Hi GinaBallerina

You don’t mention if it’s a BSOD error & if any STOP type error code(s) – may help?

Anyhow, my assumptions are:

1. Computer is a Dell & OS is Windows XP & personal data is on same partition as XP OS?

2. Problem is not, a hardware issue (e.g. damaged hard disk drive HDD) or is Malware related?

If correct then:

Original OS will be OEM preinstalled XP as displayed on computer COA sticker (normally located on the side panel of a Desktop PC or base of a Laptop)

Meaning present OS is an OEM installed XP OS, unless someone has reformatted (wiped) the HDD using (for whatever reason) a Full Retail (boxed) XP licensed version CD to reinstall the OS

And I assume that hasn’t happened?

So you are correct to be cautious about using the Recovery method as described in MS KB 307545

If it’s a genuine system registry hive error & not Malware related you should do an XP Repair Install

I.e. Do NOT use the Recovery Console at this stage

Repair Install wipes XP OS files from HDD then copies XP OS files from XP CD to the HDD

Meaning personal data/settings & other software should remain intact

Normally takes about 40 minutes to complete, but you then need to download & install ALL MS updates which is the time consuming part

Also, like most things there is never 100% guarantees & if you make any mistakes in Windows Setup screen selections you could end up wiping all HDD data

If recovery of personal data is important you may want to first buy an external USB connected HDD enclosure, like one of these click here

Remove suspect HDD, place it in USB HDD enclosure & connect to a working computer for data recovery

Also helps to avoid loss of data if HDD is heading south  :emotion-60:

After that you can try any repair method you want without being concerned about data loss

If required you could then even do an XP Clean Install or use the Dell PC Restore (DSR) utility, if preinstalled & it still works – no need to use any CDs & takes about 25 minutes – but both these methods will definitely wipe the HDD OS partition & also require reinstalling ALL MS updates

You may want to read this thread, click here

Reply if you require further help/clarification

Thanks so much for your reply, Bellboy.  I really appreciate it.  Thanks for touching on everything I asked, also.

I have a couple more questions, though.  What is HDD?  Sorry for my computer illiteracy.

Based on what you've written, I would like to perform the repair install, as opposed to the recovery console.  Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, but I can't seem to find directions for how to do this on here or the Microsoft website.  Do you have clear instructions on how to perform this? 

Thanks again!

Gina

Hi again, Bellboy. 

Sorry for overlooking things you had already explained...I am just really paranoid about this whole thing. 

I did receive a blue screen of death message.  It said something like "the hive (file) is damaged." and gave this message as well:

%systemroot&\system32\restore\rstrui-exe

which is one of the messages mentioned in the Recovery Console article, which led me to believe I should do that.  I will trust you though if you say a Repair Install is the way to go.  I will reread the links you provided and hopefully that will be all the info I will need. 

Thank you so much and have a good one!

Hi! 

I just tried to perform the Repair Install after reading Bellboy's posts and speaking with someone from Dell (before I performed it, long story) and it seemed to be working but I just got this message:

Setup cannot set the required Windows XP configuration information.  This indicates an internal Setup error.  Contact your system administrator.

Sigh.  Any idea of what to do now??  Any help is greatly appreciated, as always.

Edited to add...I'm not sure I performed Diagnostics correctly the first time, so I tried it again with this CD in the CD rom drive:

Drivers and Utilites Already Installed on Your Computer

For Reinstalling V.9X (Capable)/56K Data/Fax Modem Software for Microsoft Windows.

This is the error message I received during the Express Test diagnostics:

OFOO: 136C

Msg IDE device failed.  Blank media or no media is present in optical drive.  Test requires media with digital date (Resource CD, Installation CD)

So does this mean I just had the wrong CD in, or does it mean something not quite so literal?

THANK YOU FOR ANY RESPONSES! 

So does this mean I just had the wrong CD in...?

It does Gina.

To perform a 'Repair' install, you need to boot from the OS disc specifically - which in this case is the Windows XP disc.

GinaBallerina

Can you please answer the following numbered questions

When carrying out either hardware diagnostics (if you did?) or doing an XP Repair Install

During computer startup process you need to select the CD-ROM as the first boot device

Hardware diagnostics first requires that the Dell OEM Resource CD to be inserted in CD-ROM device

XP Repair Install first requires that the Dell OEM XP CD to be inserted in CD-ROM device

1. Can you confirm that you did boot from CD-ROM device at the “press any key..” screen prompt?

2. If you did, can you confirm the correct Dell OEM CDs were used (as supplied with computer)?

3. Looking at the Dell OEM XP CD, what version is it, e.g. SP1, SP2??

Quote “Setup cannot set the required Windows XP configuration information.  This indicates an internal Setup error.  Contact your system administrator.”

That error normally means some installed hardware is incompatible with Windows XP?

4. Can you confirm that ALL peripheral devices (excluding monitor, mouse/keyboard) were first disconnected?

Includes any printers, i-pods, modem &/or network cable connections etc…

5. Has any new or upgraded hardware been added since original computer purchase?

Hey hey!  Just wanted to let everyone know that after about 3 tries, I got the Repair Install to work!  PHEW!  I am sooo relieved.  In case anyone is wondering for the future, all of our saved documents, files, setting, etc remained in tact after performing the Repair Install, so I definitely recommend it.  I know nobody wants to lose data!

Everyone, thanks for all the help, especially you, Bellboy!

Have a good one!

Hang on a nano-second!

You're not done yet!!

Make sure your firewall is running and Immediately go to the Microsoft update site to download/install every available update that's needed for your system, possibly including a Service Pack or two!

If you don't. the system will have wide open holes for malware to get into your system. :emotion-5:

Ron