Instructions for Repair Installation

[billurie]

One of my hard drives has developed a problem.
When running as Slave, I have done defrag and
full chkdsk/r and it comes out clean.

But when booting as single drive, it stops quickly
with message:

Windows\System32\config\system is missing.
You can attempt a repair installation by using
Installation CD, type 'r' at first screen.

I tried that, type 'r', and it took me to the
Recovery Console, where I selected the only
Windows system existing. It then took me to
a C: prompt, where many commands are available.
Some time ago, I printed out the KB article on
Recovery Console, but as I recall it, it was no
help in answering the question as to what to do,
to get the 'missing file' installed. Or to do a
'Repair Installation".....

 

[Bruce Chambers]

One of my hard drives has developed a problem.
When running as Slave, I have done defrag and
full chkdsk/r and it comes out clean.

But when booting as single drive, it stops quickly
with message:

Windows\System32\config\system is missing.
You can attempt a repair installation by using
Installation CD, type 'r' at first screen.

I tried that, type 'r', and it took me to the
Recovery Console, where I selected the only
Windows system existing. It then took me to
a C: prompt, where many commands are available.
Some time ago, I printed out the KB article on
Recovery Console, but as I recall it, it was no
help in answering the question as to what to do,
to get the 'missing file' installed. Or to do a
'Repair Installation".....

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from
Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

Once you've recovered, you might want to look here, as well:

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Wesley Vogel]

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

XP In Place Upgrade
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xp_in_place_upgrade.htm

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];315341

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[billurie]

How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from
Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

Once you've recovered, you might want to look here, as well:

How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705

Thank you, those several of you who have provided links to
a number of KB and other articles on this subject. Following
any of the processes they lead to, involves lengthy, time-
consuming, and hazardous procedures. One might be tempted to
ask the question, "The system has detected that a file is
missing, and knows where it belongs, and of course that file
is on the installation CD, why doesn't a simple batch file
exist which will read it off the Installation CD and file
it where it belongs?".

I'll study those documents, including the very loud warnings
in bold red lettering, but for now I will follow my old
brute-force procedure: Copy the recently-updated files from
the damaged drive to a CD, make a new working clone from my
most recent backup hard drive, and update its files from the
CD.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thank you, those several of you who have provided links to
a number of KB and other articles on this subject. Following
any of the processes they lead to, involves lengthy, time-
consuming, and hazardous procedures. One might be tempted to
ask the question, "The system has detected that a file is
missing, and knows where it belongs, and of course that file
is on the installation CD, why doesn't a simple batch file
exist which will read it off the Installation CD and file
it where it belongs?".

Ah! But the missing/corrupt file (C:\Windows\System32\Config\System)
does not exist in any way shape or form on the installation CD. The
file in question is an essential part of the Windows registry, and is
unique to *your* current installation.

I'll study those documents, including the very loud warnings
in bold red lettering, but for now I will follow my old
brute-force procedure: Copy the recently-updated files from
the damaged drive to a CD, make a new working clone from my
most recent backup hard drive, and update its files from the
CD.

Suit yourself, of course, but that's the hard way.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[billurie]

Ah! But the missing/corrupt file
(C:\Windows\System32\Config\System) does not exist in any way shape or
form on the installation CD. The file in question is an essential part
of the Windows registry, and is unique to *your* current installation.

Ah, so! That does splain why it simply can't be copied
back.

Suit yourself, of course, but that's the hard way.

Hard way, perhaps, but straightforward and logical,
comprehensible, safe, and guaranteed to work. As you
say, chacun à son gout.

 

[Harry Ohrn]

One of my hard drives has developed a problem.
When running as Slave, I have done defrag and
full chkdsk/r and it comes out clean.

But when booting as single drive, it stops quickly
with message:

Windows\System32\config\system is missing.
You can attempt a repair installation by using
Installation CD, type 'r' at first screen.

I tried that, type 'r', and it took me to the
Recovery Console, where I selected the only
Windows system existing. It then took me to
a C: prompt, where many commands are available.
Some time ago, I printed out the KB article on
Recovery Console, but as I recall it, it was no
help in answering the question as to what to do,
to get the 'missing file' installed. Or to do a
'Repair Installation".....

Hi Bill. It is for this very reason that you expended countless hours
learning how to make full system backups. I bet you are glad now that you
did.

 

[billurie]

Hi Bill. It is for this very reason that you expended countless hours
learning how to make full system backups. I bet you are glad now that you
did.

Quite true, Harry. I have come to learn that a system like
XP is so horribly intricate and complex that one really can
not use simple logic to solve what appears to be a simple
problem (e.g., 'file xxx missing'). Reading the KB instructions
for many of these 'repair' processes ends up with nested KB
articles, pages and pages of printout, and hours and hours of
study, and all I want is a good system and a reliable backup
always on hand. I hope that my aired frustations will teach
other people. You MVPs have certainly done great work with
direct answers, but systems like XP do not always respond to
or offer a simple and viable solution. For me, starting with
a good copy of the system seems to be the most economical.

 

[billurie]

Bill

You press ENTER to set up Windows, then you have to accept the EULA by
pressing F8.. Harry has done a really good piece for you.. it really is a
very simple procedure..

Thank you both, Mike and Harry. Tomorrow I'll try the links
and more detailed instructions. I'm sure you understand how
I can get frustrated when I try to follow instructions
ostensibly from "the horse's mouth" and find that I can't
get to the screens and options they have given me. It's a
shame that the rest of the World has to see all this back and
forth chatter, with numerous false starts........but that's
what these blind bulletin boards are all about. Well, maybe
it will guide others. By the way, with all the Microsoft
genu-wine KB articles around, doesn't this specific task....a
"Repair Installation" deserve one.