Cannot Start Windows XP if the System or Software Hive is Missing or Damaged

When you try to start or restart your Windows XP-based computer, you may receive one of the following error messages:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}

The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate CAUSEThis issue can occur if the System or Software hive for the Windows XP installation is missing or damaged.

RESOLUTION:
To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Use the Recovery Console Tool:
To restore a damaged registry hive, use the Recovery Console to restore the backup copy of the hive from the Repair folder. The Repair folder contains a copy of the system's registry hives that were created after the first successful startup of Windows XP.

WARNING : Although data should not be affected by the following procedure, you may need to restore changes you previously made to programs or system settings since the first time you successfully started Windows XP.

To replace the damaged registry hive and restore the backup copy of the hive from the Repair folder:

Start your computer to the Recovery Console. Determine if the file that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article is present, and if it is, rename it:

In Recovery Console, change to the c:\Windows folder.

Type cd system32\config , and then press ENTER.

Type dir system , and then press ENTER.

If you cannot run the preceding command successfully (because the file is missing), skip to step 3. If you can run the preceding command successfully, type ren system system.bak , and then press ENTER.

NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace "system" with "software" in the preceding command. For example, you would type ren software software.bak (instead of ren system system.bak ), and then press ENTER.

Type copy c:\windows\repair\system , and then press ENTER.

NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace "system" with "software" in the preceding command. For example, you would type copy c:\windows\repair\software (instead of copy c:\windows\repair\system ), and then press ENTER.

You should receive a "One file copied" informational message.

Exit the Console and attempt to Boot up the computer

Out of office assistance in Outlook 2003 disabled

In Outlook2003, sometimes the “Out of office” assistant can get disabled?

When the menu Tools>Out of Office Assistant is clicked an error message is displayed:

“The command is not available. See the program documentation…”

Resolution

Outlook likes to disable add-in’s if it thinks it is causing a problem.

In Outlook go to Help, select > about Microsoft Outlook. Select disabled items. Out of office assistant is in the dialouge box, and enable it.

This should now allow to enable the Out Of Office assistance.

USB Drive does not show up in Windows

Sometimes when you plug in a USB drive into your computer, you will find that it does not appear in My Computer. There is no indication in windows that a USB device has been picked and sometimes there is no audible windows beep either. This can effect not only new USB drives but also existing USB drives that you may have used previosly without any issues.

To get round this try the following:

Click on Start> Control Panel> Administrative Tools> Computer Management>
You should see a list to the left, under the heading Storage you will see disk management. You will probably see your USB disk in this list, Right click on the disk and choose Change drive letters and path.

This will bring up the Change Drive Letters and Path Windows. Click on the Change button, and at the next window assign a letter such as 'O' for the USB drive.

The USB drive should now appear in my computer, when the USB drive is plugged the in USB port the next time.