BOOT PROBLEM

[MORDAJ]

When I boot my other computer I get a message that says- WINDOWS COULD NOT START BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING FILE IS MISSING OR CORRUPT:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

If anybbody could help me that would be great.

 

[jrbarnett]

This sounds like a serious problem. Hit the F8 key while the first part of the bootup process runs, then select Last Known Good configuration and see if this restores your system to usability.

Have you recently changed anything on your PC?

John

 

[MORDAJ]

I went to Last Known Good Configuration and I got the same message. I have not changed any thing recently.

 

[jrbarnett]

Try safe mode from the same menu and see if this fixes it.
John

 

[MORDAJ]

Nope, same message.

 

[muthabored]

I remember reading somewhere that this error could be indicative of a missing or corrupt registry or system hive when the registry becomes to large for the OS to load. Your current/bad registry hive (IF that's the problem) needs to be replaced with a smaller backup version. To restore a damaged registry hive, use the Recovery Console to restore the backup copy of the hive from the Repair folder. The Repair folder contains a copy of the system's registry hives that were created after the first successful startup of Windows XP.

 

[jrbarnett]

This file is part of the Windows system that stores details of the system hardware in use. If you can't get into it this way, put your Windows XP CD in the drive, boot the PC up from it and enter the recovery console.
Enter the administrator username and password and from there, you should be able to navigate to this folder and rename the file SYSTEM to SYSTEM.OLD and rename SYSTEM.SAV to SYSTEM. This is an older copy of the file.

John

 

[MORDAJ]

Where is the recovery console?

 

[MORDAJ]

Im not sure how to get to the file.

 

[muthabored]

With your Windows XP CD in your CD-ROM drive,
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type x:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons (x is the drive letter for your CD-ROM drive.
A Windows Setup Dialog Box should appear, which describes the Recovery Console option. The system prompts you to confirm installation. Click Yes to start the installation procedure.
Restart the computer. The next time you start your computer, you will see a "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" entry on the boot menu.

 

[MORDAJ]

How do I rename the file?

 

[MORDAJ]

I cant do that because I cant even start XP.

 

[muthabored]

Are you able to boot into safe mode? When your PC boots, select F8 and you should have that option

 

[MORDAJ]

No I cant do that, I get the same message.

 

[urville]

I am having this same problem, the reason none of this will work is that without the registry info you cant login, and with that info missing or corrupted the repair option from the setup install option when booting from the cd wont FIND your windows install therefore you cant repair it. i am lost as to what to do, it tells me last known and rep[air but neither works... i think we may have to reinstall, which is really not good, as i have a lot of apps and i'll have to ??delete my program files directory?? and reinstall everything?? i dont know, i'm not surte i could just reinstall xp, then the apps, and expect them to override themselves, but maybe... certainly not every app.... ohhh i hate microsoft, ease of use makes for harder recovery i've noticed! maybe we should have stuck to harder to use yest less reliant... help

 

[urville]

I found this but I havent tried it yet so i make no assumptions, only that the title is exactly us Microsoft.com had the following to say:

see link'

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307545

Repair the Windows XP registry.For additional information about how to repair the Windows XP registry, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307545 How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting

NOTE: If you cannot start the Windows XP Recovery Console, start the computer by using a boot disk.

 

[urville]

I used that knowedge database artcle, and it worked fine once i looked over it it made total sense, you should try it i bet it will fix all your problems...

ian