Restore registry without losing access to encrypted files

[vkt]

I'm in a real pickle here on XP Pro. Unable to boot the system, I restored the registry manually from another installation on another drive. This let me boot the corrupted system, but I can't access my encrypted files therein, since the process of restoring the registry means I can't prove to Windows that I am me! This is my first experience with encryption, and so I didn't think to back up my certificate -- or even know such a thing existed -- until I read about it after the fact (I've since learned how many people fall victim to this oversight).

What I need to know is if it's possible, using some kind of tool or process from this separate installation, to export my user account info (and/or whatever else is necessary) from the corrupted system's registry files, and import that info into the default registry files, so that when I restore the registry with those default files and am able to boot the other system with them, I'll also be able to access my encrypted files therein.

I've tried restoring just portions of the registry (which meant switching the master/slave ribbon/jumper configuration each time... ugh!) in an attempt to determine by process of elimination whether I could boot the system without forfeiting access to my encrypted files; but with no luck there, I'm thinking this "merge" idea might be my only chance. Any help will be appreciated immensely!

[Allan]

As you've learned, you cannot replace the registry of one installation with that of another and expect everything to work. I do not know of any way to access your encrypted files. You might try system restore and see if there's a restore point from before the problem arose. In the future, you MUST either backup the registry on a regular basis (ERUNT) or, even better, use disk imaging software on a regular basis.

[BC_Programmer]

in order to access encrypted files you literally need to be running as a User with the same SID (basically an ID tag). These are generated randomly when you create a user.

A better approach would be to run a Repair install on the system that is experiencing problems, rather then transplant a entire registry (did you know the registry contains data about the hardware and driver configuration, too?). The basic idea here is to have the <same> registry, but fixed.

[patio]

[urlhttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&sd=tech]Worth a Try...[/url]

No promises.

[dahlarbear]

1.  You need to restore a copy of the registry from the original system which contains the correct user_ids, security identifiers, and passwords.  Hopefully, you haven't deleted its restore points (from the file system) and/or the initial first registry located "Windows\repair" directory (which should have date-time-group of the original installation).

Do you still have restore points of original system on the hard drive?

Do you still have the first registry stored in the "repair" directory?

If you manually replace the current registry files with the first set from the "repair" directory; the system should boot to its first "virgin" state.  Then you use that system to see if you can access the original "restore points".

And no, I've never had to do this...

2.  Reference(s):
     a.  Cannot Start Windows XP if the System or Software Hive Is Missing or Damaged (Q303012)
     b.  How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

[vkt]

Thanks to all who replied. I've solved my problem, by following this, by way of this, as suggested here.

As you've learned, you cannot replace the registry of one installation with that of another and expect everything to work.

Sorry, my wording was poor: I didn't attempt to replace the registry with that of another installation, but rather with the original registry (which was backed up by Windows) from the corrupted installation, as described by dahlarbear. I was working from the other installation. At any rate, I'm all good to go now!