If you have read my other posts then you know whats going on. If you havent
here is a re-cap.

I had a Cd drive(Liteon) the was going bad after 5 years so I replaced it
with another (Liteon). I did not remove the drive from my remove hardware I
just took it out and put in the new one.(Yes I should have unistalled it but
I forgot) I also cleaned up some files with Internet Eraser and cleaned out
my prefetch folder.(Yes I know the debate about the prefech folder and I
don't do it that often) Anyhow I rebooted...computer installed the new drive
and everything seemed ok. I then updated NERO with their in program
updater....this took almost 12 hrs to do...it was running so slow. I couldent
even cancel the update it wouldent let me. I surfed the net for awhile and
before I went to sleep I checked MS Live One Care(I used Norton for years but
it was a resource PIG) MS One Care last week found 3 trogans and quaranteened
them...I tried to repair them...no luck so MS One Care suggested deleting
them....So I did. Next morning I checked computer and it said it could not
install the NERO update. So I restarted the computer to see if NERO was ok
and thats when I got the "Windows can not start because a system\32\config
file can not be found"

Recovery consol won't fix the problem...can't restore to last good known
setting...the system was XP Pro...SP2....MSI MB..1024 ram...hardware raid 2+0
on maxtor diamondmax plus drives. One other Maxtor drive in the same
system...used as a backup. All 3 will not show up in another computer...and I
am still dead in the water....If someone can HELP...I am all ears.

Thank You

Mike

> "Windows can not start because a system\32\config file can not be found"

What is the EXACT error? Does is say anything about
c:\windows\system32\config\SYSTEM or
c:\windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE?

Pls be specific in order for help.

When in Recovery Console, have you tried a CHKDSK /p c: to check the drive?
Does it show any errors?

Have your tried to boot in SAFE MODE?


"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:70CC034A-C782-4E31-99DB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> If you have read my other posts then you know whats going on. If you
> havent
> here is a re-cap.
>
> I had a Cd drive(Liteon) the was going bad after 5 years so I replaced it
> with another (Liteon). I did not remove the drive from my remove hardware
> I
> just took it out and put in the new one.(Yes I should have unistalled it
> but
> I forgot) I also cleaned up some files with Internet Eraser and cleaned
> out
> my prefetch folder.(Yes I know the debate about the prefech folder and I
> don't do it that often) Anyhow I rebooted...computer installed the new
> drive
> and everything seemed ok. I then updated NERO with their in program
> updater....this took almost 12 hrs to do...it was running so slow. I
> couldent
> even cancel the update it wouldent let me. I surfed the net for awhile and
> before I went to sleep I checked MS Live One Care(I used Norton for years
> but
> it was a resource PIG) MS One Care last week found 3 trogans and
> quaranteened
> them...I tried to repair them...no luck so MS One Care suggested deleting
> them....So I did. Next morning I checked computer and it said it could not
> install the NERO update. So I restarted the computer to see if NERO was ok
> and thats when I got the "Windows can not start because a system\32\config
> file can not be found"
>
> Recovery consol won't fix the problem...can't restore to last good known
> setting...the system was XP Pro...SP2....MSI MB..1024 ram...hardware raid
> 2+0
> on maxtor diamondmax plus drives. One other Maxtor drive in the same
> system...used as a backup. All 3 will not show up in another
> computer...and I
> am still dead in the water....If someone can HELP...I am all ears.
>
> Thank You
>
> Mike
>
>

have you tried bootg
up with emergency boot disks
and then fdisk and format the drives?


"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:70CC034A-C782-4E31-99DB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> If you have read my other posts then you know whats going on. If you
> havent
> here is a re-cap.
>
> I had a Cd drive(Liteon) the was going bad after 5 years so I replaced it
> with another (Liteon). I did not remove the drive from my remove hardware
> I
> just took it out and put in the new one.(Yes I should have unistalled it
> but
> I forgot) I also cleaned up some files with Internet Eraser and cleaned
> out
> my prefetch folder.(Yes I know the debate about the prefech folder and I
> don't do it that often) Anyhow I rebooted...computer installed the new
> drive
> and everything seemed ok. I then updated NERO with their in program
> updater....this took almost 12 hrs to do...it was running so slow. I
> couldent
> even cancel the update it wouldent let me. I surfed the net for awhile and
> before I went to sleep I checked MS Live One Care(I used Norton for years
> but
> it was a resource PIG) MS One Care last week found 3 trogans and
> quaranteened
> them...I tried to repair them...no luck so MS One Care suggested deleting
> them....So I did. Next morning I checked computer and it said it could not
> install the NERO update. So I restarted the computer to see if NERO was ok
> and thats when I got the "Windows can not start because a system\32\config
> file can not be found"
>
> Recovery consol won't fix the problem...can't restore to last good known
> setting...the system was XP Pro...SP2....MSI MB..1024 ram...hardware raid
> 2+0
> on maxtor diamondmax plus drives. One other Maxtor drive in the same
> system...used as a backup. All 3 will not show up in another
> computer...and I
> am still dead in the water....If someone can HELP...I am all ears.
>
> Thank You
>
> Mike
>
>

Hello NewScience

Error says windows can not start because windows\system32\config is corrupt
or missing files. I tried Chkdsk \R and the computer goes thru it's thing
then I reboot to the same message as above. I tried safe mode that diden't
work....tried last known good config.....that did not help either. I am stuck
because I need to get the files out of My Documents. Word files Pics and
stuff.

Any other suggestions????

Thank you
Mike

"NewScience" wrote:

> > "Windows can not start because a system\32\config file can not be found"
>
> What is the EXACT error? Does is say anything about
> c:\windows\system32\config\SYSTEM or
> c:\windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE?
>
> Pls be specific in order for help.
>
> When in Recovery Console, have you tried a CHKDSK /p c: to check the drive?
> Does it show any errors?
>
> Have your tried to boot in SAFE MODE?
>
>
> "mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:70CC034A-C782-4E31-99DB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > If you have read my other posts then you know whats going on. If you
> > havent
> > here is a re-cap.
> >
> > I had a Cd drive(Liteon) the was going bad after 5 years so I replaced it
> > with another (Liteon). I did not remove the drive from my remove hardware
> > I
> > just took it out and put in the new one.(Yes I should have unistalled it
> > but
> > I forgot) I also cleaned up some files with Internet Eraser and cleaned
> > out
> > my prefetch folder.(Yes I know the debate about the prefech folder and I
> > don't do it that often) Anyhow I rebooted...computer installed the new
> > drive
> > and everything seemed ok. I then updated NERO with their in program
> > updater....this took almost 12 hrs to do...it was running so slow. I
> > couldent
> > even cancel the update it wouldent let me. I surfed the net for awhile and
> > before I went to sleep I checked MS Live One Care(I used Norton for years
> > but
> > it was a resource PIG) MS One Care last week found 3 trogans and
> > quaranteened
> > them...I tried to repair them...no luck so MS One Care suggested deleting
> > them....So I did. Next morning I checked computer and it said it could not
> > install the NERO update. So I restarted the computer to see if NERO was ok
> > and thats when I got the "Windows can not start because a system\32\config
> > file can not be found"
> >
> > Recovery consol won't fix the problem...can't restore to last good known
> > setting...the system was XP Pro...SP2....MSI MB..1024 ram...hardware raid
> > 2+0
> > on maxtor diamondmax plus drives. One other Maxtor drive in the same
> > system...used as a backup. All 3 will not show up in another
> > computer...and I
> > am still dead in the water....If someone can HELP...I am all ears.
> >
> > Thank You
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
>
>
>

I would like to get the files out of My Documents before I fdisc the drives.
Is there a way to reinstall XP without formating the drives?

Thank You
Mike

"DatabaseBen" wrote:

> have you tried bootg
> up with emergency boot disks
> and then fdisk and format the drives?
>
>
> "mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:70CC034A-C782-4E31-99DB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > If you have read my other posts then you know whats going on. If you
> > havent
> > here is a re-cap.
> >
> > I had a Cd drive(Liteon) the was going bad after 5 years so I replaced it
> > with another (Liteon). I did not remove the drive from my remove hardware
> > I
> > just took it out and put in the new one.(Yes I should have unistalled it
> > but
> > I forgot) I also cleaned up some files with Internet Eraser and cleaned
> > out
> > my prefetch folder.(Yes I know the debate about the prefech folder and I
> > don't do it that often) Anyhow I rebooted...computer installed the new
> > drive
> > and everything seemed ok. I then updated NERO with their in program
> > updater....this took almost 12 hrs to do...it was running so slow. I
> > couldent
> > even cancel the update it wouldent let me. I surfed the net for awhile and
> > before I went to sleep I checked MS Live One Care(I used Norton for years
> > but
> > it was a resource PIG) MS One Care last week found 3 trogans and
> > quaranteened
> > them...I tried to repair them...no luck so MS One Care suggested deleting
> > them....So I did. Next morning I checked computer and it said it could not
> > install the NERO update. So I restarted the computer to see if NERO was ok
> > and thats when I got the "Windows can not start because a system\32\config
> > file can not be found"
> >
> > Recovery consol won't fix the problem...can't restore to last good known
> > setting...the system was XP Pro...SP2....MSI MB..1024 ram...hardware raid
> > 2+0
> > on maxtor diamondmax plus drives. One other Maxtor drive in the same
> > system...used as a backup. All 3 will not show up in another
> > computer...and I
> > am still dead in the water....If someone can HELP...I am all ears.
> >
> > Thank You
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
>
>
>

Hiya,

"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:65F46B07-7947-48BE-A73C-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I would like to get the files out of My Documents before I fdisc the drives.
> Is there a way to reinstall XP without formating the drives?

You bet - very handy.
It's called a REPAIR install - you need the CD and the license key.

Boot from your Win CD (may have to Press a KEY to boot from CD)

Then choose Install Windows
do NOT choose the Repair CONSOLE.
(the first "R" choice)

When it searches for previously installed Windows,
it should find your old installation and give you the option to
REPAIR install (the SECOND "R" choice.)
You will have to enter the License KEY.

If it does NOT give you a REPAIR option there - then that method does NOT work, and you may have to do a FRESH install.

If you want to do a FRESH install of WIndows, and NOT delete everything -
then Boot from another device (e.g. BartPE *) and rename
Windows folder to Win.OLD
Documents and Settings folder to Docs.OLD

That will ensure all old files are NOT deleted.
Then you just install a new Windows to C:\Windows

Then, try and recover docs from the Docs.OLD

* Boot from another device -
somehow, you have to access the drive and CHANGE folder names - there are several ways to do this:
.. BartPE - a MUST have disk for techies
.. Win98 boot floppy - will work ONLY IF the drive is FAT32
.. move the hard drive to ANOTHER PC as a spare drive

Good luck

Q.

2 Days before, I was replacing RAM for one of computer and when I turn it on
I received this error. Then I Google from another computer about this error
and found a solution which fix the problem for me and that was using Recovery
Console. For the Recovery Console, I just copy some corruptted files from a
Repair folder and that fix the problem. Goto the following link and read
"Manual Steps to Recover...."

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

If that doesn't work for you then I will suggest you to put your hard disk
on another working PC and backup your data first.

Hope this help, let us know!


--
Tip of The Day
=========
Create a Folder in My Computer. Learn how at:

http://www.mindurbrain.zippyfreehost.com/


"mike" wrote:

> I would like to get the files out of My Documents before I fdisc the drives.
> Is there a way to reinstall XP without formating the drives?
>
> Thank You
> Mike
>
> "DatabaseBen" wrote:
>
> > have you tried bootg
> > up with emergency boot disks
> > and then fdisk and format the drives?
> >
> >
> > "mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:70CC034A-C782-4E31-99DB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > If you have read my other posts then you know whats going on. If you
> > > havent
> > > here is a re-cap.
> > >
> > > I had a Cd drive(Liteon) the was going bad after 5 years so I replaced it
> > > with another (Liteon). I did not remove the drive from my remove hardware
> > > I
> > > just took it out and put in the new one.(Yes I should have unistalled it
> > > but
> > > I forgot) I also cleaned up some files with Internet Eraser and cleaned
> > > out
> > > my prefetch folder.(Yes I know the debate about the prefech folder and I
> > > don't do it that often) Anyhow I rebooted...computer installed the new
> > > drive
> > > and everything seemed ok. I then updated NERO with their in program
> > > updater....this took almost 12 hrs to do...it was running so slow. I
> > > couldent
> > > even cancel the update it wouldent let me. I surfed the net for awhile and
> > > before I went to sleep I checked MS Live One Care(I used Norton for years
> > > but
> > > it was a resource PIG) MS One Care last week found 3 trogans and
> > > quaranteened
> > > them...I tried to repair them...no luck so MS One Care suggested deleting
> > > them....So I did. Next morning I checked computer and it said it could not
> > > install the NERO update. So I restarted the computer to see if NERO was ok
> > > and thats when I got the "Windows can not start because a system\32\config
> > > file can not be found"
> > >
> > > Recovery consol won't fix the problem...can't restore to last good known
> > > setting...the system was XP Pro...SP2....MSI MB..1024 ram...hardware raid
> > > 2+0
> > > on maxtor diamondmax plus drives. One other Maxtor drive in the same
> > > system...used as a backup. All 3 will not show up in another
> > > computer...and I
> > > am still dead in the water....If someone can HELP...I am all ears.
> > >
> > > Thank You
> > >
> > > Mike
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >