Windows NT 3.51 Regedt32 Fails to Load a Hive from WinNT 4.0

 Last reviewed: December 31, 1997
Article ID: Q166897
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

If you use Registry Editor to load a registry hive from a later version of Microsoft Windows NT than you are currently using, the following error message may appear: 

   Registry Editor could not load the key

CAUSE

The registry format supported by the older Registry Editor may not be compatible with registry files from newer releases of Windows NT. As a result, registry files from newer releases of the operating system may not be edited with older versions.

However, newer versions of Windows NT and Registry Editor are compatible with older versions of Windows NT registry files.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Not that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

  1. While logged on as an administrator, copy the registry file to a floppy disk.

    Note: This will only work if the file is small enough to fit on the floppy disk.

    For Example, COPY %Winnt%\System32\Config\System to a floppy disk.

  2. Take the floppy disk to another computer running the same or higher version of Windows NT.

  3. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and select the following subkey: 

          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/

  4. Click Load Hive from the Registry menu.

  5. Type a temporary name for the hive you are loading.

  6. Make the necessary changes to the registry hive.

  7. Select the temporary name of the registry hive and click Unload Hive from the Registry menu.

  8. Rename the existing registry file on the source system to a different name.

  9. Copy the edited version of the registry file to the source system's original directory and filename.

For additional information, please consult the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165748
   TITLE     : How to Disable a Service or Device that Prevents NT from
               Booting

Additional query words: nt registry
Keywords : nthowto ntregistry ntsetup NTSrvWkst kbsetup
Version : WinNT:3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb
Solution Type : kbworkaround

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Last reviewed: December 31, 1997
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