Stop error on installation

[cfrederi]

I bought a new HD and installed it. I then formatted both my old HD and the newer one. I then reinstalled Windows 2000 Server. Installation went fine but on initial startup I get the following stop error:

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The registry cannot load the hive(file)
\SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternate
It is corrupt, absent or not writable.

I have tried reformatting the HD's again same problem. I have been able to install Win98 but when I tried using the update the same thing happened. I installed WinME and tried to update but again the same thing happened. I even tried to install a trial version of Win2K pro but got the same stop error. I don't want to go back to Win98 or WinME.

System as follows:
Asus A7V133 MB
AMD Athalon 900Mhz
512 Mb 133 SDRAM
NEW HD-Seagate 30Gb 7200RPM
OLD HD- IBM 13.1Gb 7200RPM
Creative 52x CD-ROM
Sony 10x4x32 CD-RW
Toshiba 3.5 Floppy
1 Partition on NEW HD at 1964Mb everything else is clean even checked with scandisk and Partition Magic. Any help would be appriciated.

[mgrob]

Have you tried deleting all partitions and creating new ones (with other sizes of the partitions if possible) There could be a partition/FAT problem at one of your drives.
If your system is overclocked, try installing at original cpu/fsb speed.