[Carolina2Cali]

Hey there, after moving to Cali from SC and connecting my home computer to my work computer to the monitor... using a KVM switch... I had a series of electronics disasters... everything from phone, email, computer monitor and even, the worst yet, the work computer crashed!!

All of these events seemed to be unrelated and a very random bad two days, but I mentioned them just in case a KVM switch or a new computer monitor could create this problem, but I doubt it... unless I jostled something when moving the computer and cords around...

I loaded the work computer with my new monitor and got the following problem... using Windows XP Professional btw...

STOP: c0000218 {registry file failure}
The registry cannot load the hive
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.

There's a chance it said SYSTEM instead of SOFTWARE if that makes a difference... copying and pasting from a similar problem I found while Googling... haven't felt like reconnecting everything to the broken computer just to re-read the error for the 101th time...

I've read two different things, well 3 maybe, that I should try... which are to run a chkdsk, to reset with the Windows CD my office is mailing me, or to reset using Dells internal reset, but that'll make me lose ALL of my data, of which I have no backup, yes, go ahead, scorn me.

Do you guys concur with these options or have any other ideas?

I'm pretty software smart, pretty hardware dumb... anyone know how I can run a chkdsk since I cannot get the computer to load? I can get it to go through startup and even begin to load the little windows loading bar, but thats when the blue screen comes, every time.

Any and all help will be appreciated, if you can type it for a hardware beginner or software moderate, that'd be fantastic...Thanks!

[padutch]

one option would be to download ubcd4win and make a boot cd. with this cd you can boot and operate from the cd rom and it contains many programs that may help fix your problem. It's a great program to have. It has chkdsk , antivirus programs , malware program and many other tools that you can run and it is totally free.You can also enter your C drive from it.You can use regreswiz.exe under Registry Tools. This is system restore You will also have internet access.
Dutch

[Carolina2Cali]

Thanks - I'll try this and see how it works and if I can figure it out

How does one access the CD when booting up, or will it be automatic?

[Carolina2Cali]

P.S.S. Do you know which options would potentially wipe the data and which would keep my files (photos and documents mainly)?

[Carolina2Cali]

I've downloaded the EXE file - now what, I just burn it onto a CD and pop it in the non working computer?

[padutch]

Originally Posted by Carolina2Cali

I've downloaded the EXE file - now what, I just burn it onto a CD and pop it in the non working computer?

here tells you how to make the cd

[Carolina2Cali]

I read this, didn't make sense to me for two reasons...

One was that I mentioned not having a Windows disc yet (thus is it necessary) and the other was that it acts as though you're doing all of this on the PC that requires help... which I cannot do... do I do all of that stuff on my working computer and just save all of the files ONTO the same CD I saved it to and then pop it into the non-working computer?

[padutch]

Originally Posted by Carolina2Cali

I read this, didn't make sense to me for two reasons...

One was that I mentioned not having a Windows disc yet (thus is it necessary) and the other was that it acts as though you're doing all of this on the PC that requires help... which I cannot do... do I do all of that stuff on my working computer and just save all of the files ONTO the same CD I saved it to and then pop it into the non-working computer?

you can borrow a windows cd from someone . you only need it to copy a few files. for your second question you have to build it on a good working pc and then can use it to repair your pc

[Carolina2Cali]

Gotcha - so this should keep my files safe?

Whats the difference then if I need the CD from just using the CD to fix versus using this program?

Sorry, just curious and trying to be careful

[Carolina2Cali]

I havent gotten a Windows CD copy yet and antsy to fix this computer so I tried another fix... something called Knoppix that then seems to run LXDE from a boot CD? apparently it doesnt need a Windows copy... Anyone know anything about it?

None the less, while I got further than I think I'd get with the above solution so far until I get the CD, I didn't manage to make it... mind reading the below and shedding any new morsels of light?

Hey guys -
I'm pretty Linux illiterate and computer hardware intermediate and software comfortable but I am having some issues...
My Windows XP Professional crashed for god knows what reason telling me it cant find some system or registry hive files, yada yada, so I read and heard about this Knoppix ordeal, cool stuff... except I've yet to get it to fully work for me.
I got past the whole burn the ISO onto a disk and change your boot settings ordeal, used a CD-R, but when it loads Knoppix, it doesnt look like everyone else has been describing, mine says LXDE or something, lightweight desktop environment? Is this normal? I think I have a 6.0 version or some 6.odd version. This may or may not be my problem...
I can see the USB drive just fine using this systems version of the explorer/file manager type program, and what I believe to be the hard drive (are those usually around 70 GB?) but when I click the hard drive, it doesnt load anything and gives me an error message about org.hal.device.error I forget... getting annoying switching computer monitor, mouse, and keyboard back and forth... does this sound familiar to anyone?
I have indeed noticed a couple of people mentioning words like "mount" but I dont know what the heck that is or if it applies in this situation or how I would modify code if that was indeed what comes next...
or Maybe my harddrive is just damaged and I am SOL in getting my files back no matter what?
Any ideas?