Kevin Groat

Laptop, ran out of power while using last night and now it won't load XP Pro due to some registry problem.
Recovery CD was no help, wouldn't fix the problem.
I've managed to load a 2nd version of XP Pro onto a 2nd partition (D and can pickup all the required data files I need. Laptop HD was partioned with a C: and D: drive.
Can I delete the original version of XP on the C: partition that's causing grief and install a new version without upsetting everything else - office pro and all hardware that used the XP on the C: partition.

Now that I can access the HD should I try to sort the original registry problem - more importantly....how?

Any advice welcome...

Ta

Foot_Tapper

Try and load the original xp...can you post the reg error ?

Dont wipe the C: drive, your second xp build will not work.
also if you wipe the initial xp build (only) and reinstall xp, you will have to reinstall all apps + sp's + updates. VERY messy.

IMHO Initially best trying to fix reg error if possible.

Kevin Groat

Error message as follows.

c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The Registry Cannot Load The Hive (file):

I'm following this procedure just now

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

And I've got to the 2nd command (copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak) and it tells me 'the file could not be copied' - copied the first file ok?

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like corruption on the Hard Disk You may need to run a chkdsk to try and sort it out.

Kevin Groat

Running chkdsk/r as we speak. chkdsk did find some errors so may as well sort this now - it might resolve the registry problem?

jpor

iTrader: (1)

It should do. The only other option is to try a an XP repair.

Kevin Groat

Way feckin hey.....chkdsk worked and it's recovered the registry file that caused the problem. Saved me a weekend of misery rebuilding the damn thing

Foot_Tapper

So it boots ok now ?

Kevin Groat

Yup, everything back to normal

Well, except for the 2nd version of XP I now have on the other partition

Will probably remove this.

Foot_Tapper

You might as well mate.
Also remove the entry in the boot.ini file for it, if it still exists after your chkdsk (careful which u remove).

This could be a good time to format the D, put ur data there
( + back data up)

get some imaging software... like ghost, or equivalent, image your c drive and dump the file onto your d:
you could even also write that to dvd. would make a restore of system
happen in 10 minutes then

Kevin Groat

Best laugh is we already have Norton Ghost - unopened

Foot_Tapper

Doh lololol which version ?

darlodge

Storing your documents on the second partition on the same disk is not really worth it IMO.

You disk is more likely to have a hardware failure than another disk\Windows corruption.

I'd personally make sure you back up regularly to another media, i.e. tape, CD, DVD, external HD (which are very cheap now) etc.

I lost thousands of pictures after I lost an IBM disk once, never will it happen again.......I hope

Darren

Foot_Tapper

Yep, agree with what ur saying Darren, the idea of moving the "data"; was that if at any time you want to do a full rebuild (formatting c: )....or overwriting the c: drive with a ghost image; the data is unaffected.
It wasn't to "failsafe" the data

darlodge

I'll leave you too it then, you know what you are doing

Darren