For any Windows users seeing the blue screen fatal error is something we all dread. If this occurs as a result of registry changes then corrective maintenance is relatively straightforward. The following steps detail a sequence of repairs to attempt along with a Reimage review. This software is suggested as a last resort repair solution if all steps fail.
I recently started to clear down an XP old laptop of unused applications using the recommended ‘add/remove programs’ application in the Control Panel. After a reboot the laptop threw up a blue screen fatal error with a message stating the registry could not load the hive (a grouping of registry keys associated with a user).
Some research online pointed to the issue being due to important registry keys being removed as a resulted of the application changes I had made. In order to remedy this, rather than reinstall Windows, I collated the following steps which other forum users had recommended.
- Try logging in as a different user. If the hive is corrupted for one user then other accounts may work. If successful then just create a new user account.
- If Windows fails to start correctly for any user then attempt starting in safe-mode. Once logged in, either revert the registry back to an old back up copy or use PC maintenance software to analyze & repair the registry.
- If all else fails, start Windows using the boot disks and run any of the system checks available (virus scans, check disk, etc).
In my circumstance, Windows repeatedly showed the blue screen error though it was worth trying these steps as they had worked for other users.
I turned to Reimage software to finally complete my repairs. The application started Windows from a boot disk and analyzed the computer for issues. The scan report highlighted over 20 issues with the registry hive which it was able to repair in about 30 minutes.
Registry repairs are certainly non-trivial issues to resolve. The key lesson should be that maintaining backup copies of the registry is an important regular maintenance task to complete. Thankfully, if all else fails then there is plenty of software that can complete the corrective maintenance.
