[pro304]

Vista32 was running fine until yesterday when it did not recover from a Windows Update. A few months ago, I installed Microsoft's Live OneCare trial. Today I wanted to install the latest Windows updates, and OneCare flagged that the trial had expired and it needed to be un-installed. So I did both, unfortunately back to back before re-booting. When re-starting, Vista fails to start in all modes: safe mode and all others.

Next step, I inserted the Vista32 DVD and tried REPAIR. It failed 5+ times in a row.
I then went into system restore, hoping that it could recover an earlier state and took a date last week with a known restore point. Failed. Tried with 3 other dates, still failed.
===============
Error message at system startup: Windows Boot Manager
File \windows\system32\config\system
status 0xc000014c
Info: Windows failed to load because the system registry is missing or corrupt.
===============

I think I've done all the standard procedures to no avail, yet it looks like it's just about restoring a few files and Repair/Restore are not doing their job. Do you guys have any suggestion on what else can fix it?

Thanks
Nick

[Mumbodog]

Go to the recovery environment command prompt, type in the following command, let it run to completion, do not interupt the process. Include the spaces between k and /
r and C

chkdsk /r C:

Then try other recovery options.

[pro304]

Thanks. I tried the check disk, which ran for several hours and stated it repaired files, but the problem persists.

[zerch]

I encountered the same problem yesterday night (not sure if I should create a new topic or follow this one).

I barely do anything to my laptop but youtube, open PDF files, create word documents, or save pictures. The hard drive is not even a fourth full yet. It is only 1 year old; the warranty just expired 2 weeks ago, which is what makes me frustrated now that I may have to pay to get it repaired. The last major activity I recall on it is letting the system update itself. Now (a day later) whenever I boot my computer, it gets stuck on the Windows Logo with the green progress bar. I cannot boot in safe mode either. It will try for a long time, but it goes back to the Windows Logo with the green bar.

I can alternatively choose to run Windows Startup Repair which will tell me that if they fixed anything, I would be able to restart. But my computer doesn't restart to the login screen at all. Booting from Last Good Known Configuration did not work.

I have a Dell Vista Home Premium but no Windows OneCare.
MumboDog, you suggested going to

the recovery environment command prompt...[and running] chkdsk /r C:

Edit: Okay, I found in another of your post how to get to recovery environment cmd prompt. I will try that when I get back to my laptop.

Thank you very much. At least now I don't feel alone with pro304

[Mumbodog]

Thanks. I tried the check disk, which ran for several hours and stated it repaired files, but the problem persists.

Try the startup repair again, if no luck try the restore again.