Repairing XP installation when repair console not an option

[Dan]

My wife's laptop runs XP pro. When you attempt to start it, you immediately
get the error "Windows cannot 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 cd-rom. Select R for
repair". However when repair is run, the error "The system registry does
not appear to have an active ControlSet key. The system registry may be
damaged. If your system is currently not starting correctly, you can try
restarting it with the Last Known Good configuration or you can try
repairing the installation with the setup program's repair & recovery
options" appears. But when booting, the blue "start normally/last known
good config/etc." screen does not appear, just the error I mentioned above.
Is there any other way to start/repair this installation?

TIA

Dan

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

My wife's laptop runs XP pro. When you attempt to start it, you immediately
get the error "Windows cannot 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 cd-rom. Select R for
repair". However when repair is run, the error "The system registry does
not appear to have an active ControlSet key. The system registry may be
damaged. If your system is currently not starting correctly, you can try
restarting it with the Last Known Good configuration or you can try
repairing the installation with the setup program's repair & recovery
options" appears. But when booting, the blue "start normally/last known
good config/etc." screen does not appear, just the error I mentioned above.
Is there any other way to start/repair this installation?

TIA

Dan

Something may have damaged your System registry file (which contains
the CurrentControlSet key). Here are a couple of options:
- Boot the machine with your WinXP CD, then select the option
that allows you to run a Repair job instead of going into the
Recovery Console.
- Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD and check if you have
any backups for the System file in the c:\windows\system32\config
folder or in c:\windows\repair.

Note that it could take two or three hours to manufacture a Bart
PE boot CD.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

My wife's laptop runs XP pro. When you attempt to start it, you immediately
get the error "Windows cannot 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 cd-rom. Select R for
repair". However when repair is run, the error "The system registry does
not appear to have an active ControlSet key. The system registry may be
damaged. If your system is currently not starting correctly, you can try
restarting it with the Last Known Good configuration or you can try
repairing the installation with the setup program's repair & recovery
options" appears. But when booting, the blue "start normally/last known
good config/etc." screen does not appear, just the error I mentioned above.
Is there any other way to start/repair this installation?

TIA

Dan

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:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Dan]

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:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand
Russell

Bruce-Thanks, I ran the procedure under the 1st link & all appears to be
normal. This is a relatively new Intel Macbook running OSX & XP Pro under
Bootcamp. It's my wife's work computer & she has had nothing but trouble
with it. It was replaced once & has been repaired twice. Frankly, I think
the HDD is hosed. All her work support people are Mac disciples, so of
course they ascribe any troubles to the XP part. Seems OK for now, anyway,
thanks again. She had a lot of email & docs in the breach!

BTW I like your quotes. Bertrand Russell is a personal favorite ;-)

Pegasus thanks also for your reply. I'm going to check out Bart PE for
future reference ;-)

Dan