c:\windows\system32\config\system is missing in XP, upgrade to Vis

[Guest]

I am experiencing "c:\windows\system32\config\system is missing" in Windows
XP SP2 and cannot recover nor retrieve my files and data. I do have good
backups however there is still some more stuff I need to getoff the hard
drive. Can I buy and upgrade to Vista? Can I install right over the XP
version and still retain my data? Does an upgrade to Vista require the folder
and file - c:\windows\system32\config\system? Does XP have to be running to
do an upgrade?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I am experiencing "c:\windows\system32\config\system is missing" in Windows
XP SP2 and cannot recover nor retrieve my files and data. I do have good
backups however there is still some more stuff I need to getoff the hard
drive. Can I buy and upgrade to Vista?

Purchase? Certainly. Upgrade? Your choice, of course, but it would
be the absolute height of folly to attempt an upgrade of a known-to-be
corrupted OS and hope for a properly functioning result. (And have you
determined that all of your computer's components and device drivers, as
well as all of your installed applications, are fully Vista-compatible?)

Can I install right over the XP
version and still retain my data?

It's a crap shoot.

Does an upgrade to Vista require the folder
and file - c:\windows\system32\config\system?

Yes, because the Vista upgrade is decigned to start only from within
the qualifying OS.

Does XP have to be running to
do an upgrade?

Yes.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[Steve Easton]

No such path in My XP SP2.
There is however: C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile

Can you boot to a command window?
If so, place the XP CD in the drive and then enter this in the command window:

D:\i386\winnt32 /unattend
and press enter

Assuming D:\ is your CD or DVD drive.

 

[Andy [YaYa]]

No such path in My XP SP2.
There is however: C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile

Can you boot to a command window?
If so, place the XP CD in the drive and then enter this in the command
window:

D:\i386\winnt32 /unattend
and press enter

Assuming D:\ is your CD or DVD drive.

Another quick fix you can try, Boot your system off the XP CD. (Takes you to
blue screen WinXP setup)
Press R to enter repair console.
Select 1 for C:\Windows directory when asked
Once at the c:\windows> prompt you might want to "chkdsk c: /r". (Does a
chkdsk of the C: drive, optional)

Once finished "exit" to reboot your system and start normally, see if that
gets you past the message. It's worked a few times for me, I guess when you
go into the repair console it recovers a backup copy of your registry file
that windows keeps automatically.

Doesn't always work.