Corrupt Registry, can't get to recovery console

Davidoffbeat

I certainly don't fix PC's for a living but I've always been a bit of a computer nerd so when friends and family have PC problems they come to me.

This latest laptop (Dell Inspiron 600m) I was given by a coworker has an interesting situation that I couldn't figure out on my own.

The registry/hive is corrupt:
(The registry cannot load the hive(file):
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE)

Well a simple Google search shows tons of easy fixes for this problem...but the only one I see requires me to use the recovery console by booting from an XP cd. I try this and it immediately asks me for the Administrator Password.

Ok, I call my coworker, he gives me the password...it doesn't work, he tries several more, they don't work...HE CAN'T REMEMBER THE PASSWORD (I tried all the default possibilities I could think of admin, password, administrator, blank) It's a pain because after 3 attempts it makes you restart and you have to boot from CD again.

I say, OK time to reformat. But he's saying NO NO NO we can't reformat I need my files.

Any suggestions?

Thrax

http://icrontic.com/articles/windows_nt_password_recovery

Then proceed.

OR...

http://icrontic.com/articles/easy_data_recovery

Then reformat.

Davidoffbeat

Thanks for the quick response. I tried the password reset, and I made all the passwords blank, but its still asking me for a password and still saying wrong password if i leave it blank.

I may just HAVE to buy a 2.5" enclosure and transfer files to my computer and format, unless anyone else has any other ideas.