Registry can not load the hive.

[bigal50]

Right on Mr. Allan,  that exactly want I wanted to hear!!!!!
Like Will Ferrel used to say in an old SNL sketch " Lets do this !!!"

I will let you know what happens


Thanks.

[Allan]

I look forward to hearing good news. The hive repair through the Recovery Console should only take a minute or two. BTW, once it's done you can either type EXIT and press ENTER to reboot, or press CTRL-ALT-DEL, or just do a hard reboot.

[bigal50]

Allan,  I entered these commands at the prompt as instructed. The prompt being C:\windows\


ren c:\windows\system32\config\software software.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\software


However I get the following messages:


"The parameter is not valid"

and this message:

The command is not regognized.


 

[Allan]

Well, everything looks right - not sure why you are getting those errors - you did press ENTER after each line, right?.

Let's go ahead and try the repair install. Here are detailed instructions (though it's a very simple process):
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/How-to-repair-Windows-XP-t138.html

[bigal50]

Allan did you get my last post regarding error messages ?

[Allan]

Yes, and I responded.

[patio]

ren c:\windows\system32\config\software software.old

Is this one correct ? ?
A missing bracket? ?

ren c:\windows\system32\config\software ]software.old

[Allan]

A missing bracket? There shouldn't be any brackets.

[dahlarbear]

ren c:\windows\system32\config\software software.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\software

Allan:  Shouldn't the "copy" command line be (without the quotes):
"copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\software"

[Allan]

Allan:  Shouldn't the "copy" command line be (without the quotes):
"copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\software"

No, but thanks for the post - you pointed out there are indeed two errors on that line I missed. It should read:
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config

In my original post I mixed and matched two different hive errors (system & software), and the OP added the file name at the end of the command, which is not needed. BigAl, I truly apologize for adding to your confusion. Please redo the process using the above command instead of the erroneous one I originally gave you.

[bigal50]

I used the the updated commands at the prompt like you sugessted. After sending me the " incorrect information. 

My PC booted up, great thanks. However, I lost all my documents and my pictures!!!!
You said I wouldnt!!!!! Im kinda pissed.

[BC_Programmer]

I used the the updated commands at the prompt like you sugessted. After sending me the " incorrect information. 

My PC booted up, great thanks. However, I lost all my documents and my pictures!!!!
You said I wouldnt!!!!! Im kinda pissed.

They are still on your disk. because you replaced the registry with what amounts to an older version some of the associative data was lost.

Do a search using the search tool for picture files, or, if you recall any names, search for those on your entire disk.

[rthompson80819]

My PC booted up, great thanks. However, I lost all my documents and my pictures!!!!
You said I wouldnt!!!!! Im kinda pissed.

Most of us have learned the hard way to back up our data.  And it sounds like you just learned the same lesson.  Rather than being pissed off at Allen, you should be pissed off at yourself for not doing backups.

[BC_Programmer]

Most of us have learned the hard way to back up our data.  And it sounds like you just learned the same lesson.  Rather than being pissed off at Allen, you should be pissed off at yourself for not doing backups.

True to a point... except that renaming two registry files will not cause an entire folder tree to be deleted.

[bigal50]

Yes true it is good to backup always.

But Mr. Allan assured me on a few ocassion that my date would not be lost and it is. Ive serached for my docs and pictures and they are GONE !!!!!
He said " I wouldnt instruct you to do something that would harm your PC "



Explain that Computer guy.