Security ID Error

[Guest_imported]

Hey guys, I really need help with this. I get this error screen whenever I try to load up Windows 2000: "Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: The security ID structure is invalid. Error Status 0xc0000078. Please click OK to shutdown this system and reboot into Safe Mode, check the event log for more detailed information" Well, I have rebooted, rebooted in safe mode, rebooted in last known configuration, let it sit for a while, etc.... and it will not let us in. Safe mode gives us the same error screen. If any has any advice it will be greatly appreciated. An error # I got from an error sheet was 8504. I didn't do anything to cause this except restart.

Thanks, Billie

 

[jahlmer]

First, go back to Last Known Good and make sure you press L instead of just enter on "Default Profile"...

See if you have an ERD, even from the first boot. If not, try to access your hard disk using a Win98 startup disk (if it's FAT or FAT32, not NTFS) and copy/rename the "sam" file in winnt\system32\repair in place of the winnt\system32\config (after renaming the one in the destination folder, of course). Or, try what's in this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q269/0/75.ASP

This is as a semi-last resort:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q292/1/75.ASP

And, to learn from the experience, check this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q301/6/45.ASP

 

[Guest_imported]

Hey Jahlmer,

I can't even get into Last Known Good Configuration. The error comes up no matter which safe mode that I try to enter.

"Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: The security ID structure is invalid. Error Status 0xc0000078. Please click OK to shutdown this system and reboot into Safe Mode, check the event log for more detailed information"

That is the exact message that I have. I have 2 hard drives: A 20gb and a 60gb. I CANNOT lose the information on the 60gb. If I cannot find a solution, and if it comes to this, could I unplug the 60gb, reinstall win2000 on the 20, then plug up the 60gb back on the mobo and lose none of its information without having to format it?
Thanks so much for your help,

Billie

 

[jahlmer]

Well, the 60gb drive should be safe, granted the OS is installed on the 20gb. I know you can't get into last known good, but what I was saying is make sure you're doing it properly, because it is a common mistake to miss the instructions to press L on one of the screens. If you want you can disconnect the 60gb (of course safe), and reload on the 20gb, depending on what you have to lose. Do note that after the install, the disk will be 'foreign' if it was a dynamic disk, and you have to import it. Anyways, good luck. And again, do you have an ERD? And a win98 startup disk? Is your partition ntfs or fat? And are you willing to use the Recovery Console? (in that article above).

 

[Guest_imported]

Jahlmer, sorry, but I don't know what ERD stands for. I have a win98 startup disk and the partitions are NTSF. If need be, and there are no options, I am willing to use the recovery console.

Thanks.

 

[jahlmer]

ERD = Emergency Repair Disk .. Try to use the article above to walk through the Recovery Console. If that doesn't work, try to upgrade the OS onto itself by going through setup again. May I ask what kind of server you are using?

Jahlmer