Tom's Hardware > Forum > Storage > Hard Disks > [Solved] Hard Drive Failed, URGENTLY need fixed, VERY IMPORTANT files on it

[Solved] Hard Drive Failed, URGENTLY need fixed, VERY IMPORTANT files on it

Forum Storage : Hard Disks - [Solved] Hard Drive Failed, URGENTLY need fixed, VERY IMPORTANT files on it

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Best answer from Zenthar.

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twisted31   11-12-2009 at 06:42:22 AM

I bought a new computer, and added my old hard drive, which was working fine, as a secondary hard drive on the new computer. I returned the old computer, but now my old hard drive wont work.

When i try to load windows, i get the error:

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate

I tried using the windows xp CD to see if theres any recovery options that could help, but im not able to get the "press any key to run from CD" to appear when i put the CD in. Also, cd drive is set as the 1st boot priority.

Can anyone help me retrieve the files from the hard drive, they are VERY VERY important.

Thank you.

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Best answer from Zenthar
If the new computer is trying to boot from the old hard drive, try to switch the HDD's SATA ports. Since it probably used to be your system drive, it contains a boot partition and if it is plugged into a SATA port with "higher boot priority" than your new drive, the system will try to boot from it. Boot priority can vary from board to board; some will try to boot from PATA first, then SATA and prioritize SATA drive with lower ID (ex: SATA1 before SATA3). If your MB has multiple SATA controllers, it might also prioritize the primary one before the secondary (usually, the SATA ports will have color coding to differenciate).

If all that fails, you can always try to use a Linux LiveCD to boot and copy files from one drive to the other and then simply remove the old drive.

If that doesn't work either, you can also try a USB HDD adapter like these. Just remove the old HDD, and plug the HDD using the USB adapter, I think you would see the HDD as a USB removable drive once Windows booted.
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rkulp   11-12-2009 at 09:04:57 AM

You returned the old computer or you returned the hard drive to the old computer?

Reply to rkulp
sub mesa   11-12-2009 at 12:58:34 PM

You contradict yourself. You say you added your old harddrive as secondary hard drive; but later you describe an error which you can only get if you try booting from that drive. With a secondary harddrive i assume you mean that the primary harddrive is the boot/system drive, and you boot windows and then access the (old) secondary drive via My Computer.

Have you tried this? You don't need the registery file i assume, you can just access the contents if you boot from another drive than this 'old' drive which you want to recover. Also, have you thought about making backups?

------------------------------ ...man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.
Reply to sub mesa
fazers_on_stun   11-12-2009 at 02:52:04 PM

^ +1. Just stick the old drive back in the new computer system and then copy the important files onto the boot drive in the new system. Then you can stick the old drive back into the old computer and attempt to boot, repair, reinstall the OS, etc.

Reply to fazers_on_stun
Zenthar   11-12-2009 at 03:03:01 PM
Best answer

If the new computer is trying to boot from the old hard drive, try to switch the HDD's SATA ports. Since it probably used to be your system drive, it contains a boot partition and if it is plugged into a SATA port with "higher boot priority" than your new drive, the system will try to boot from it. Boot priority can vary from board to board; some will try to boot from PATA first, then SATA and prioritize SATA drive with lower ID (ex: SATA1 before SATA3). If your MB has multiple SATA controllers, it might also prioritize the primary one before the secondary (usually, the SATA ports will have color coding to differenciate).

If all that fails, you can always try to use a Linux LiveCD to boot and copy files from one drive to the other and then simply remove the old drive.

If that doesn't work either, you can also try a USB HDD adapter like these. Just remove the old HDD, and plug the HDD using the USB adapter, I think you would see the HDD as a USB removable drive once Windows booted.

Reply to Zenthar
twisted31   11-12-2009 at 10:52:41 PM

No, the new computer booted from the hard drive that came with it, but when i returned the new computer, and used the old hard drive to boot on a different computer, it wouldn't work, and i cant find the files i need when i try going to my computer and opening up the hard drive

Reply to twisted31
sub mesa   11-12-2009 at 10:55:50 PM

Why wouldn't it work, did you get an error message? If you get an "access denied" error that's a software issue due to NTFS permissions, and can be corrected easily by claiming ownership of the files.

Please describe your issue more detailed if you want useful advise - right now all we can do is try to interpret you as best as we can but we cannot give any advise directly related to your problem.

------------------------------ ...man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.
Reply to sub mesa
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