I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.

I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E: partitions.

By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data on the
D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a good
idea?

What's 307545.exe? Are you referring to KB307545?

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from
starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


RogerC wrote:
> I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
> seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.
>
> I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
> HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E:
> partitions.
>
> By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data on the
> D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a
> good idea?

On May 29, 8:54*am, RogerC <Rog...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
> seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.
>
> I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
> HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E: partitions.
>
> By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data on the
> D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a good
> idea?

That is usually an incorrect (and sadly) a very popular assumption,
but you can certainly try KB307545 if you want. The usual consequence
of "trying" things are whatever you try will not work, you waste a lot
of time, ou get frustrated, you make a simple problem worse or
completely unfixable.

Many XP startup error message with no boot situations report missing
or corrupt files and in spite of what the message says, the files are
hardly every really missing or corrupt - XP just can't find them and
does the best it can with the error message. If they are really
missing, just replace them.

A missing or corrupt hal.dll is another example. Folks will fret and
fuss all day long trying to figure out how to replace their "missing
or corrupt" hal.dll and the fact of the matter is the file is not
missing or corrupt at all. It takes about 30 seconds these things
99.9% of the time - if you can get to it before folks applying advice
that begins with words like try, maybe, could be, might be,
possibly....

I have fixed or help fix the problem that brings about that error
message 100+ times and never used KB307545 to do it.

I have never reinstalled XP to fix this problem - or any other problem
for that matter. Never.

If you have a power interruption, aborted restart, ungraceful
shutdown, used your power button or did some plug pulling on your
system, your file system is likely corrupted.

Did any of these events occur?

If yes, then you should boot into the P Recovery Console and verify
the integrity of your file system before you do anything else.

If any of those events have occurred, you should boot into the Windows
Recovery Console using a bootable XP installation CD, or create on a
bootable XP Recovery Console CD. This is not the same as any recovery
disks that might have come a store bought system.

If you are not sure what kind of bootable CD you have, make a bootable
XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.

For each of your hard disk partitions, you should then run:

chkdsk /r

For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:

chkdsk c: /r

You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
available by follwing the directions in this link:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html

For each of your hard disks, you should then run:

chkdsk /r

For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:

chkdsk c: /r

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> What's 307545.exe? Are you referring to KB307545?

Yes. Not sure why I put .exe

> How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from
> starting
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Which, in my confused way, was what I referring to.

> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
> What third-party firewall (if any)?

NIS 2010. Current. None. None

> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
> it)?

Norton System Works 2005. Still on PC. Norton Personal Firewall and
Antivirus 2005 uninstalled via Norton before I installed NIS.

> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>
>
> RogerC wrote:
> > I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
> > seems to me that 307545 is the way to resolve it.
> >
> > I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
> > HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> > programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> > necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E:
> > partitions.
> >
> > By carrying out the instructions in 307545 will I lose any data on the
> > D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a
> > good idea?
>

Contact Norton (Symantec) Support or...

1. Uninstall all Norton/Symantec applications (including NSW, Live Update &
any Norton Add-ons) via Add/Remove Programs & reboot.

2. Download/run the Norton Removal Tool & reboot:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis...moval_Tool.exe

3. Do a clean install of NIS 2010 but do NOT install any add-ons (e.g.,
Norton Anti-Phishing).

4. Reset IE per http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737

5. Reset Windows Update per...

How do I reset Windows Update components?
[Access KB971058 via Internet Explorer (32-bit) only; Run the Fix It in
DEFAULT and AGGRESSIVE modes]
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

6. Reboot & test.



RogerC wrote:
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> What's 307545.exe? Are you referring to KB307545?
>
> Yes. Not sure why I put .exe
>
>> How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from
>> starting
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
>
> Which, in my confused way, was what I referring to.
>
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
>
> NIS 2010. Current. None. None
>
>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
>> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
>> bought
>> it)?
>
> Norton System Works 2005. Still on PC. Norton Personal Firewall and
> Antivirus 2005 uninstalled via Norton before I installed NIS.
>
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>
>>
>> RogerC wrote:
>>> I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and
>>> it
>>> seems to me that 307545 is the way to resolve it.
>>>
>>> I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be?
>>> MY
>>> HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
>>> programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
>>> necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E:
>>> partitions.
>>>
>>> By carrying out the instructions in 307545 will I lose any data on the
>>> D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a
>>> good idea?

Thank you PA Bear,

How do I do this? I cannot start my PC. The message I get, andwhich led me
to KB307545, is:-

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the
original Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to sart repair"

I have triedmy XP CD-ROM and got Welcome to Setup. It runs its course and I
get ascreen with 3 choices, Repair being one of them. Is it at this stage
that I make the changes you suggest? If I make the changes as detailed in
KB307545, what will I be doing and what effect(s) i.e. data loss/change will
there be?

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Contact Norton (Symantec) Support or...
>
> 1. Uninstall all Norton/Symantec applications (including NSW, Live Update &
> any Norton Add-ons) via Add/Remove Programs & reboot.
>
> 2. Download/run the Norton Removal Tool & reboot:
> ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/englis...moval_Tool.exe
>
> 3. Do a clean install of NIS 2010 but do NOT install any add-ons (e.g.,
> Norton Anti-Phishing).
>
> 4. Reset IE per http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737
>
> 5. Reset Windows Update per...
>
> How do I reset Windows Update components?
> [Access KB971058 via Internet Explorer (32-bit) only; Run the Fix It in
> DEFAULT and AGGRESSIVE modes]
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
>
> 6. Reboot & test.
>
>
>
> RogerC wrote:
> > "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> What's 307545.exe? Are you referring to KB307545?
> >
> > Yes. Not sure why I put .exe
> >
> >> How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from
> >> starting
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
> >
> > Which, in my confused way, was what I referring to.
> >
> >> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
> >> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
> >> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
> >
> > NIS 2010. Current. None. None
> >
> >> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
> >> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
> >> bought
> >> it)?
> >
> > Norton System Works 2005. Still on PC. Norton Personal Firewall and
> > Antivirus 2005 uninstalled via Norton before I installed NIS.
> >
> >> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> >> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
> >>
> >>
> >> RogerC wrote:
> >>> I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and
> >>> it
> >>> seems to me that 307545 is the way to resolve it.
> >>>
> >>> I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be?
> >>> MY
> >>> HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> >>> programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> >>> necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E:
> >>> partitions.
> >>>
> >>> By carrying out the instructions in 307545 will I lose any data on the
> >>> D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a
> >>> good idea?
>
> .
>

Thank you Jose,

I have a XP CD-ROM.

I started my PC. The monitor screen was distorted so I did a reset and the
rest is KB307545 history.

I am I right in assuming the instructions you provided will only check my
disk (C for errors, but will not rectify the problem?


"Jose" wrote:

> On May 29, 8:54 am, RogerC <Rog...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
> > seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.
> >
> > I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
> > HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> > programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> > necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E: partitions.
> >
> > By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data on the
> > D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a good
> > idea?
>
> That is usually an incorrect (and sadly) a very popular assumption,
> but you can certainly try KB307545 if you want. The usual consequence
> of "trying" things are whatever you try will not work, you waste a lot
> of time, ou get frustrated, you make a simple problem worse or
> completely unfixable.
>
> Many XP startup error message with no boot situations report missing
> or corrupt files and in spite of what the message says, the files are
> hardly every really missing or corrupt - XP just can't find them and
> does the best it can with the error message. If they are really
> missing, just replace them.
>
> A missing or corrupt hal.dll is another example. Folks will fret and
> fuss all day long trying to figure out how to replace their "missing
> or corrupt" hal.dll and the fact of the matter is the file is not
> missing or corrupt at all. It takes about 30 seconds these things
> 99.9% of the time - if you can get to it before folks applying advice
> that begins with words like try, maybe, could be, might be,
> possibly....
>
> I have fixed or help fix the problem that brings about that error
> message 100+ times and never used KB307545 to do it.
>
> I have never reinstalled XP to fix this problem - or any other problem
> for that matter. Never.
>
> If you have a power interruption, aborted restart, ungraceful
> shutdown, used your power button or did some plug pulling on your
> system, your file system is likely corrupted.
>
> Did any of these events occur?
>
> If yes, then you should boot into the P Recovery Console and verify
> the integrity of your file system before you do anything else.
>
> If any of those events have occurred, you should boot into the Windows
> Recovery Console using a bootable XP installation CD, or create on a
> bootable XP Recovery Console CD. This is not the same as any recovery
> disks that might have come a store bought system.
>
> If you are not sure what kind of bootable CD you have, make a bootable
> XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.
>
> For each of your hard disk partitions, you should then run:
>
> chkdsk /r
>
> For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:
>
> chkdsk c: /r
>
> You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
> available by follwing the directions in this link:
>
> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html
>
> For each of your hard disks, you should then run:
>
> chkdsk /r
>
> For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:
>
> chkdsk c: /r
> .
>

Further to my last message to you, I have just run chkdsk c: /r but I still
cannot start my PC.

"Jose" wrote:

> On May 29, 8:54 am, RogerC <Rog...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
> > seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.
> >
> > I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
> > HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> > programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> > necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E: partitions.
> >
> > By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data on the
> > D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a good
> > idea?
>
> That is usually an incorrect (and sadly) a very popular assumption,
> but you can certainly try KB307545 if you want. The usual consequence
> of "trying" things are whatever you try will not work, you waste a lot
> of time, ou get frustrated, you make a simple problem worse or
> completely unfixable.
>
> Many XP startup error message with no boot situations report missing
> or corrupt files and in spite of what the message says, the files are
> hardly every really missing or corrupt - XP just can't find them and
> does the best it can with the error message. If they are really
> missing, just replace them.
>
> A missing or corrupt hal.dll is another example. Folks will fret and
> fuss all day long trying to figure out how to replace their "missing
> or corrupt" hal.dll and the fact of the matter is the file is not
> missing or corrupt at all. It takes about 30 seconds these things
> 99.9% of the time - if you can get to it before folks applying advice
> that begins with words like try, maybe, could be, might be,
> possibly....
>
> I have fixed or help fix the problem that brings about that error
> message 100+ times and never used KB307545 to do it.
>
> I have never reinstalled XP to fix this problem - or any other problem
> for that matter. Never.
>
> If you have a power interruption, aborted restart, ungraceful
> shutdown, used your power button or did some plug pulling on your
> system, your file system is likely corrupted.
>
> Did any of these events occur?
>
> If yes, then you should boot into the P Recovery Console and verify
> the integrity of your file system before you do anything else.
>
> If any of those events have occurred, you should boot into the Windows
> Recovery Console using a bootable XP installation CD, or create on a
> bootable XP Recovery Console CD. This is not the same as any recovery
> disks that might have come a store bought system.
>
> If you are not sure what kind of bootable CD you have, make a bootable
> XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.
>
> For each of your hard disk partitions, you should then run:
>
> chkdsk /r
>
> For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:
>
> chkdsk c: /r
>
> You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
> available by follwing the directions in this link:
>
> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html
>
> For each of your hard disks, you should then run:
>
> chkdsk /r
>
> For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:
>
> chkdsk c: /r
> .
>

On May 30, 7:11*am, RogerC <Rog...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Further to my last message to you, I have just run chkdsk c: /r but I still
> cannot start my PC.
>
>
>
> "Jose" wrote:
> > On May 29, 8:54 am, RogerC <Rog...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > > I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions and it
> > > seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.
>
> > > I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will be? MY
> > > HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition. I have 2
> > > programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall them if
> > > necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and E: partitions.
>
> > > By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data on the
> > > D: and E: partitions? Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a good
> > > idea?
>
> > That is usually an incorrect (and sadly) a very popular assumption,
> > but you can certainly try KB307545 if you want. *The usual consequence
> > of "trying" things are whatever you try will not work, you waste a lot
> > of time, ou get frustrated, you make a simple problem worse or
> > completely unfixable.
>
> > Many XP startup error message with no boot situations report missing
> > or corrupt files and in spite of what the message says, the files are
> > hardly every really missing or corrupt - XP just can't find them and
> > does the best it can with the error message. * *If they are really
> > missing, just replace them.
>
> > A missing or corrupt hal.dll is another example. *Folks will fret and
> > fuss all day long trying to figure out how to replace their "missing
> > or corrupt" hal.dll and the fact of the matter is the file is not
> > missing or corrupt at all. *It takes about 30 seconds these things
> > 99.9% of the time - if you can get to it before folks applying advice
> > that begins with words like try, maybe, could be, might be,
> > possibly....
>
> > I have fixed or help fix the problem that brings about that error
> > message 100+ times and never used KB307545 to do it.
>
> > I have never reinstalled XP to fix this problem - or any other problem
> > for that matter. *Never.
>
> > If you have a power interruption, aborted restart, ungraceful
> > shutdown, used your power button or did some plug pulling on your
> > system, your file system is likely corrupted.
>
> > Did any of these events occur?
>
> > If yes, then you should boot into the P Recovery Console and verify
> > the integrity of your file system before you do anything else.
>
> > If any of those events have occurred, you should boot into the Windows
> > Recovery Console using a bootable XP installation CD, or create on a
> > bootable XP Recovery Console CD. This is not the same as any recovery
> > disks that might have come a store bought system.
>
> > If you are not sure what kind of bootable CD you have, make a bootable
> > XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.
>
> > For each of your hard disk partitions, you should then run:
>
> > chkdsk /r
>
> > For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:
>
> > chkdsk c: /r
>
> > You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD when no XP media is
> > available by follwing the directions in this link:
>
> >http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html
>
> > For each of your hard disks, you should then run:
>
> > chkdsk /r
>
> > For example, from the Recovery Console prompt, enter:
>
> > chkdsk c: /r
> > .

When you "did a reset" does that mean you used the power button or
pulled the plug?
Did you create the Recovery Console CD per the instructions or use
some other CD?
Once you booted into the Recovery Console, were you in the C:\WINDOWS
folder or the C:\ folder?
When you ran chkdsk /r did it report any problems?
When you ran chkdsk /r did it complete successfully with no errors?
Did you run chkdsk /r on all your HDD volumes/partitions (C: D; E?
You should run chkdsk /r until it reports no errors and it does not
hurt to run it if there are no problems.

Hint: It is helpful to to know what happens when you do things or how
your results differ from the suggestions, not just that you did them!

The crystal ball is on vacation again (stupid ball).

RogerC wrote:
> I received this message yesterday. I have followed the discussions
> and it seems to me that 307545.exe is the way to resolve it.
>
> I would appreciate knowing what the consequences of doing this will
> be? MY HD is partitioned. I have Windows XP SP3 on the C: partition.
> I have 2 programs on the C: and have the original discs to reinstall
> them if necessary. My other programs and photos etc are on the D: and
> E: partitions.
>
> By carrying out the instructions in 307545.exe will I lose any data
> on the D: and E: partitions?

No.

> Would reinstalling XP be a simpler option or not a good idea?

Not a simpler option. It's a good idea if nothing else works. ;-)

Definitely follow the instructions for KB307545. Just make sure all your
data is backed up first ("just in case"). If you need guidance, post
back.