LITTLEBLACKDOG.COM

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:46 am Post subject: Registry Hive Corrupt

So my wife got the dreaded "Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate" BSOD!

I unfortunately never got my Windows Home Server backup and running nor did I ever load the free license I got from Acronis for being an MVP. So I have no current image of her computer and Squashy is now SOL and has to recover it the old fashion way.

Now there seems to be some controversy on how much work you really have to do to recover from a system failure like this.

Some people say you have to follow the whole 4 step process outlined on the KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Others will say you just need to repair the corrupted portion.
http://www.5starsupport.com/xp-faq/1-11.htm

To me, it seems like the KB article uses System Restore to recover a good working portion of system. Well I doubt I had System Restore turned on because I was making regular images of her computer a couple of months ago until I stopped beta testing WHS.

So I am just thinking of not doing either and just pulling the drive out and putting it into a USB enclosure and backing up the data and putting in a bigger hard drive and reinstalling Winders fresh and clean.

What I am wondering is what happens to all of my Wifes protected content. After I reinstall windows, will all the music she bought from iTunes and Yahoo Jukebox work after I put them back on the fresh install?

Any suggestions on doing either the Recovery console or a fresh install would be appreciated.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject:

the itunes can be used on 5 autorized computers .... if you've reached the max autorized computers it can be reset to zero and then reautorize the current computer ..... it's in there faq section on itunes site. as for the other music .... i cannot answer that.

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject:

So Apple keeps track of that on there Servers?

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:20 am Post subject:

squashman wrote:
So Apple keeps track of that on there Servers?

via your itunes account and probably the same digital fingerprint that others (MS, Adobe) use to determine what PC what software is registered to.