How do I Repair A Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry Cannot Loa

d The Hive (File): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\Software Error

This type of error usually indicated that the pc has refused to start because of
a corruption within the registry. The following should remedy the problem. Howe
ver, it is important that you replace all five registry hives. Simply replacing
one or two could, potentially, cause other problems.
NOTE
You should not use the method two set of instructions below if your system has a
n OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) copy of Windows XP. Doing so will render
your operating system inoperable. OEM installations create passwords and user n
ame that did not previously exist. Therefore, in your own interest, these instru
ctions will not remedy the problem. The easiest option with OEM copies of XP is
to reinstall XP using the manufacturer s recovery disks.
Easy Method
1/ Restart your PC
2/ Keep tapping the F8 Button until a menu appears
3/ When the menu appears use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to select the Last known
good configuration option.
4/ Once selected press Enter
5/ Your PC should now reinstall the last know good configuration file
6/ Restart your PC and see if the problem has been solved
7/ If it hasn t go on to the Harder Method below.
Slightly Easy Method
This fix was contributed by Peter Hayes.
While this fix is not 'guaranteed' to repair the problem it is worth going throu
gh the procedure before stepping up to the harder method.
1/ Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM and restart your pc
2/ At the 'Welcome to Setup' screen press R to start the recovery Console
3/ The Recovery Console will now open and the list of Windows installations will
appear
4/ As you only have one installation on your PC you need to press the number whi
ch is relevant to your installations location. This, obviously, will typically b
e 1
5/ When requested type in your Administrator password. If you haven't set an adm
inistrator password, then simply press Enter
6/ The Recovery Console command prompt window will now appear
7/ At the Recovery Console command prompt type: CHKDSK
8/ If CHKDSK reports file sectors run CHKDSK again only this time type CHKDSK /
R instead
9/ Fixing bad sectors on the hard disk can take some time, so please be patient.
10/ After CHKDSK has finished, remove the XP CD from the CD-ROM and reboot
11/ Hopefully your PC should boot as normal.
Harder Method
Step One
1/ Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM and restart your pc
2/ At the Welcome to Setup screen press R to start the recovery Console
3/ The Recovery Console will now open and the list of Windows installations will
appear
4/ As you only have one installation on your PC you need to press the number whi
ch is relevant to your installations location. This, obviously will typically be
1
5/ When requested type in your Administrator password. If you haven t set an admin
istrator password, then simply press Enter
6/ The Recovery Console command prompt window will now appear
7/ At the Command prompt type the following, pressing Enter after you have typed
each line.
md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
8/ Now type Exit to exit the recovery console
9/ Finally restart your pc
Step Two

10/ When the PC restarts log on as Administrator. if you are using Windows XP Ho
me you can only log on as Administrator via Safe Mode.
11/ The next step is to copy the registry files from their backed up location u
sing system restore. However, before you can begin you need to set the folder op
tions in Windows Explorer to Show Hidden Files and Folders
12/ Open Windows Explorer
13/ Click the Tools option on the main toolbar
14/ From the drop down menu click on Folder options
15/ In the Folder options window click the View tab
16/ Look down the file list until you come to a section marked Hidden Files and
Folders
17/ Click on the Radio button on the left of the option Show hidden Files and Fo
lders to enable this option
18/ Next move down two lines and remove the check mark next to the option Hide P
rotected operating system files (Recommended)
19/ You will receive a message informing you that editing or deleting these file
s could cause damage to your system. Click Yes to confirm that you want to displ
ay these files.
20/ From the folder/directory list in Windows explorer click on the drive where
you installed Windows XP
21/ Open the System Volume Information folder (The folder appears dimmed) If you
receive a System volume Information is not accessible. access denied Error mes
sage see Microsoft Knowledgebase Article 309531
22/ Inside you will find one or more folders that look something like this "_res
tore{87BD3667-3246-476B-923F-F86E30B3E7F8}".
23/ If the folders are displayed as icons or thumbnails click the View option on
the main toolbar and click on Details to give a more detailed view of the files
24/ Select a file that was not created at the current time and that starts with
RPx (these are Restore Points)
25/ Open one of these folders and look for a Snapshot folder - for example: C:\S
ystem Volume Information\_restore{D86480E3-73EF-47BC-A0EB-A81BE6EE3ED8}\RP1\Snap
shot
26/ From this snapshot folder copy the following files to C:\Windows\tmp folder
*
_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
*
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
*
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
*
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
*
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
27/ Now rename the files as follows:
*
 Rename _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT to DEFAULT
*
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY to SECURITY
*
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE to SOFTWARE
*
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM
*
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM to SAM
Step Three
28/ You now have to delete the existing registry files and copy the system resto
re registry files to the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder: You can do this eith
er by using Recovery Console or (if you file system is FAT32) by using a Windows
98 Start Up Disk) Whichever method you use you will be presented with a command
prompt. At the command prompt type the following, remembering to press Enter af
ter you have typed each line.
del c:\windows\system32\config\sam
del c:\windows\system32\config\security
del c:\windows\system32\config\software
del c:\windows\system32\config\default
del c:\windows\system32\config\system
29/ Now type the following, pressing Enter after you have typed each line:
copy c:\windows\tmp\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\tmp\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\tmp\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\tmp\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\tmp\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
Please Note
When inputting the above copy information, if you get a 'file not found' error t
ry adding a .bak extension to each copy operation, as follows:
copy c:\windows\tmp\software.bak c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\tmp\system.bak c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\tmp\sam .bakc:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\tmp\security.bak c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\tmp\default.bak c:\windows\system32\config\default
You should only add the .bak extension if you get the 'file not found' error mes
sage, otherwise follow the instructions at step 29.
30/ Finally Exit Recovery Console and Restart your PC (If you are using the Wind
ows 98 startup disk simply press CTRL-ALT-DEL to restart your pc
Step Four
31/ After your PC has rebooted click the Start button followed by All Programs
32/ From the All Programs menu click Accessories
33/ From the Accessories drop down menu click on System Restore
34/ From the System Restore window click on the Restore to a Previous Restore Po
int option and restore your pc to a previous restore point

2. System File Checker will also check and repopulate the %Systemroot%\system32\
dllcache directory. If the dllcache directory becomes corrupted or unusable, SFC
/SCANNOW, SFC /SCANONCE, SFC /SCANBOOT, or SFC /PURGECACHE can be used to repai
r the contents of the dllcache directory.

Step 1:
***************************
Boot with the windows XP CD
At "Welcome to setup screen" Press R
Select the appropriate path for windows and press enter
If it asks you for the administrator password, type the administrator password a
nd
press enter or just hit enter
We will now see the Prompt c:\windows>
Step 2:
***************************
cd system32\config
ren system system.old
ren software software.old
ren SAM SAM.old
ren security security.old
ren default default.old
Then type cd Type cd system~1\_resto~1 and press Enter
If you get "access denied" (Error) then
Restart the computer by type Exit and get back to recovery console
type cd \ and it will display C:\>
type cd system~1\_resto~1 and press Enter
Step 3:
***************************
Type dir
It will list you restore points
(e.g. RP1, RP2, RP3, RP4, etc...)
Select the one from the list except the last one
Say RP4
· type cd RP3 (or RP2 or RP1 or RPn) and enter
· type cd snapshot and enter
· type copy _registry_user_.default c:\windows\system32\config\default and enter
· type copy _registry_machine_security c:\windows\system32\config\security and
enter
· type copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software and
enter
· type copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system and enter
· type copy _registry_machine_sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam and enter
· type exit and enter