[ChellBell13]

I have a dell dimension E310 with windows xp, and everytime I start my computer I get a blue screen, that says "c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Confg\SAM
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable" then "beginning dump of physical memory: physical memory dump complete."

My warranty expired so dell won't help me unless I want to pay $50 for a phone call, and I was wondering if there is any way to fix my computer without losing everthing that was on it.

PLEASE HELP!!!

[Mumbodog]

Follow these directions, after chkdsk is done, try to start the PC, report back.

http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=5097

[Phantom010]

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting.

[Mumbodog]

Phantom010, did you see this warning in that MS article?

Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system. The system hive on OEM installations creates passwords and user accounts that did not exist previously. If you use the procedure that is described in this article, you may not be able to log back into the recovery console to restore the original registry hives

[Phantom010]

Originally Posted by Mumbodog

Phantom010, did you see this warning in that MS article?

Thanks for pointing it out. The OP most likely has an OEM version.

ChellBell13,

Please take this warning into account.

[ChellBell13]

I tried what was suggested, and it didn't work. Would getting a new hard drive fix the problem? And is there any significant difference between an internal and an external hard drive?

[jrbuergel]

If you have your original Dell discs you can just do a re-install, so you do not need a new hard drive unless a diagnostic test has shown that it is failing. So put in your OEM Dell CD and boot to that if possible. There is also a tool on the Ultimate boot CD for windows that can use the system restore points, (which include the registry), to fix this issue, and is at this site; http://ubcd4win.com/index.htm

[Mumbodog]

Your Dell may have a recovery partition, this will allow you to restore the PC to "as shipped" condition, reinstalling windows from CD will break this recovery option.

See step 3

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...t?docid=181316