Microsoft KB Archive/925800

Knowledge Base

When you install Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, the installation process backs up registry subtrees

Article ID: 925800

Article Last Modified on 10/24/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, when used with:
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)

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INTRODUCTION

The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM registry subtrees are backed up when you install Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1). This article discusses how to restore these subtrees.

MORE INFORMATION

The Windows Server 2003 SP1 installation process backs up the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM subtrees to the following files in the %windir%\System32\Config directory:

• System.sp
• Software.sp

You can use these files to restore the registry subtrees if they are corrupted and no other backup option is available.

For example, when a Windows Server 2003 SP1-based installation process fails, the rollback process may also fail. In this case, start the Windows system to the Recovery Console, and then use the subtree backup files to replace the corrupted registry subtrees.

To replace corrupted registry subtrees, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows Server 2003 CD into the CD drive, and then restart the computer.
2. When you receive a "Press any key to boot from CD" message, press any key to start the computer from the CD that you inserted in step 1.
   
   Note The computer must be configured to start from the CD drive. For more information about how to configure the computer to start from the CD drive, see the computer documentation, or contact the computer manufacturer.
3. When you receive the following messages on the Welcome to Setup page, press R:

   This portion of the Setup program prepares Windows Server 2003 to run on your computer:
   To setup Windows Server 2003 now, press ENTER
   To repair a Windows Server 2003 installation using Recovery Console, press R
   To quit Setup without installing Windows Server 2003, press F3

4. If you have a dual-boot system or a multiple-boot system, select the operating system that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
5. Type the Administrator password when you are prompted for a password.
6. Run the following command from the Recovery Console to change the current working directory:

   cd %windir%\system32\config\

7. Run the following commands to rename the corrupted registry subtrees:

   ren System System.bad

   ren Software Software.bad

8. Run the following commands to rename the backup registry subtrees:

   ren System.sp System

   ren Software.sp Software

9. Restart the computer.

The Windows Server 2003 SP1 installation process backs up the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM subtrees based on the status of the system before you applied Windows Server 2003 SP1. The backup process does not check for any corruption in the registry subtrees. Therefore, if a subtree was corrupted before you installed Windows Server 2003 SP1, the corruption is present in the backup files.

For more information about how to use the Recovery Console, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_run_console.mspx?mfr=true

Keywords: kbexpertiseinter kbhowto kbinfo KB925800

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