Corrupt or Missing file on two PC's

surgeVel · 11-05-2008, 10:46 AM

What is the best way to get this up and running again?

I am getting the following error at start up:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM

Now, it says to use the setup cd to do a repair install, and I've tried following a few guides to do the correct commands, but with no luck yet. I would like to try and get this file replaced without having to re-image the system.

The other machine was a factory image, so my XP disc won't detect the hard drives when I try to do a repair install, so I am just going to pull the hard drive, put it in an external enclosure, grab the files I need to save, then re-image it.

Lexluethar · 11-05-2008, 11:01 AM

Did you do a repair install automatically or did you use the command line interface? DO NOT use the command line interface, there is an option there to just allow it to repair install windows w/o using the command line.

surgeVel · 11-05-2008, 11:20 AM

I sure didn't see any option to do an auto repair. As soon as I hit 'R' it took me to the command line interface repair mode.

Lexluethar · 11-05-2008, 11:28 AM

Ya, DO NOT use that, check this step by step out.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install

surgeVel · 11-05-2008, 11:40 AM

I figured that was what you were referring to, and unfortunately, it does not have the repair option when I use that method. Basically my only option is to do a whole new install or somehow use the command line repair console.

Any help with doing it that way?

Lexluethar · 11-05-2008, 11:48 AM

Well the problem is it isn't giving you a particular corrupt file, just a folder. I mean if you want to in the command line you can copy over the entire system folder from the CD into the root directory of the OS.
Assuming D is your CD drive and C is your root directory

xCopy D:\<location of system files> C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM

Problem being i don't believe the CD just has a folder with the system files, as it is just a installation file (not like an exact copy of the true system files). You could copy the system files of a current XP system to see if that would work. Or get the most generic system folder possible and copy that.

surgeVel · 11-05-2008, 11:59 AM

That's what I was afraid of. Can I use an external hard drive while in that repair console? Otherwise I wouldn't know how I could possibly get the files copied over.

Lexluethar · 11-05-2008, 12:03 PM

No you can't use a USB mass storage device in DOS mode. You could use a Linux Live CD to copy the files over if you wanted, that way you totally negate needing to use DOS.

surgeVel · 11-05-2008, 12:09 PM

I didn't even think of that! Knoppix here I come!

Ugh, the weird thing is this computer was brand new, with a fresh image, and got this error so randomly. Oh well.

Lexluethar · 11-05-2008, 12:13 PM

Ya, could just be a corrupt file within the OS. Nothing you can do about it, if it were an older computer i would say watchout to see if any other files are starting to become corrupt indicating a dieing drive. But you know your stuff so i won't go there

Let me know how that works. I'm really curious to know if just copying and pasting the system folder will work. I mean that is essentially what a repair installation does, just reinstalls those windows files. Heck if the Sytem files doesn't work, try the entire windows folder

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