corrupted \Winnt\System32\Config\System

[Dave Patrick]

If the system hive is corrupt, and assuming you already tried LKG, It may be
possible to rename the system hive found in
%windir%\system32\config\system
to system.old
then rename
%windir%\system32\config\system.alt
to
%windir%\system32\config\system

You can also try using the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback

If that fails you haven't much choice but to copy/ use the
original-as-installed system hive from
%windir%\repair\system
to
%windir%\system32\config\system
You'll need to reinstall the device drivers for any hardware added since the
original OS install.

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. If you do not have Setup
floppy disks and your computer cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD,
use another Windows 2000-based computer to create the Setup floppy disks.
Press ENTER at the "Setup Notification" screen. Press R to repair a Windows
2000 installation, and then press C to use the Recovery Console. The
Recovery Console then prompts you for the administrator password. If you do
not have the correct password, Recovery Console does not allow access to the
computer. If an incorrect password is entered three times, the Recovery
Console quits and restarts the computer. Once the password has been
validated, you have full access to the Recovery Console, but limited access
to the hard disk. You can only access the following folders on your
computer: %systemroot% and %windir%


--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
Microsoft Certified Professional [Windows 2000]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect.


:
|
| My W2K File Server cannot boot with the message
| Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is
| missing or corrupt
| \Winnt\System32\Config\System
|
| No safe mode start is possible, I have no ERD disk...
| My installation CD is from universal subscription and does
| not have the standard expected directories, and is not bootable. How to
| repair the corrupted files?
|
|
| Sami
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------
| View this thread: http://www.mcse.ms/message331166.html
|

 

[Sami]

My W2K File Server cannot boot with the message
Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is
missing or corrupt
\Winnt\System32\Config\System

No safe mode start is possible, I have no ERD disk...
My installation CD is from universal subscription and does
not have the standard expected directories, and is not bootable. How to
repair the corrupted files?


Sami

 

[louisurfer]

Dave,

Thank you for this bit of information, the recovery worked for me
fairly quickly and all seems fine.

Note to self, NEVER abruptly power down your pc/laptop if at all
possible.

anyways, I used the system.alt method and it worked for me.

Thanks,

L.

 

[Dave Patrick]

Glad to hear that. Thanks for the feedback.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]
Microsoft Certified Professional [Windows 2000]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


:
| Dave,
|
| Thank you for this bit of information, the recovery worked for me
| fairly quickly and all seems fine.
|
| Note to self, NEVER abruptly power down your pc/laptop if at all
| possible.
|
| anyways, I used the system.alt method and it worked for me.
|
| Thanks,
|
| L.

 

[Guest]

Similar situation, looking for help on next step: Two questions at end of this post, with relevant details listed as followin

I'm running Win2K on laptop, and an overzealous Airport Security Guard forced a hard shutdown. Upon next reboot, Iwas getting the "corrupt ..\CONFIG\SYSTEMced" message. Now both the \SYSTEM and \SYSTEM.ALT files are corrupted: They both have the same size and timestamp. LKG did not work either

Followed some advice listed here: Booted with W2K CD and got to the recovery console. There was no backed up registry in the \REPAIR diretory (D'oh!), but I was able to copy the "default" SYSTEM file from the \REPAIR directory

I renamed the original (corrupted) hive files, in case there was a need to have them around

The problem is: now when I boot up either from HD or CD, the Setup screens show up, but my mouse and keyboard are not active. Must be driver issues? I would like to get back to the Recovery Console, but now I am always queried for a system password. I tried my BIOS password and my Corporate Workgroup password, but no dice. I am guessing that the act of restoring the default SYSTEM hive would obviate any passwords that I have ever created anyway.

Question 1 is "what is the password that I use to get back access to the recovery console?

Question 2 is "suppose i get back in to the recovery console... what next steps can I take to get booted back up in safe mode, at least?

thanks.

 

[Dave Patrick]

:
| Similar situation, looking for help on next step: Two questions at end of
this post, with relevant details listed as following
|
| I'm running Win2K on laptop, and an overzealous Airport Security Guard
forced a hard shutdown. Upon next reboot, Iwas getting the "corrupt
...\CONFIG\SYSTEMced" message. Now both the \SYSTEM and \SYSTEM.ALT files
are corrupted: They both have the same size and timestamp. LKG did not
work either.
* How do you know system.alt is corrupt?


| Followed some advice listed here: Booted with W2K CD and got to the
recovery console. There was no backed up registry in the \REPAIR diretory
(D'oh!),
* I'll assume you meant \repair\regback as that's where the backups would be
by default.


but I was able to copy the "default" SYSTEM file from the \REPAIR directory.
| I renamed the original (corrupted) hive files, in case there was a need to
have them around.
|
| The problem is: now when I boot up either from HD or CD, the Setup
screens show up, but my mouse and keyboard are not active. Must be driver
issues? I would like to get back to the Recovery Console, but now I am
always queried for a system password. I tried my BIOS password and my
Corporate Workgroup password, but no dice. I am guessing that the act of
restoring the default SYSTEM hive would obviate any passwords that I have
ever created anyway.
* You'll need to use the password for the local administrator account.

| Question 1 is "what is the password that I use to get back access to the
recovery console?"
|
| Question 2 is "suppose i get back in to the recovery console... what next
steps can I take to get booted back up in safe mode, at least?"
* Try system.alt

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[RoyS1]

Keyboard and Mouse still dont work

I followed the instructions

renamed system.alt that did not help.

I did not have anything in regback

so I took a copy of the system in repair

and I sill don't have access to the keyboard or mouse.