Windows won't boot, missing system file, MS solution didn't work

[J-miami]

Hi,

My Toshiba laptop won't boot into Windows anymore. When I try to boot
Windows I get a black screen with the message:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt \windows\system32\config\system"

So I went online and found lots of information about how to fix it such
as http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us. I followed all the
directions but it didn't work. The main point of what they said was to
copy the following:
copy C:\windows\repair\system C:\windows\system32\config\system.

That didn't work because it said the file doesn't exist in my repair
directory (I don't know why).

Is there anything else that I can do? My computer has Windows XP Home
SP2 on it. My original Toshiba 'recovery disks' do not have the
ability to re-install over just Windows without reformatting. With my
disks there are no options -- if you put them in your only option is to
reformat the drive, delete all partitions and write Windows XP to one
big partition.

I have a friends original XP Pro SP1 disk and thought that maybe I
could re-install over my installation of XP Home SP2, copy my files to
a different hard drive and then re-install my original Toshiba-provided
OS over my laptop drive. I don't know if this is possible.

Is there any other way to fix "C:\windows\system32\config\system" so
that I can boot my computer and get my data off it?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone might be able to provide.

Josh

 

[R. McCarty]

Do you have an imaging program & a CD-R unit in the notebook ?
What you could do, is image the drive to a CD-R disk set. Then
copy the image to another PC's disk drive. Most imaging programs
have an Explorer like feature to recover specific data. This would
allow you to recover/protect your data. The danger in what your
situation currently is that the more operations you try the greater
the danger of permanently losing your personal data.

-or-

There is a adapter that allows 2.5" notebook drives to be installed
in a desktop. You could install it in a XP machine, access the disk
to recover your data and then use the Recovery set to restore it
back to it's delivery state.

 

[Richard Urban]

The way to fix this is by reinstalling the O/S on top of itself (a repair
install). Unfortunately, you can not accomplish this with the recovery disks
supplied to you by the manufacturer. Your option is to purchase a retail
copy of Windows XP that matches your installed version (Home or
Professional).

No matter what you do, unless the retail version has SP2 incorporated into
it, you are in for a lot of work.

Then there is the issue of Windows XP drivers for you specific hardware. Use
another computer, go to the Toshiba website and download all the specific
M/B, video, sound, modem, LAN etc. drivers for your computer. Burn them to a
CD for use when you are repairing your system.

Good Luck!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!