Missing or Corrupt File

[webejammin]

Trying to help a friend... Sincerely would appreciate any help or advice.

When starting his Windows XP Home (OEM) this morning he received the
following error; Windows could not start because the following file is
missing or corrupt:
\windows\system32\config\system

Because he could not boot, he tried resorting to the last known good
configuration. He now is able to get to the welcome screen, but when
attempting to log in the message, "This copy of windows must be activated
with Microsoft before you log on... do you want to activate or something to
that effect" When pressing yes the computer simply reboots back to the
welcome screen.

He tried booting into safe mode but hangs after logging in with a partial
safe mode screen.

Any advice?

Many Thanks!!!

MAK>

 

[ÐïÅßö¥ø§©]

You could try a chkdsk. Boot the system with the XP disc in. Choose R for
recovery console at menu. Choose the number for the OS you want to log onto
(most only have one and would type 1 then enter). Type ur admin pass or hit
space if you don't have one. Finally, at the prompt type in chkdsk /r.
Note the space after chkdsk. Let it do it's thing and when it returns to
the prompt reboot and see if it worked. Short of that a repair install
could be tried. Both are non-destructive to your data.

 

[R. McCarty]

Chkdsk with a repair or fix qualifier is not Non-Destructive. Best to
always do a cursory Chkdsk first. If no inconsistencies are found no
further Chkdsk'ing is required. I've seen a few cases of lost data due
to runs with a full Chkdsk (5 Phases).

 

[Peter Foldes]

At this point does it now boot to Safe Mode?

 

[webejammin]

Just wondering... if after using the last known good configuration he is
able to boot to the welcome screen, but now say's he must activate his copy
of Windows, but will not go through the procedure, (endless loop back to the
welcome screen), if it's just a matter of calling Microsoft. Will this work
even though its a OEM version.

MAK.

 

[webejammin]

No... it still seems to hang right after he logs in at the safe mode screen.
the (4) safe mode icons come up in each corner, but hangs and does not
completely boot into safe mode.

MAK.


At this point does it now boot to Safe Mode?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Trying to help a friend... Sincerely would appreciate any help or advice.

When starting his Windows XP Home (OEM) this morning he received the
following error; Windows could not start because the following file is
missing or corrupt:
\windows\system32\config\system

Because he could not boot, he tried resorting to the last known good
configuration. He now is able to get to the welcome screen, but when
attempting to log in the message, "This copy of windows must be activated
with Microsoft before you log on... do you want to activate or something to
that effect" When pressing yes the computer simply reboots back to the
welcome screen.

He tried booting into safe mode but hangs after logging in with a partial
safe mode screen.

Any advice?

Many Thanks!!!

MAK>

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

 

[Stan Brown]

Dateline Sat, 15 Oct 2005 13:33:39 -0600 from Bruce Chambers

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

"Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article
if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system."

I guess OEMs (which is everybody who's bought a computer in the past
couple of years) are out of luck _again_.

 

[webejammin]

Thanks all for the responses...

KB 307545 was the fix I first looked at, but states not for OEM. However,
before calling Dell, as LKGC has been used and the computer now can at least
boot to the Welcome screen, I wonder if the corrupted registry has been
replaced, but now has to simply be activated as it's calling for.

MAK.