Foo - Hey you sexy computer people, I think I borked my computer...

What does this mean:


STOP: c0000218 {Registry File Failure**
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternative.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support for further assistance.

This started lastnight. Turned on my computer and it shows up immediately after the Windows boot-up screen. Resetting my computer, it went to the option screen of Safe Mode, Last Good Configuration, or Normal Mode. Any option I chose goes to the above quoted blue screen.

Is there anyone here who has seen this or can translate it for me?

EDIT: Uhhhh, yeah. I figured I'd try google, too, and found this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830084). Printint it out right now. I'll have to read it on the road (at work, right now). If anyone has anything to add that this might miss, then please do so. Thanks.

scan down a little ways

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822705

Assuming this isn't a joke for April Fool, any ID9, 11 or 15 event logs? I had a similar failure a couple of years ago after I overclocked the cpu too high (Who'da thunk you couldn't overclock a PII chip 35%!) and fried it. I got this screen on boot just before I heard a sharp crack and the PII chip literally exploded!:eek: Before anyone flames me, I was playing with a salvage computer, seeing how high I could clock it before failure mode.:D

What does this mean:



This started lastnight. Turned on my computer and it shows up immediately after the Windows boot-up screen. Resetting my computer, it went to the option screen of Safe Mode, Last Good Configuration, or Normal Mode. Any option I chose goes to the above quoted blue screen.

Is there anyone here who has seen this or can translate it for me?

EDIT: Uhhhh, yeah. I figured I'd try google, too, and found this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830084). Printint it out right now. I'll have to read it on the road (at work, right now). If anyone has anything to add that this might miss, then please do so. Thanks.

Run the chkdsk command from the run tab feature selecting the full version 1 - 5 the complete check. You should do periodically anyway.

chkdsk /p will fix the problem tho.

Assuming this isn't a joke for April Fool, any ID9, 11 or 15 event logs? I had a similar failure a couple of years ago after I overclocked the cpu too high (Who'da thunk you couldn't overclock a PII chip 35%!) and fried it. I got this screen on boot just before I heard a sharp crack and the PII chip literally exploded!:eek: Before anyone flames me, I was playing with a salvage computer, seeing how high I could clock it before failure mode.:D
cool!!

Can I have your bike?

can i have your toe collection?

Sexy, huh?

I don't know about that.

Anyway, that sounds like a CPU problem.

Like the time I overclocked my Intel Core 2 Duo e4300 Allendale from 1.8Ghz to 3.35Ghz on air. :D :D :D

41073

Well, I got a little trigger happy and just did a fresh install. Computer works fine now and all my important files were backed up to an external drive. Well... except one. Seems I never backed up the text file I had my wireless network key written on (I'd lose a paper version... heh). This wouldn't be a problem, because when I did the install, I selected the option to back everything up to another folder. However, when I try to go to My Documents and Settings for the backup (where the text file is), it tells me the folder is not accessible. Is this normal? It doesn't even give me a chance to enter a password.

And, of course, I can't access the router's configuration directly because I was sneaky and put a use name and password on there. Guess where that user name and password are written down...

Can I have your bike?
No. But you can have jsharr's.

are they written on the lining of your colon?

are they written on the lining of your colon?
No. That's where I keep all my important phone numbers. Keep guessing.

acid etched into your urethera?

acid etched into your urethera?
Nope. That's the PIN for my debit card.

tattoed on your taint?

"bork" LOL great word :beer:

Well, I got a little trigger happy and just did a fresh install. Computer works fine now and all my important files were backed up to an external drive. Well... except one. Seems I never backed up the text file I had my wireless network key written on (I'd lose a paper version... heh). This wouldn't be a problem, because when I did the install, I selected the option to back everything up to another folder. However, when I try to go to My Documents and Settings for the backup (where the text file is), it tells me the folder is not accessible. Is this normal? It doesn't even give me a chance to enter a password.

And, of course, I can't access the router's configuration directly because I was sneaky and put a use name and password on there. Guess where that user name and password are written down...
Try right clicking on the folder - If you are on a fresh xp install you will have to go to windows explorer and tools -> folder options -> View Tab -> (scroll down to the bottom) and uncheck "use simple file sharing" and hit apply and then okay

Then go bak and right click on the folder and click on properties -> Security tab
Click advanced and click on the "Owner" tab . Select your username (assuming you are an admin and try to retake ownership of it)
Okay your way oout of there.

If you're on vista the instructions are basically the same - it's just filled with 20 or 30 allow/deny dialogs :p

Try right clicking on the folder - If you are on a fresh xp install you will have to go to windows explorer and tools -> folder options -> View Tab -> (scroll down to the bottom) and uncheck "use simple file sharing" and hit apply and then okay

Then go bak and right click on the folder and click on properties -> Security tab
Click advanced and click on the "Owner" tab . Select your username (assuming you are an admin and try to retake ownership of it)
Okay your way oout of there.

If you're on vista the instructions are basically the same - it's just filled with 20 or 30 allow/deny dialogs :p
Groovy. I'll do thing when I get home. Thanks, TG.

It sounded like a hard disk problem to me. The machine was trying to load a file and could not. Possibly because there is physical damage to your hard drive. How old is the drive? Did you reinstall Windows on the same drive? You may want to consider a new one.

It sounded like a hard disk problem to me. The machine was trying to load a file and could not. Possibly because there is physical damage to your hard drive. How old is the drive? Did you reinstall Windows on the same drive? You may want to consider a new one.
It's a laptop I bought in mid 2004 and I haven't changed out the drive. So far, the reinstall hasn't given me any problems.

If the drive is damaged, would Windows try to reinstall over the bad sectors or does it block them?

I believe it would ignore bad sectors and you may be fine. On a reformat the OS will map bad sectors so it knows about it in the future. But do realize you may be operating on a bad drive so back up often. If you run scandisk it may tell you that you have bad sectors(it's been a while so I don't really remember) And I think you may even be able to repair bad sectors. In reality probably a lot of drives out there are operating with bad sectors but keep an eye on it.

It's a laptop I bought in mid 2004 and I haven't changed out the drive. So far, the reinstall hasn't given me any problems.

If the drive is damaged, would Windows try to reinstall over the bad sectors or does it block them?
Usually if your hard drive is borked, the windows installation takes forever and a day and then some :p and often times won't complete. It would never hurt to use caution, however - always backing up stuff properly and occassionally running the chkdsk and disk defragment once a month to ensure something doesn't happen

Hmmmm... since I'm working with a fresh install, anyway, might as well just get a new hard drive. I'm still planning on upgrading the ram, too. Photo editing on 512MB is a bit tedious.

Assuming I can find a compatable hard drive, would there be much of a performance gain if I went to a 7200 rpm drive (current is 5400)? All my large files for editing are already on an external (8MB cache, 7200 rpm).

Assuming I can find a compatable hard drive, would there be much of a performance gain if I went to a 7200 rpm drive (current is 5400)? All my large files for editing are already on an external (8MB cache, 7200 rpm).

Yes, you will notice a difference. Do they even sell 5400's anymore?

Yes, you will notice a difference. Do they even sell 5400's anymore?
Most laptops still go out with 5400.

Bought a laptop last year - duo core - 5400 hard drive that had an infancy death.

I'd run chkdsk often -- when you are about to reboot due to patches, pop open a command line window (Windows-R, type in "cmd") and type in:

chkdsk c: /f

Then on reboot, the machine will automatically check the C drive, then reboot back into the OS.

This is important, especially before doing a major backup, so file sizes and directory structure are consistent. This is also a must before and after encrypting the system volume with a hard disk encryption program [1].

I don't just state this for just Windows, but its good to run a fsck on UNIX systems too periodically, just to be safe.

[1]: Most whole disk encryption programs are good. If you want real protection, get something with a hardware token (Aladdin eToken), and SafeGuard Easy, Jetico's BestCrypt, or PGP. All three are very good quality.

Ehh - one thing about running chkdsk often is - I've found it to be one of those situations where, if it's a hardware issue - you're only furthering it along by extensive use from one end of the disk to the other :p
I recommend something like once a month and if/when you get some errors

i like pie

i like pie
Apple, porcupine, or frito?

Apple, porcupine, or frito?
Chili :rolleyes:

Chili :rolleyes:
That wasn't one of the options! Your answer defaults to porcupine.

Porcupine Pie, mmmmm ouch I goth a quill in ma thounge

And I am guessing since you are posting that your passwords were indeed tattoed on your taint!!!!! glad I could help you find them.

Try right clicking on the folder - If you are on a fresh xp install you will have to go to windows explorer and tools -> folder options -> View Tab -> (scroll down to the bottom) and uncheck "use simple file sharing" and hit apply and then okay

Then go bak and right click on the folder and click on properties -> Security tab
Click advanced and click on the "Owner" tab . Select your username (assuming you are an admin and try to retake ownership of it)
Okay your way oout of there.

If you're on vista the instructions are basically the same - it's just filled with 20 or 30 allow/deny dialogs :p
Well, crap. I guess I should have mentioned it's XP Home. None of the options outlined above are available.

And I am guessing since you are posting that your passwords were indeed tattoed on your taint!!!!! glad I could help you find them.
They were. But since I had to use a mirror to look at them I was writing them backwards in the password prompt. Go figure.

Well, crap. I guess I should have mentioned it's XP Home. None of the options outlined above are available.
Are you sure you didn't miss the first steps to make the other options appear? Granted you may be right as i've only used xp home a few times. I just dont know why that feature would not be in xp home also since it's intrinsic to NTFS (the file system) not the actual os

Yup. There isn't an option for "Use simple file sharing." There is on my work computer, though, which is why I figure it's an issue with XP Home.

LOL you mean you can't network win xp directories unless you upgrade to Pro? Too funny.

LOL you mean you can't network win xp directories unless you upgrade to Pro? Too funny.
who said anything about networking ?

So I tried tech support lastnight. The guy first told me that all I need to do was de-select read only. *shrug* When that didn't work he told me to get into BIOS and reset my default settings... On a new install, wouldn't the settings already be at default? This was through chat, instead of over the phone, so I didn't bother reconnecting after that not working either.

I'm beginning to wonder if this has something to do with the original error that started this thread. I'd be happy to just write it off, but I need to get that network key.

who said anything about networking ?
Oh I thought 'simple file sharing' had something to do with sharing files over the network?


On a new install, wouldn't the settings already be at default? .
No BIOS is a totally separate program from the operating system. It exists on a chip hardwired to your mother board.

Here is bjork after she got borked. Not sure if a computer was involved in any fashion.

http://www.cremasterfanatic.com/Pics/bjorkbarneybaby/pregnant%20bjork.jpg