Hi,

I have a Dell Latitude D520 LAPTOP which runs Windows XP. It is failing to boot, and loads a blue screen with the following message:

STOP: c0000218 {Registry File FAILURE}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternative
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable

Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator...etc

I have tried loading in safe mode, and loading the last know good config but still get the same result.

Is there any way to fix this without re-installing Windows?

Thanks

NickHard to say from the error message nick.
Have you RECENTLY ran any registry PROGRAMS here ?
In safemode does everything work ?
What types of backups have you made if any ? ?

I would first try running chkdsk /r from a command prompt in safemode and re-boot...Try here: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545Thanks guys, I have fixed it.

I STARTED following the advice here: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

but after step one, when booting I was still getting the error message "An invalid parameter was passed to a service or function", then the machine would reboot.

I then put the hard disk into another machine, then ran through steps two and three to restore the registry from an earlier restore point and that fixed it.

Good going