Recover from a Corrupted Registry
Recover from a Corrupted Registry
Start the Recovery Console, create a temporary folder, back up the existing registry files to a new location, delete the registry files at their existing location, and then copy the registry files from the c:\windows\repair folder to the c:\windows\system32\config folder.
1. Start Recovery Console.
2. When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
3. At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you type each line:
md conf_bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\conf_bak\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\conf_bak\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\conf_bak\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\conf_bak\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\conf_bak\default.bak
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
4. Type exit to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts.
Note This procedure assumes that Windows Operating System is installed to the C:\Windows folder. Make sure to change C:\Windows to the appropriate windows_folder if it is a different location.
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.