Edit Registry without booting windows

[gerbilplane]

I need to edit the Windows Vista registry but Windows won't boot (that's why I need to edit the registry). How can I edit the registry from outside of Windows? I have Linux mint installed on another partition and I have tried chntpw but couldn't figure it out.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello gerbilplane, welcome to Vista Forums!





What is it you're trying to accomplish exactly, be specific?

 

[Dwarf]

Hi gerbilplane and welcome to Vista Forums

Have you tried Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)?

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88009-advanced-boot-options.html

 

[gerbilplane]

I am trying to follow the instructions found at How to restore the system/boot drive letter in Windows but my computer is stuck at the the boot screen saying "Windows failEd to start a recent hardware or software change might be the cause". I tried to automatically repair it using the installation disk but that didn't work.

 

[Dwarf]

I would try my suggestion. What happens when Windows boots is it makes a copy of the current registry data files. It only does this after a successful boot. This copy is not modified in any way in the current session. If changes are made to the registry during the current session, these are saved in the normal registry data files. When you next boot up, the system attempts to use these files, and, if it can, it boots up and makes a copy of them as described above. If it can't boot up, for whatever reason, this copy is not made. Of course, the earlier copy is still available, and it is this copy that is used when you select the option Last Known Good Configuration (advanced).

 

[gerbilplane]

I just tried pressing F8 but as soon as I hit enter to boot into windows from Grub it immediately goes to the screen "Windows failed to start a recent hardware or software change might be the cause" and tells me use the automatic boot repair but that doesn't find anything wrong.