SAM's corruption

[Black Fox]

My registery decided it'd have a bit of fun with me and failed displaying this > Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE

to cut it short I sorted the problem with this http://social.answers.microsoft.com/...d-03a97e3548f4

but the last step never worked:

copy c:\windows\tmp\software c:\windows\system32\config\software

copy c:\windows\tmp\system c:\windows\system32\config\system

copy c:\windows\tmp\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam

copy c:\windows\tmp\security c:\windows\system32\config\security

copy c:\windows\tmp\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

so i tried again but this time only with the "sam" line and that didnt work so i copied sam back to were it was supposed to be (from recovery) I then started my computer up without using safe mode and it came up with a security error I pressed enter and it turns off and starts again. so i went back to the recovery console and now my computer has changed the password (which was blank before all i had to do was press enter) so now im locked out of the system need help ASAP +rep for anyone that can help, thanks

[GrnEyedDvl]

You can reset passwords using a tool like this. Its basically a tool that just edits the SAM entry in the windows\system32\config folder.

I dont advise messing with the registry for most people. The easiest way to fix this is to boot in safe mode then do a system restore to a date when you know the machine booted properly.

[atraps]

You can reset passwords using a tool like this. Its basically a tool that just edits the SAM entry in the windows\system32\config folder.

I've used that before, but I could never get it to work.

OP you can also try Ophcrack if the program GED suggested doesn't work.