How to recover from the Registry cannot load the hive Blue Screen of Death Error
- 16 Comment
Welcome back!
Google Query: Stop: C0000218 {Registry File Failure} Registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
Nothing is more frustrating than a Windows Blue Screen of Death. The Blue Screen of Death will keep your PC from booting and the messages are usually pretty cryptic. This message is no different. What it means is that the SOFTWARE registry key is corrupt.
Fortunately, the fix for this error is not as painful as the message would lead you to believe. The following steps, found on the TechZone Forums must be taken to fix this error:
-Boot your PC from the Windows 2000 or Windows XP CD and go into the recovery console by choosing “R”
-Type the following at the command prompt to replace your current SOFTWARE registry key with a repair copy.
ren c:\windows\system32\config\software software.old
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config
-Then reboot your PC.
If your computer is just part of a workgroup, you should be back in business. However, if you computer is part of a Domain, you may have to reinstall some applications and run:
gpupdate /force
This will refresh group policy. In any case the steps in outlined above should let you log back in to your PC.
Technorati Tags: Windows, Registry, Blue Screen of Death
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16 Comments on this post
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malaikah said:
i just wanted to say thanks, this post saved my sanity…and my work too.. thanks a million
November 13th, 2008 at 4:39 pm -
hstagner said:
malaikah,
You are very welcome. I am glad that I could save you some grief.
November 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm -
Brad said:
Thanks so much, however i still need help.
I did as mentioned and this sorted out the problem, once i exited the recovery console the blue screen never came up and windows loaded normally, i was beyond happy at that point.
Then after i shut down my PC and switched it on again, that blue screen, with the same error came up again
I tried doing what you said again, but it didnt work this time so now im depressed again…
im so lost on what to do…i dont know if this was the problem, but the pc the error occurs on is windows xp profesional and i used the recovery console on a windows xp home disc…
December 6th, 2008 at 1:52 pm -
hstagner said:
Hello Brad,
It is likely the differences in the Windows XP versions that is causing your problem. You are replacing files with this procedure, so you want to use files from the same version of Windows XP. Even the same service pack level. I hope this helps.
December 6th, 2008 at 8:08 pm -
chris said:
Dear Sir;
I have this error but cannot rename the system file to system.old. Gives me a access denied message. Can you help?
Thanks
December 9th, 2008 at 9:21 am -
chrissie said:
My Sony Vaio did not come with the recovery CD, it said to press F10 key and do the recovery wizard from there…. well I read the info on the screen and it said I will lose everything on my C Drive! I have nothing backed up… so I cancelled it… will it really delete it all… What are my other options? I am running Windows XP 2003 on a Sony Vaio
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:29 pm -
maureenm said:
Thanks for the information provided on this site. They works like magic. Thanks a million.
December 29th, 2008 at 5:14 am -
Nick said:
YOU ARE A LEGEND THANK YOU
January 13th, 2009 at 6:45 am -
scott said:
thanks a lot. You’re a super man.
June 17th, 2009 at 12:14 am -
hstagner said:
You are quite welcome! I am glad I could help. Thank you for Reading!
June 17th, 2009 at 6:44 am -
grace said:
I have not any word to thanks you.you are SUPER.
FROM NCAugust 24th, 2009 at 8:37 pm -
maggie said:
How do you fix that registry cannot load the hive, laptop continuously rebooting problem WITHOUT THE DISK?
September 4th, 2009 at 6:43 pm -
Richard said:
Wow – still giving thanks for this man.
Works even on Windows 2000 as well – only difference is instead of c:\windows it’s c:\winntTHANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 15th, 2009 at 9:22 am -
hstagner said:
You’re welcome Richard. I’m glad that I could help. Thank you for reading Searchmarked.com.
November 15th, 2009 at 9:50 am -
jgilpin said:
I followed these directions and now I get the following:
Line 1 of the inf file \cmdcons\txtsetup.sif is invalad
setup cannot continueFebruary 3rd, 2010 at 3:51 pm -
jgilpin said:
Any help would be appreciated
February 3rd, 2010 at 3:52 pm
