NTSTATUS 0xC000015C (STATUS_NOT_REGISTRY

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: The file supplied for registry load or restore is not a valid hive file.

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STATUS_LOGON_TYPE_NOT_GRANTED	STATUS_NT_CROSS_ENCRYPTION_REQUIRED

STATUS_NOT_REGISTRY_FILE

A text export, wrong file, or malformed binary image was supplied

Registry load and restore APIs expect a binary hive in the appropriate registry file format. A Registry Editor .reg export, an arbitrary configuration file, a compressed backup, or a truncated hive is not interchangeable with that format.

Confirm both provenance and intended API. RegLoadKey mounts a hive below HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_USERS, whereas RegRestoreKey replaces the contents below an already opened key. Passing the right file to the wrong workflow can be as damaging as passing an invalid file.

What to inspect

Verify the file came from RegSaveKey, a system-state backup, or an equivalent trusted source.
Do not rename a .reg export and treat it as a hive.
Check file size, transfer integrity, and whether the backup was decompressed.
Test restoration on an offline copy before touching a production hive.

References

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