lsass.exe and recovery console problem

[nyrangerz1]

hey everyone,

recently my Windows XP machine couldnt start up because of corrupted registry (error msg:"Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM")

this has happened twice before and both times it was completely fixed, so i looked up the article i used and did what it said (link:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307545)

but this time, it gave me a popup error msg when i got onto the logon scren...it said the "lsass.exe was passed and invalid parameter"...soo i tried to go back into the recovery console to try to fix it, but when i typed in the administrators password, it said it was invalid even tho i KNOW im typing in the right one

can anyone help? ive tried the admin passwd i set (and many case variations) and ive tried jus pressing enter...HELP! i have some important documents on the machine!! thanks!!!

-benny

 

[btvillarin]

Hmm...I guess you don't have a password reset disk?

Have you tried the Last Known Good Configuration? How about a Repair with the Windows XP CD? For the first, press F8 before Windows boots up, and select the option. To do a repair, insert your Windows XP CD and boot to it. Follow the prompts to do a repair.

So far, that's all that comes to mind.

Bryan

 

[zzzz]

you can also try installing windows on a separate HD/partition and then recovering the documents from the fubared HD/partition.

 

[nyrangerz1]

ive tried to do repair (not recovery console) and it still gave me the same error

reinstalling windows seems like a good idea, but once i install the windows on the new partition, how would i get the system to boot w/ the new windows installation?

also, would it be a good idea to reinstall windows on the SAME partition? could i even do that?

help! thanks!!!

-benny

 

[Darkcirc]

The problem stems from corruption of not the system/config dir but whats in it. The windows XP SAM is kept in that dir, NO variation of the admin password will help you, nor will the recovery console as that capability would add to an already weak security system. Best bet : Reinstall to another directory or even machine and copy the SAM from that machine to the broken one. I have had this error myself after powerfailures and unexpected crashes, particularly bad ones at that. I cannot remember if I have ever tried copying SAMs, I think I ended up just reinstalling and copying the profiles from the old install over, since all of the data I really need resides on a Linux server anyway. I do believe the copying of the sam will work, the only caveat I can think of is that you'll need to use an OS other than the destination and source for the SAM. You can reinstall should you decide to scrap the idea, it will work just fine, simply use another directory. and you'll have access to all of the profiles but the new ones will be (in the same directory as the old ones) USERNAME.machinename. That art is annoying but a better method than others MS could pull, Like deleting the old same name entried completely. Fron there you *might* have to take control of the old profiles to enter them as the SID and ACL will be different, and the permissions on the old files might be garbage, at least to the new install. Good luck post back if you need any more help, and PM me if you think I can provide it. Either way good luck.
dc