windows xp new user

Hi ther,
I bought a 2nd hand computer and when I turn it on it comes up with a screen
that apologises for not being able to start windows and gives me options to
start (eg. normal, safe mode etc.,)
When I enter on any of these options it displays a blue screen:
"STOP C00018 {registry file failure}
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\systemroot\system32\config\SECURITY
or its log or alternate
It is corrupt, absent or not writeable
Beginning dump or physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your sytstem administator or technical support group for further
assistance!"
HELP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS OR WHAT TO DO!

Thankyou very much for any assistance you may be able to give me!

Kind regards,
Sharon (Auck NZ)

Ted
Thu Dec 29 15:19:27 CST 2005

Did you get a Windows CD with that computer? Good: You're going to need it
to do a clean install.

--
Ted Zieglar
"You can do it if you try."

"quickdraw2408" <quickdraw2408@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1BAC06A9-2ACD-4D0D-B88B-F21D8D29F894@microsoft.com...
> Hi ther,
> I bought a 2nd hand computer and when I turn it on it comes up with a
screen
> that apologises for not being able to start windows and gives me options
to
> start (eg. normal, safe mode etc.,)
> When I enter on any of these options it displays a blue screen:
> "STOP C00018 {registry file failure}
> The registry cannot load the hive (file):
> \systemroot\system32\config\SECURITY
> or its log or alternate
> It is corrupt, absent or not writeable
> Beginning dump or physical memory
> Physical memory dump complete.
> Contact your sytstem administator or technical support group for further
> assistance!"
> HELP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS OR WHAT TO DO!
>
> Thankyou very much for any assistance you may be able to give me!
>
> Kind regards,
> Sharon (Auck NZ)

Malke
Thu Dec 29 15:28:52 CST 2005

quickdraw2408 wrote:

> Hi ther,
> I bought a 2nd hand computer and when I turn it on it comes up with a
> screen that apologises for not being able to start windows and gives
> me options to start (eg. normal, safe mode etc.,)
> When I enter on any of these options it displays a blue screen:
> "STOP C00018 {registry file failure}
> The registry cannot load the hive (file):
> \systemroot\system32\config\SECURITY
> or its log or alternate
> It is corrupt, absent or not writeable
> Beginning dump or physical memory
> Physical memory dump complete.
> Contact your sytstem administator or technical support group for
> further assistance!"
> HELP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS OR WHAT TO DO!

Best practice when you get a second-hand computer is to immediately
format the hard drive and do a clean install of Windows. You should
have received a CD of the operating system (Windows) or at least a way
to return the machine to factory condition (like a special keypress to
run a Restore program) or Recovery Disks, as well as CD's for any
software that is still installed on the computer. If you didn't, get
those from the seller.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Once you have a clean install (or return to factory condition), you can
see if the problems go away and if not, we can troubleshoot from there.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User