driver media…’ message.

The choices are Startup Repair, System Restore, Backup Restore, Memory Test and Command Prompt. Try these in order:

2a. Select Command Prompt, type chkdsk /r and press Enter. There is no sense in trying this if it didn’t cure the problem in 1 above.

2b. Select System Restore and pick a date before this happened, remember there is a selection that allows you to go back more than 5 days.

2c. Back to the Command Prompt to try the copying process that we have been discussing (the capitals are for clarity only but note the spaces:
Type CD C:\Windows\System32\Config and press Enter
Type REN system system.old and press Enter
Type COPY C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack\System and press Enter

Good luck.

 

Hi, and thanks. Now BurrWalnut the command prompt in F8 just brings me back to the page where it tells me to load the Installation Disk and do a repair, so this one is out.
Second I tried is command prompt option from Install DVD
Answer here is: Windows can not run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected.
Next one was the 3 command lines from you and Rockster after each line I get same result.
cd c:\windows\system32\config (Enter)
The system cannot find the file specified
and I get the same after each entry.
Now the only one that I have not tried yet is the one I mentioned in my last post
SYSTEM RESTORE
To perform an offline System Restore you must specify which Windows installation you would like to restore.
For example, if the installation located in "C:\Windows" should be restored enter the following command:
rstrui.exe /OFFLINE:C:\Windows
I don't know what you make of this one.
Looks to me like the config files are gone into Vista Heaven
cheers
hawk22

 

Oh dear, we’re not getting very far.

Assuming that your typing was correct, the fact that the c:\windows\system32\config folder cannot be found indicates that the whole of the registry is missing - I find that hard to believe!

Anyway, for future reference, those 3 commands carry out the following procedures; CD (change directory {go to this folder}), ren (rename a file) and finally copy (copy a file). So, as you didn’t go to the \config folder, it’s obvious the other 2 commands would not work.

I didn’t know about the ‘offline’ system restore but I have just read about it via Google, it’s most certainly worth trying.

If the system restore doesn’t succeed, try a Vista upgrade repair reinstall. This gives you a new OS without changing settings, files, folders, other programs and the like http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html Read the note regarding SP1.

 

Thanks mate, I will try that tomorrow
hawk22

 

OK back again,
to bring you up to date on the latest offerings: after entering in the command prompt: rstrui.exe /OFFLINE:C:\Windows
I get the following:
Restore system files and settings
No restore points have been created on your computers system disk.
To create a restore point open "System Protection "

System Restore
Your computer is running in a limited diagnostic state. If you use System Restore in this limited state, you cannot undo the restore operation.

Well I think this is about the end of the line for experimentation, if this will fail then it will be a fresh install.
I will wait for your opinion before I go ahead with it.
hawk22