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What CONFIG_LIST_FAILED means
Windows stores essential startup and security settings in registry hives. During boot, each top-level hive must load and be linked into the registry tree. With CONFIG_LIST_FAILED, a hive may have loaded successfully but Windows fails while linking it. The result is a stop error rather than an ordinary application crash.
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The affected hive can be one of four core files:
- SAM: local account and security-account information.
- SECURITY: local security policy data.
- SOFTWARE: installed-program and system configuration data.
- DEFAULT: default user-environment settings.
The bug check is identified as 0x00000073. The second parameter is an NT status code explaining why loading or linking failed. The other parameters can help identify the failing operation, so copy all four exactly instead of writing down only the headline.
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Parameter 2 values that are especially useful
| Parameter 2 | Meaning | What to investigate first |
|---|---|---|
0xC000017D |
STATUS_NO_LOG_SPACE |
Insufficient free space on the system drive, or another condition that prevents required registry/log allocation. |
0xC000009A |
STATUS_INSUFFICIENT_RESOURCES |
Failed pool allocation, memory pressure, defective RAM or a device/driver consuming resources. |
| Any other value | An NT status value that needs interpretation in the context of the failed boot | Record it and continue with the recovery sequence; do not assume the cause from the stop-code name alone. |
A parameter value is evidence about the failure, not a guarantee of the physical cause. For example, a resource status can result from a driver or hardware problem as well as from ordinary low-memory conditions.
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Do these checks before repairing XP
1. Photograph or transcribe the complete blue screen
Write down STOP: 0x00000073 and each value shown in parentheses. Parameter 2 is the priority clue, but retaining parameters 1, 3 and 4 lets a technician distinguish a registry-linking failure from a secondary symptom. Also note whether the error appeared after a restart, a hardware installation, a driver change or a power interruption.
2. Decide whether the files on the XP drive matter
If the computer contains photos, saved games, documents or other irreplaceable data, make copying those files the first objective. Repeated boots, disk repairs and an installation repair can make a failing drive worse or remove the only usable copy. Do not begin a clean installation until the data has been copied elsewhere.
3. Disconnect recent additions
Turn the computer off and disconnect newly installed USB devices, expansion cards and other hardware that was added shortly before the first crash. Leave the keyboard, mouse and display connected. A recently installed device or an incompatible driver can trigger a blue screen; removing the device is reversible and gives you a useful test.
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| Option | Can run if XP will not boot? | Original XP media required? | File-preservation likelihood | Reversibility and risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Mode | Often, if the failure occurs after basic startup | No | High; it changes nothing until you choose an action | Fully reversible |
| Last Known Good Configuration | Yes, from the Advanced Boot Options menu | No | High; it restores the last working driver and service configuration | Reversible, but it cannot undo every registry or disk problem |
| System Restore | Usually from Safe Mode; availability depends on existing restore points | No | Usually high for personal files, but installed software and settings can roll back | Reversible only within the restore process |
| External file copy | Yes, because the drive is read from another computer | No | Highest for files that can still be read | Most reversible; requires a compatible enclosure or adapter |
| XP repair installation | Yes, by booting compatible installation media | Yes | Can preserve data when successful, but is more invasive | Less reversible; back up first |
| Clean installation | Yes, with installation media | Yes | Low unless data was copied first | Most destructive; last resort |
Step-by-step fix sequence
1. Try Last Known Good Configuration
- Power on or restart the XP computer.
- Immediately press F8 repeatedly before the Windows logo appears.
- On Advanced Boot Options, select Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked) and press Enter.
- Allow the machine to boot without reconnecting hardware you removed.
This option uses the last configuration that successfully started Windows, including the previous driver and service state. If XP starts, remove or roll back the change that preceded the crash rather than repeatedly selecting Last Known Good.
2. Try Safe Mode
- Restart and press F8 to open Advanced Boot Options.
- Select Safe Mode. Use Safe Mode with Networking only if you specifically need network access; basic Safe Mode is preferable for diagnosis.
- If Windows reaches the desktop, do not immediately install updates or new drivers. First copy important files to another disk.
- Open My Computer, right-click the system drive (normally
C:), choose Properties, and check available free space.
Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers. A successful Safe Mode boot points toward a normal-startup driver, service or recently installed device, although it does not prove the registry is healthy.
3. Free space on the system drive
Low free space is a documented CONFIG_LIST_FAILED cause when parameter 2 is 0xC000017D. If Safe Mode works, move large personal files to another disk, uninstall software you no longer need through Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs, and empty temporary locations only after checking their contents. Keep the files you may need for recovery, including driver installers and saved data.
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Restart after creating adequate working space. If the blue screen returns, lack of space may have been a symptom rather than the only cause; continue with the remaining checks.
4. Use System Restore when a restore point exists
- Boot into Safe Mode.
- Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.
- Select Restore my computer to an earlier time.
- Choose a restore point from before the first CONFIG_LIST_FAILED crash and follow the wizard.
- Restart normally and test the computer before reconnecting removed hardware.
System Restore can roll back system files, drivers, registry settings and installed-program changes. It is not a substitute for copying personal files, and it cannot repair a physically failing drive.
5. Check the drive and the file system
Registry hives are files on the system drive. Corruption caused by an abrupt shutdown, bad sectors or a failing disk can prevent a hive from being read or linked. If XP will boot far enough to run maintenance, use only utilities that support the XP installation and its recovery environment. If you use the XP Recovery Console from installation media, select the existing Windows installation and run the disk check appropriate to that environment, following its prompts rather than applying Windows 10 instructions.
Stop if the drive makes repeated clicking noises, disappears from the BIOS, reports severe read errors or causes the computer to freeze during every scan. Those signs call for data recovery before additional repair attempts.
6. Test memory and recently changed hardware
0xC000009A indicates insufficient resources and can accompany a failed pool allocation. Defective RAM, a poorly seated module or a newly installed card can produce the same apparent registry failure. Power the computer off, disconnect AC power, and, if you are comfortable working inside the case, reseat memory and recently installed cards. Test one memory module at a time with a diagnostic that can run in the XP recovery environment.
Do not change several components at once. A single change followed by a boot test gives you a way to identify the part that affects the failure. If the computer becomes less stable during testing, stop and preserve the data rather than continuing to force boots.
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7. Roll back a driver or software change
If the crash started after a driver or system utility installation and Safe Mode works, open Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs and remove the recently added software. For a device driver, use Device Manager to inspect the affected device and, where available, choose the driver rollback option. Restart after each controlled change.
Do not download a random driver package merely because its name resembles the device. XP drivers are hardware- and edition-specific, and an incompatible package can turn a bootable system into a repeat failure.
Recover files when XP will not start
Use another computer and a compatible enclosure
When Safe Mode, Last Known Good and System Restore all fail, copy the data before attempting an installation repair. Shut the XP computer down, remove its hard drive, and connect it to a working computer through a SATA-to-USB 2.5-inch hard-drive enclosure if that matches the drive.
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- Connect the drive to the working computer and wait for it to appear in Disk Management or File Explorer.
- Copy user folders and any application data you need to a separate healthy disk. Do not move files back onto the failing drive during this step.
- If Windows asks to format the disk, cancel. Formatting destroys the file-system structures you are trying to preserve.
- Safely eject the drive before disconnecting it.
If the drive is not detected, repeatedly disconnects, or produces read errors, do not initialize or format it. The problem may be physical rather than a registry-only failure, and further write activity can reduce the chance of recovery.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Repair installation from an XP CD
Use this path only after backing up important data and confirming that you have a compatible Windows XP installation disc. The disc must be appropriate for the installed XP edition; recovery screens and available options can vary between media.
- Insert the XP installation disc and restart the computer.
- Boot from the optical drive when prompted. If no prompt appears, use the computer’s boot-device key or BIOS settings to select the CD/DVD drive.
- Start Windows Setup and wait for it to detect the existing XP installation.
- Choose the on-screen option to repair the existing installation, not the option that creates a new installation. Read each screen carefully because the first repair-related prompt may open the Recovery Console rather than begin an in-place repair.
- Allow Setup to replace damaged system components and restart as requested. Do not interrupt the process.
A repair installation can preserve files when it completes successfully, but it is not guaranteed to fix a damaged registry hive or a failing disk. You may need to reactivate Windows or reinstall some updates and drivers afterward. If Setup cannot read the drive or repeatedly fails, stop rather than repeatedly retrying the same operation.
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When a clean installation is the only remaining option
A clean installation removes the existing Windows environment and can erase the system volume. Consider it only after external copying has recovered the files and hardware checks give you confidence that the drive and memory are reliable. Confirm that you have installation media, product information and XP-compatible drivers before proceeding.
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If the drive itself is failing, reinstalling XP will not solve the underlying hardware problem. A new installation on a defective disk may boot briefly and then develop more errors, while also making recovery of the old files harder.
Do not apply modern Windows instructions blindly
Many current troubleshooting pages describe Windows 10 or newer features such as Settings-based recovery, Automatic Repair, Reset, DISM workflows and modern driver-update paths. Windows XP does not provide those menus or the same recovery architecture. The general ideas—check system files, inspect the disk, examine drivers and test hardware—can be useful, but the commands and screens must be replaced with XP-compatible ones.
In particular, do not interpret a Windows 10 guide as proof that DISM, Reset or Automatic Repair is available on XP. Use the XP F8 menu, XP System Restore, XP installation media and utilities that explicitly run in the XP environment.
How to decide what the stop screen is telling you
- Parameter 2 is
0xC000017Dand the system drive is nearly full: free space first, then retry Last Known Good or Safe Mode. - Parameter 2 is
0xC000009Aand the crash followed a hardware change: disconnect the new device, reseat components if safe, and test memory. - The computer boots in Safe Mode but not normally: focus on drivers, services and recent software rather than immediately reinstalling XP.
- No boot option works but the drive is readable externally: copy files, then attempt a repair installation if you have compatible media.
- The drive is not readable externally or fails every scan: treat it as a storage-hardware problem and prioritize professional data recovery over registry repairs.
Keep a written log of each change and its result. That prevents repeating a failed step and gives a repair technician the parameter values, hardware history and recovery attempts needed to choose the next action.
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