This is probably the worst thing that can happen to my system and you don’t want it to either. But if you are in trouble, here’s some help.

This error is a sign that the registry has become corrupt. This usually occurs because of an interruption of the power supply at the time when Windows was accessing Registry files.

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate

System error: Lsass.exe
When trying to update a password the return status indicates that the value provided as the current password is not correct.

I didn’t follow it exactly but more or less. I booted up off of an NTFS DOS boot disk. I renamed only c:\windows\system32\config\system to system.bak and copied c:\windows\repair\system to c:\windows\system32\config\system.

How to Rescue Corrupted Registry
1. Insert and boot from your Windows XP CD.
2. At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
3. Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
Typically this will be #1
4. Enter in the administrator password when requested
5. cd \windows\system32\config
6. Depending on which section/hive was corrupted, type in
ren software software.bad or ren system system.bad
7. Depending on which section/hive was corrupted
copy \windows\repair\system
copy \windows\repair\software
8. Take out the CD ROM and type exit

DEFAULT, SYSTEM, SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY are five files that makes up ‘the registry’.

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