2007-08-08, 10:53 | Link #1 | ||||
Easy Operation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Age: 39
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What cause this to happen?
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2007-08-08, 11:16 | Link #2 |
Asuki-tan Kairin ↓
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Fürth (GER)
Age: 43
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That means the system wasn't able to read/write on your local
...WINDOWS\system32\config\system ...WINDOWS\system32\config\software files. I always encourage people to make backups of these files periodically. Since these files are the registry (and everything is gone if the registry is gone). Often it is possible to find a recent backup in the restore point folders: C:\System Volume Information\_restore{some large number}\RP16 (assumed C is the drive with Windows on it... and instead of RP16 it might be the highest RP available... so if the highest is RP24 try that one first) There should be some files inside (looks like): A0004327.reg A0004328.reg A0004329.reg change.log change.log.1 RestorePointSize The biggest of the files will be the before mentioned "software" file. The second biggest usually is the "system" file. It is just named differently. From the modification date of the files you can estimate the up-to-dateness. You cannot copy those files over the currently used ones when running the instance of windows that belongs to the registry files that you are trying to overwrite (therefore you will need another instance of windows or repair console or other OSes [like a bootable Linux OS with nt-file system support). Now for you actualy question on what can cause this: The problem domain is too huge to mention everything... but from bad hard drives to faulty RAMs (hardware related problems) to not shutting down proberly to kernel problems/ntfs problems to virus infections (software related problems)... well you see basically everything is possible.
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2007-08-08, 15:52 | Link #3 |
AS Oji-kun
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
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I noticed that the missing info is on drive D:. Do you have two hard drives (C: and D: )? If so and, as is likely, you're booting from C:, perhaps drive D: is faulty. See if you can figure out how to enter the "BIOS setup" when the machine first boots up, but before Windows launches (hitting F1, F2 or Del during boot often works if your machine doesn't tell you). You should be able to browse the menus and find a list of the hard drives the machine thinks are there and working. If one of them isn't listed, then you've found your problem.
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2007-08-08, 16:47 | Link #4 |
Asuki-tan Kairin ↓
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Fürth (GER)
Age: 43
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If it was more than just this file (like a whole drive missing), a login would not be possible because of missing account information.
I assume the ntuser.dat works as a working copy of the user part of the registry files. Or is the user extension of it. Though I have no idea if backups of this file exist.
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2007-08-08, 22:44 | Link #6 |
Asuki-tan Kairin ↓
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Fürth (GER)
Age: 43
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That would require that there is something to reset (e.g., resetting something that is not there anymore could be complicated).
Since ntuser.dat is an important registry file that usually can't be accessed by non OS stuff it might be an indicator for a failing registry. Thatswhy I strongly recommend the backup of the earlier mentioned files system and software. Because if they have the same problem one day, more than just the custom desktop settings and short cuts are gone.
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