Guidance needed on using recovery console to fix corrupt MS WindowsXP

[bagarow]

Hi

My desktop was not starting up. I would get a message stating:

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 start repair.

Trying to enter Safe Mode when booting ends up with the same error
message.

Based on info in previous posts about same error, I followed
instructions in
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307545 for
"How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP
from starting"

I booted into the recovery console using the below mentioned MS
WIndows XP Home Setup disks. But I cannot successfully execute basis
commands such as "md tmp", "cd system32", "dir". Below is a log:

---------
Microsoft Windows XP (TM) Recovery Console
The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.

C:\> md tmp
Access is denied.

C:\>cd system32
The path of file specified is not valid.

C:\>dir
Directory of C:\

An error occurred during directory enumeration.

C:\>
---------

Can you advise on what is causing these errors in the recovery console
and how to fix so that I can follow the instructions at "http://
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307545"

If it matters, to get the Windows startup disk needed for steps in
above link, I created MS Windows XP Home Setup disks (Set of 6 disks)
from Microsoft website
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=E8FE6868-6E4F-471C-B455-BD5AFEE126D8)

Thanks
Bob

 

[BurrWalnut]

Before you start making directories to copy the registry files to, I suggest
you try a chkdsk, which might just clear the corruption.

Boot to the Recovery Console and at the command prompt type chkdsk /f /c and
press Enter.