Missing windows/sys32/config/system - any easy fix please?

[Switzerland calling]

I have noted all the references to the MS support for this problem at startup.

I am trying to help a friend who unfortunately does not have (and cannot
get) the Windows XP disk (as was pre-installed, and purchased 3 years ago in
another country). He crsahed his pc by panicking & "pulling the electricity
plug" during a Windows update!

I have an "Operating System Reinstallation cd" for my pc.

Can I (in terms of both practically, securely & legally) use my disk to help
restart his pc?

If not, is there an "easy fix" for this problem that does not require any
disks (e.g. via the F8 menus at startup)?

Thanks for any advice - I want to avoid corrupting his pc or mine as a
consequence!

 

[Jose]

I have noted all the references to the MS support for this problem at startup.

I am trying to help a friend who unfortunately does not have (and cannot
get) the Windows XP disk (as was pre-installed, and purchased 3 years agoin
another country). He crsahed his pc by panicking & "pulling the electricity
plug" during a Windows update!

I have an "Operating System Reinstallation cd" for my pc.

Can I (in terms of both practically, securely & legally) use my disk to help
restart his pc?

If not, is there an "easy fix" for this problem that does not require any
disks (e.g. via the F8 menus at startup)?

Thanks for any advice - I want to avoid corrupting his pc or mine as a
consequence!

Easy fix? How about a common sense fix.

Was the issue preceded by a power interruption, aborted restart, or
improper shutdown?
These can cause corruption in the file system which must be fixed
before you do anything
else.

If any of those events have occurred, you should boot into the Windows
Recovery Console
using a bootable XP installation CD, or create on a bootable XP
Recovery Console CD. This
is not the same as any recovery disks that might have come a store
bought system.

For each of your hard disks, you should then run:

chkdsk /r

That sometimes fixes the power interruption problem you describe. If
it doesn't, we can continue - but you have to boot something somehow.

You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic276527.html

 

[db]

the error pertains to a crashed
registry hive.

what you will need to do is
to access the recovery console
and locate a "saved" registry
hive and use it to replace the
corrupted one.

then once the pc boots with
the "saved/basic" registry hive
you can then replace "it" with
a more current / up-to-date
registry.

here are the instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545



--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[db]

you will need to find
and borrow an xp cd
to fix the problem.


the issue you have
pertains to a corrupted
registry.

here are the instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545


--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- Microsoft Partner
- @hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~"share the nirvana" - dbZen

 

[Jose]

you will need to find
and borrow an xp cd
to fix the problem.

the issue you have
pertains to a corrupted
registry.

here are the instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
 - Systems Analyst
 - Database Developer
 - Accountancy
 - Veteran of the Armed Forces
 - Microsoft Partner
-  @hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~"share the nirvana" - dbZen

Say, db... what would you recommend next if if Switzerland calling
got hold of an xp cd?

 

[Jose]

the error pertains to a crashed
registry hive.

what you will need to do is
to access the recovery console
and locate a "saved" registry
hive and use it to replace the
corrupted one.

then once the pc boots with
the "saved/basic" registry hive
you can then replace "it" with
a more current / up-to-date
registry.

here are the instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
 - Systems Analyst
 - Database Developer
 - Accountancy
 - Veteran of the Armed Forces
-  @Hotmail.com
-  nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



in message

Not necessarily. The most likely cause of the error is a corrupted
file system as a result of a power failure.

We have all seen this problem after a power failure and a popular
first suggestion is to implement
KB307545 which involves booting the Recovery Console and then copying
in some registry files from some other
place to replace the suspicious ones following up with a System
Restore. Often this is not required after a
simple power failure that generated this non booting condition.

Copying old registry files may be required and will work if the
registry files really are corrupted, but we don't
know that and you don't need an XP CD to do that - unless you want to
call a bootable Recovery Console CD you make
yourself an XP CD so there is nothing to borrow. Make one.

KB307545 is used if the registry files are corrupted (which we don't
know) and does not include or mention
running chkdsk /r to fix the likely file system problem that so often
accompanies a power failure and the
exact error message the OP sees.

The directions in the KB describe how to recover from a corrupted
registry, not how to recover when the system
generates this error and is unbootable after a power failure.

Knowing there was a power failure, why would anyone suggest copying
some other registry files on top of the
original ones without doing a chkdsk /r to verify the integrity of the
file system first?

Chance are good that a chkdsk /r will fix this problem. If not, then
implement KB307545. The KB is sometimes
intimidating for inexperienced users who often come back reporting
something went wrong or they don't get it.
Why not start with something less complicated?

An XP CD is not required to run chkdsk /r and if you are thinking the
registry is corrupted and have KB307545 in
mind as something to try, an XP CD is not required for that either.
The process is the same no matter how you
get into the Recovery Console.

Why would you not suggest booting into recovery console and then
chkdsk /r and if the system still has the same
problem, then and only then implement KB307545?

All of this (and more) can be done from a Recovery Console CD that the
OP can make with no XP media required.