windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt

[aa]

After I installed w2k into another primary partition on the same physical
disk, XP stopped leading.
Now XP would not start.
On sellecting XP from boot.ini options a picture flushed as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank screen freezes.
In a safety mode it says that windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt
The file in question is there

It suggested to repair by booting from CD and select R. After selecting R
and folloing the instustions I found myself at a command prompt. How do I
proceed with further reparing?

 

[Guest]

Rather than running around like a headless chicken [or mindless one], make
sure your learn how to set up a dual boot PC. Take note that your's had XP
as the 'only' operating system and that you needed to work out how to manage
a second Op Sys AFTER XP as opposed to installing XP as the Second Op Sys.

Dual booting would have been easier, as part of XP setup, if another Op Sys
was already installed. Don't take my word, read what Microsoft has prepared
for you:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mltiboot.asp

Nexct time 'Google before you leap'

 

[Kelly]

To fix the "windows\system32\config\system file is mising or corrupt" where
Xp wont boot:

Go to Recovery Console and type:

cd system32\config
ren system system.old
ren system.alt systemalt.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system
copy c:\windows\repair\regback\system
exit

Recover from a Corrupted Registry Preventing Win XP from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307545

Added info:

In the Recovery Console:

Type cd sytem32\config , and then press ENTER.
Type dir system , and then press ENTER.

Depending on your error message, use as follows:

Next type: ren software software.bak and then press ENTER.

or:

type ren system system.bak and then press ENTER.

Next type:

copy c:\windows\repair\software , and then press ENTER.

or:

copy c:\windows\repair\system , and then press ENTER.

Exit, reboot.

More info here:

Recovering XP using the Recovery Console (Line 333) right hand side
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm

~~~
NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file,
replace "system" with "software" in the preceding command.

For example, you would type ren software software.bak (instead of ren system
system.bak ), and then press ENTER.
--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[aa]

So much passion to communicate a three words idea: "install w2k first".
Using you own adivise Next time 'understand what the question is before you
leap'
Question is how do I repair.

PS. The computer came with preinstalled XP and with a recovery CD containing
the image of the installation, instead of XP distributive, which forced me
to install w2k AFTER XP. And this worked fine for two months untill w2k
crushed.
The XP recovery CD removes the partitions - how do I install XP after w2k?

Rather than running around like a headless chicken [or mindless one], make
sure your learn how to set up a dual boot PC. Take note that your's had XP
as the 'only' operating system and that you needed to work out how to manage
a second Op Sys AFTER XP as opposed to installing XP as the Second Op Sys.

Dual booting would have been easier, as part of XP setup, if another Op Sys
was already installed. Don't take my word, read what Microsoft has prepared
for you:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mlti
boot.asp

Nexct time 'Google before you leap'

After I installed w2k into another primary partition on the same physical
disk, XP stopped leading.
Now XP would not start.
On sellecting XP from boot.ini options a picture flushed as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank screen freezes.
In a safety mode it says that windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt
The file in question is there

It suggested to repair by booting from CD and select R. After selecting R
and folloing the instustions I found myself at a command prompt. How do I
proceed with further reparing?

 

[Kelly]

How to Install W2K to its own partition. Use a 98 Startup disk and run
WINNT.EXE from the I386 directory. After 2K is installed, boot with the XP
CD and at the Setup/Repair screen, choose Repair. In Recovery Console, use
the following commands:

1) FIXBOOT, answer Yes
2) CD \
3) ATTRIB -H NTLDR
4) ATTRIB -S NTLDR
5) ATTRIB -R NTLDR
6) ATTRIB -H NTDETECT.COM
7) ATTRIB -S NTDETEC.COM
8) ATTRIB -R NTDETECT.COM
9) COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
10) COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

In Steps 9 and 10, X is the letter of your CD-Rom drive.

How to Install W2K to its Own Partition after installing XP
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_2k.htm

MS-KB: Cannot Start Windows XP After You Install Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283433

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

So much passion to communicate a three words idea: "install w2k first".
Using you own adivise Next time 'understand what the question is before
you
leap'
Question is how do I repair.

PS. The computer came with preinstalled XP and with a recovery CD
containing
the image of the installation, instead of XP distributive, which forced me
to install w2k AFTER XP. And this worked fine for two months untill w2k
crushed.
The XP recovery CD removes the partitions - how do I install XP after w2k?



"BAR" <[email protected]> ÓÏÏÂÝÉÌ/ÓÏÏÂÝÉÌÁ × ÎÏ×ÏÓÔÑÈ
ÓÌÅÄÕÀÝÅÅ:

Rather than running around like a headless chicken [or mindless one],
make
sure your learn how to set up a dual boot PC. Take note that your's had XP
as the 'only' operating system and that you needed to work out how to manage
a second Op Sys AFTER XP as opposed to installing XP as the Second Op
Sys.

Dual booting would have been easier, as part of XP setup, if another Op Sys
was already installed. Don't take my word, read what Microsoft has prepared
for you:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mlti
boot.asp

Nexct time 'Google before you leap'

After I installed w2k into another primary partition on the same physical
disk, XP stopped leading.
Now XP would not start.
On sellecting XP from boot.ini options a picture flushed as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank screen freezes.
In a safety mode it says that windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt
The file in question is there

It suggested to repair by booting from CD and select R. After selecting R
and folloing the instustions I found myself at a command prompt. How do I
proceed with further reparing?

 

[aa]

Thanks a lot Kelly, for this and for previous one
I'll try this route, yet before I start, I want to make sure that indeed
that way existoing partitions which contains some valuable information will
not be erased.
I made several installations of XP into a particular partition from a
distributive CD, however I have no experience with the mirrir CD. The
manufaturer assured me that with this CD I can only restore the original
configuration, i.e. a single partition with XP on it.

Do you mean that using the mirror CD with that commands you mentioned I
indeed will be able to avoid installing XP into the target partition leaving
the other partitions unaffected?

How to Install W2K to its own partition. Use a 98 Startup disk and run
WINNT.EXE from the I386 directory. After 2K is installed, boot with the XP
CD and at the Setup/Repair screen, choose Repair. In Recovery Console, use
the following commands:

1) FIXBOOT, answer Yes
2) CD \
3) ATTRIB -H NTLDR
4) ATTRIB -S NTLDR
5) ATTRIB -R NTLDR
6) ATTRIB -H NTDETECT.COM
7) ATTRIB -S NTDETEC.COM
8) ATTRIB -R NTDETECT.COM
9) COPY X:\I386\NTLDR C:\
10) COPY X:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\

In Steps 9 and 10, X is the letter of your CD-Rom drive.

How to Install W2K to its Own Partition after installing XP
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_2k.htm

MS-KB: Cannot Start Windows XP After You Install Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283433

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

So much passion to communicate a three words idea: "install w2k first".
Using you own adivise Next time 'understand what the question is before
you
leap'
Question is how do I repair.

PS. The computer came with preinstalled XP and with a recovery CD
containing
the image of the installation, instead of XP distributive, which forced me
to install w2k AFTER XP. And this worked fine for two months untill w2k
crushed.
The XP recovery CD removes the partitions - how do I install XP after w2k?



"BAR" <[email protected]> ÓÏÏÂÝÉÌ/ÓÏÏÂÝÉÌÁ × ÎÏ×ÏÓÔÑÈ
ÓÌÅÄÕÀÝÅÅ:

Rather than running around like a headless chicken [or mindless one],
make
sure your learn how to set up a dual boot PC. Take note that your's

had
XP

as the 'only' operating system and that you needed to work out how to manage
a second Op Sys AFTER XP as opposed to installing XP as the Second Op
Sys.

Dual booting would have been easier, as part of XP setup, if another Op Sys
was already installed. Don't take my word, read what Microsoft has prepared
for you:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mlti
boot.asp

Nexct time 'Google before you leap'



:

After I installed w2k into another primary partition on the same physical
disk, XP stopped leading.
Now XP would not start.
On sellecting XP from boot.ini options a picture flushed as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank screen freezes.
In a safety mode it says that windows 2000 (???) cannot be started

for
file

windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt
The file in question is there

It suggested to repair by booting from CD and select R. After

selecting
R

and folloing the instustions I found myself at a command prompt. How

do
I

proceed with further reparing?

 

[aa]

Thanks, Kelly
Your link to http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_2k.htm seems to be
the most relevant and easiest to implement and it gived a very logical
explanation. It worked.
Question is - the other resources you mentioned leal with the same symtoms
but offer much more complicated solution, and, frankly, I did not quite
understand, what exactly they are doing. What is the purpose of a
complecated solution is an easy one is there? Or just replacing the loader
files does not fix everything leaving some problems behind?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

After I installed w2k into another primary partition on the same physical
disk, XP stopped leading.
Now XP would not start.
On sellecting XP from boot.ini options a picture flushed as if w2k is being
booted, and then a blue blank screen freezes.
In a safety mode it says that windows 2000 (???) cannot be started for file
windows/system32/config/system is missing or corrupt
The file in question is there

It suggested to repair by booting from CD and select R. After selecting R
and folloing the instustions I found myself at a command prompt. How do I
proceed with further reparing?

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

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Consider running Windows 2000 Pro on your computer without partitioning or
dual booting. See:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx
You can download a trial version. VPC will run on Home or Pro, but is only
supported by Microsoft Product Support Services on Pro.

VPC has the additional advantage of allowing you to run several operating
systems on your XP desktop, including many flavors of Linux.