Windows\system32\config\system File Is Missing Or Corrupt

[Guest]

Hi,

Reviewing the latest posts, I found one that mention this problem and
coincidentally a friend of mine just call me last night to tell me that this
message appeared suddenly when he tried to start his WinXP desktop computer.

What can we do to solve it?

Thanks in advance
Fernando

 

[TaurArian]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545
How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry That Prevents Windows XP from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654
Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
See also
How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issues
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705

 

[Guest]

Hi TaurArian,
I just want to thank you your answer. I already reviewed the links you
suggested and they bring the solution I was looking for. Many thanks.
Fernando

 

[TaurArian]

You're welcome.
Kaylene

Hi TaurArian,
I just want to thank you your answer. I already reviewed the links you
suggested and they bring the solution I was looking for. Many thanks.
Fernando

 

[Guest]

Hit reply too quickly. If I can't access system recovery or anything else,
including command prompt, how can I fix this vexing problem? I am stuck at
the message that tells my my files are corrupt, and nothing I do gets me
beyond that.

 

[dev]

/cccquilter/ said:

Hit reply too quickly. If I can't access system recovery or anything else,
including command prompt, how can I fix this vexing problem? I am stuck at
the message that tells my my files are corrupt, and nothing I do gets me
beyond that.

General procedures that may help...

Try a boot into Safe Mode, by hitting F8 just before the "Starting
Windows" screen would appear (takes a bit of practice).
Choose LAST GOOD.

If that does nothing, use a working PC to read this first...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q823614
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm

Related info is here...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q307545
describes a three-step process to extract a copy of the registry
from the System Restore SVI folder.

Info on dealing with corruption issues...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705

Reinstall/repair tutorials (if needed) are here...
http://WWW.WEBTREE.CA/windowsxp/
http://michaelstevenstech.com

After your system is restored, the ERUNT utility available here may
make it easier to fix the problem if it recurs...
http://HOME.T-ONLINE.DE/home/lars.hederer/erunt

If the problem persists, try swapping current RAM (even if it checks
good) for a single, high-quality 512Mb chip. XP reportedly is sensitive
to memory timing.

 

[Guest]

Tried that several times; it just goes back to the same message:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

And that is still where I am at. I still have no solution or resolution,
because most of those require using either the system recovery or system
restore, and I have no access to either one of those. I can't use command
prompt - when I try that I get the same message highlighted above.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Tried that several times; it just goes back to the same message:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

And that is still where I am at. I still have no solution or resolution,
because most of those require using either the system recovery or system
restore, and I have no access to either one of those. I can't use command
prompt - when I try that I get the same message highlighted above.

What happens when you attempt a repair installation, after booting from
the installation CD?

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341


--

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

 

[Guest]

I have already tried that and computer won't boot from installation CD for
windows. I don't have a recovery disk, and have too much information to lose
to reformat. If I try to boot from CD I just get the same aggravating message
as I get when I try to boot normally. None of the MS solutions work because
they require actually being able to access at least command prompt. I can't
even do that. F8 doesn't help because I tried every option there and none
work. It just goes back to the same message.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have already tried that and computer won't boot from installation CD for
windows.

Then you clearly have a hardware failure of some sort. Take the
computer to a professional who can slave the hard drive into another
computer for data recovery, and then proceed with reapiring the computer.




--

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

 

[Thota Umesh]

There shd be a "system" file backup in windows\repair folder copy it to
windows\system32\config then next overwrite.
for future reference to avoid such errors have a copy of all the files in
windows\system32\config folder. thats ur windows registry.
Also Check out these articles:
How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from
starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545
How to troubleshoot registry corruption
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705

Hope this helps...,
Umesh Thota.
www.windowsworkshop.com

 

[Guest]

I can't access windows repair. Tried and tried, but no go. Those articles I
have read and are worse than useless because they require accessing things I
have no access to!

 

[Guest]

Well, I found a back up disk in a stack of floppies that I had forgotten I
created. I can get command prompt now. But I am not sure where to go from
command prompt. I also found through the links provided here, a Microsoft
file that is supposed to provide you with floppy disks to boot up with, but
when I attempt a download onto floppies, it says the file is too large and
asks for a larger disk, and my computer doesn't have a larger drive, just a
floppy and CD drive. Not sure now how to download this to floppies like the
directions say you can do. Anyone?

 

[Ricky]

You run the file and it will prompt you to insert a floppy disk. It will
take six floppies and it will prompt you each time it's time to change the
disk.

 

[Guest]

This makes me wonder if your bios has been set properly. When your computer
first starts up, you should hit the delete key to get to your bios
configuration. With a little searching, you will find a category called
"boot sequence" or "boot order" or something like that. You must toggle this
field until CDROM is first. Once you save and exit bios, your computer will
restart and should boot the CD, though you may be prompted to do so.

 

[Guest]

I was able to get the suggested fix to work for the most part, but I run into
problems at system restore step. I tried the fix with files from two
different snapshot folders. One gave me a restore point that was almost two
years old and the other gave me a restore point dated after I got the error
(I suspect that my most recent restore point was errased by clean disk).

I have two questions:
1) Am I using the wrong snapshot folder?
2) Also how could I restore my system manually if I had to?