XP repair help

  • Thread starter Thread starter billyd1970
  • Start date Start date
B

billyd1970

My laptop crashed and I got the following message

Windows could not 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 Setup CD- ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.


I was in the proceess of a backup but it never completed.

I'm trying to figure out how to

a) backup my laptop data (I have no idea how to do that if I can't boot
into my system)

b) repair my installation. my recovery CD only gives me the option of
wiping my drive which I don't want to do.

c) find out if I can load another version of XP on my system without
wiping my drive. I have WinXP Home (that failed) but I also have a
copy of WinXP Pro which I haven't loaded yet. I was going to try and
install XP Pro on my system and see if I could navigate to my files to
back them up. However, before I preform this I want to be sure that
loading XP Pro won't wipe my system. Can I load XP pro on my system
and basically make it a dual boot system without wiping my files?

Any help would be appreciated. I'm at the end of my rope.

TIA
Billy
 
DONT press R at the first screen, press enter, then F* (to agree to the
EULA)....follow "How to Repair Install" on this page:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/rep...s XP by Installing Over top of Existing Setup:

--
Peter
Toronto, Canada
XP Home SP2
P4 dual HT @ 3.0ghz, 1.0gb RAM, 160gb HD
My laptop crashed and I got the following message

Windows could not 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 Setup CD- ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.


I was in the proceess of a backup but it never completed.

I'm trying to figure out how to

a) backup my laptop data (I have no idea how to do that if I can't boot
into my system)

b) repair my installation. my recovery CD only gives me the option of
wiping my drive which I don't want to do.

c) find out if I can load another version of XP on my system without
wiping my drive. I have WinXP Home (that failed) but I also have a
copy of WinXP Pro which I haven't loaded yet. I was going to try and
install XP Pro on my system and see if I could navigate to my files to
back them up. However, before I preform this I want to be sure that
loading XP Pro won't wipe my system. Can I load XP pro on my system
and basically make it a dual boot system without wiping my files?

Any help would be appreciated. I'm at the end of my rope.

TIA
Billy
 
That F* should read F8 and you want the "How to Run a Repair Install" down
the page....sorry about that.

--
Peter
Toronto, Canada
XP Home SP2
P4 dual HT @ 3.0ghz, 1.0gb RAM, 160gb HD
My laptop crashed and I got the following message

Windows could not 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 Setup CD- ROM.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.


I was in the proceess of a backup but it never completed.

I'm trying to figure out how to

a) backup my laptop data (I have no idea how to do that if I can't boot
into my system)

b) repair my installation. my recovery CD only gives me the option of
wiping my drive which I don't want to do.

c) find out if I can load another version of XP on my system without
wiping my drive. I have WinXP Home (that failed) but I also have a
copy of WinXP Pro which I haven't loaded yet. I was going to try and
install XP Pro on my system and see if I could navigate to my files to
back them up. However, before I preform this I want to be sure that
loading XP Pro won't wipe my system. Can I load XP pro on my system
and basically make it a dual boot system without wiping my files?

Any help would be appreciated. I'm at the end of my rope.

TIA
Billy
 
You'll also have to reinstall all Windows Updates (and possibly Office
Updates if applicable) afterwards...I'm not awake this a.m.!!
 
Back
Top