Unable to load the specified offline registry hive when rejoining the domain

Question

I have a Windows Server 2008 R2 Ent member server that we needed to clone. So we removed it from the domain, cloned it, and when we went back to join it to the domain it we get a error:  
The Following error occurred attempting to join the domain:   Unable to load the specified offline registry hive. Please ensure you have access to the specified path location and permissions to modify its contents. Running as an elevated administrator
may be required.
There is nothing in event viewer and no other error message then this. I can look at my domain controller and i do see a computer object is created but its like the member server either never gets the message that its done or it can't write to the registry.
I've disabled the firewall. I've tried to verify permission in regedit, to the best i know, and i still get this error.
We have also tried multiple local user accounts, multiple domain admin accounts, renamed the server, changed the workgroup its in. even ran a few registry cleaners.
Nothing works.  I need help since this server has to be online 6am Monday morning.

Answer 1

Hi,
To add the local administrators in the User Rights assignments
1) Start>Run>gpedit.msc
2) Computer Configuration>Windows Settings>Security Settings>Local Policies>User Rights Assignments
3) Double click  on Back up files and directories and add the Administrators.
4) Double click  on Restore files and directories and add the Administrators.
5) Close  the window and reboot the machine.
6) Try to add the machine to the domain.
If  the issue persist, Reset the security database.
1) Open MMC
2) Add Security Configuration and Analysis tool
3) Right click Security Configuration and Analysis in the left pane
4) Select open database
5) In the new database, type in secnew.sdb, click ok.
6) Select setup defltbase.inf as the template to import from C:\Windows\inf, click ok.
7) Rightclick Security Configuration and Analysis in the left pane again
8) Select configure computer
9) Reboot the machine.
10) Try adding the machine to the domain.
Hope this helps!
Best Regards
Elytis Cheng
Elytis Cheng
TechNet Community Support
By the way folks, this is the FIX that worked for me.  No need to go re-installing the OS
Paul E Coz