Can't boot into windows xp

  • Thread starter Thread starter mlc
  • Start date Start date
M

mlc

Ok, the system was working fine and then the next morning I booted it
up and a screen came up and said that windows could not start due to
windows\system32\config\system was corrupted. I tried recovery
console and that did not show my windows installation. It did not
even prompt me for a password. I tried running chkdsk and that didn't
work. If I try md test it fails with access denied. Then I tried
rebooting and going into windows install, pressed f8 and then I wanted
to try to repair the installation. However that option was not given
to me and it showed that I had an unpartitioned drive. I could only
create a partition. I don't want to lose my stuff on there, so what
can I do? I don't think my partition is gone because of the registry
corruption message.
 
mlc said:
Ok, the system was working fine and then the next morning I booted it
up and a screen came up and said that windows could not start due to
windows\system32\config\system was corrupted. I tried recovery
console and that did not show my windows installation. It did not
even prompt me for a password. I tried running chkdsk and that didn't
work. If I try md test it fails with access denied. Then I tried
rebooting and going into windows install, pressed f8 and then I wanted
to try to repair the installation. However that option was not given
to me and it showed that I had an unpartitioned drive. I could only
create a partition. I don't want to lose my stuff on there, so what
can I do? I don't think my partition is gone because of the registry
corruption message.
Click to expand...

By the sound of it you don't have any backups of your important files. If so
then it is very dangerous to try and repair the damage - you might destroy
whatever is left. Your first step should be to salvage your data. Remove the
hard disk, then connect it as a slave disk to some other WinXP system and
save your data. Post again when this step is complete.

The second step is fairly obvious: Since you appear to have important files
on your disk, you MUST back them up to and independent medium at regular
intervals, e.g. weekly. A 2.5" disk in an external USB case is a highly
effective backup medium is surprisingly inexpensive.
 
Back
Top