BSOD when booting XP...

[Mini-Me]

Hi.
:)

A friend's computer won't boot XP.

It tries, then fails with the following message:

C0000218{Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive file
\SystemRoot\System32\config\SAM
or it's log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent or not writable.

Beginning dump of physical memory.
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.

I have tried booting in safe-mode etc, but that fails too - safe mode fails when it is trying to load MUP.SYS file, if that means anything...

I think I should just re-format and reinstall for him, but would like to hear if anyone has anything else I can try first.

What is the most likely cause of such a major failure like this, do you think?

I have found this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830084/en-us) and this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us) on the Microsoft website which relates to this problem.

My friend has had the exact same problem about 18 months or so ago, where we had to format and reinstall. I am wondering if the hard-drive is crook or failing, as the first link suggests might be the case.

[Paul Komski]

What is the most likely cause of such a major failure like this, do you think?Memory dumps and BSODs have protean causes - both software (rogue drivers or programs) and hardware such as bad memory. Amongst other things it looks as if there is a corrupt registry and that is most unlikely to be cured by safe mode or recovery console methods. If the file system is badly corrupted then a reformat may be necessary if chkdsk cant cure things but the most likely way to correct things (caused at the software level) is a repair installation (http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm).

[Sylvander]

How to fix an XP\Win 2000 System that freezes after loading mup.sys while booting (http://www.aitechsolutions.net/mupdotsysXPhang.html).