Hi, I have a major problem! I am using XP professional as an OS, and I had a system32 corruption problem, so I used the recovey disk . The procedure I followed is using FAT32 files.

I followed microsoft help and support article:307545 which guides the user through the recovery process. In part one, this involves creating a temp folder, backing up the exisiting registry files to a new location, deleting the registry files at their present location, and then copying the files from the repair folder to a system32/config folder (all completed in DOS)

So far so good..........Part 2 involved copying the registry files from their backup location by using system restore. This involved making the system volume information (SVI) folder visible in safe mode, and copying the snapshot folder files from SVI to a tmp folder. This is where I made a mistake because in part 3 where I had to delete the exisiting registry files, and then copy the system restore registry files to the C:\windows\system32\config folder, DOS notified me that this was not possible. However, by then I had deleted the system32/config files. THus..................

When I went back to rectify my mistake regarding transfering the SVI files, DOS notified me that the windows\system32\config files could not be found! Thus, I cannot now repair the corrupted files through the recovery console!

Sorry for this being long winded but in brief I have deleted system32 files through DOS that I need to complete a system recovery / repair. Any ideas anybody????????

Thanks.

Dan

Hello dan7brit,

If you still have your windows XP CD, repairing the Operating System is an easy task.
Simply follow the steps created by our very own admin at the following link.
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/How-to-repa...ws-XP-t138.html

Regards,
Olrik

Hi

I have followed the steps in the http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...b;en-us;q307545 article. However, as I said the problems arose because DOS would not recognise the copy C:\windows\tmp\software etc procedure. When I rebooted with recovery disk DOS informed me, after the md tmp command, that the directory already existed (Tmp),
and when I went to copy C:\windows\system32/config it informed me that it could not find the registry files! Not surprising seeing that i had deleted them (as told to by the microsoft article) so to copy them from the tmp location to the main C:\windows folder. I am just wondering how I can retrieve them now, without a full system restore which would lose all my old documents /files I nedd to recovery

Any help or ideas anyone?

Have you tried the windows repair?
It does not delete any documents.

Regards,
Olrik

when you deleted the files
did they go to recycle bin
if so did you empty recycle bin
cause theres a chance they may still be there
did you or can you run a sfc /scannow
thats your windows protection files
very dangerous messing with registry

I would like to start with mentioning that when you remove something in the recovery console, it doesn't go to the recycle bin.
It goes straight off the hard drive. Since you deleted some System32 files (core files) you will need to repair your windows installation.

I have already stated this in Post #2.
You should follow the instructions by admin in this (click) topic.

If a repair installation doesn't do the job we have another way to do so.
The repair installation is just a cleaner way of doing this.

Regards,
Olrik

Hello Mr Freeze,

One exception to this "Deleted file goes to Recycle Bin" rule is when you use the DEL command from a DOS command prompt. Files deleted from the DOS prompt are just deleted, with no second chances. It's the same thing that happens when you empty the Recycle Bin or the Trash folder. The file pointer is deleted, and the space occupied by that file is marked as unused.

Regards,

There is my problem, by using del in DOS the system32 files have gone and will not repair, Even with the reapir disc function, all i get when following the procedure suggested by microsoft is: command prompt md tmp - DOS replies "already exists"...command prompt: Copy C\wins\system32\config\system C:\wins\tmp\system.bak and DOS replies, "cannot find" (not surprsing seeing as the files are deleted)...

Thus, I cannot follwoing the microsoft repair procedure because the system32 files have been deleted! Not sure where to go with this now?

Try this instead of Microsoft's hive replacement. It's basically a system restore from command line.

Boot from the Windows XP installation CD...after the first several screens load, you will be given a choice to choose R for Recovery Console. You will then be asked to log in. Choose the installation to be repaired by number (usually 1) and press "Enter". When you are asked for the Administrator password, leave it blank and press "Enter".

When you get to the recovery console prompt:

• Type cd \ and press "Enter".
• Type cd system~1\_resto~1 and press "Enter".
• Type dir and press "Enter".

After you press enter you will see a list of folders (like rp1, rp2) If the list of restore points has more than one page then press the "Enter" key until you reach the end of the list

• Type cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list} and press "Enter". (Example: Type cd rp9 if rp10 is the last restore point.)
• Type cd snapshot and press "Enter".
• Type copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system and press "Enter".
• Type copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software and press "Enter".
• Type exit and press "Enter".

Your PC will reboot.

If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:

• Type cd \ and press "Enter".
• Type cd windows\system32\config and press "Enter".
• Type ren system system.bak and press "Enter".
• Type exit and press "Enter".

Your PC will reboot, go back into the Recovery Console and start from the beginning.

Me thinks That I am going to have reinstall wins XP (the problem then is how to retrieve my old files??)

WANNABE: I tried your suggestions - ren system system.bak command reply was " cannot find the file specified"
tried going to windows>tmp and copying system32\config and system.bak direct to TMP but reply was "specific file cannot be found"..........

Tried system~1\_resto~1 command reply was "command not recognised".......went to C:\wins dir but could not find rp files/folders

Now i am stuck

You can likely recover your data by doing either a repair install or a parallel install.

The Repair Installation will remove and replace the Windows system files, but will leave your data intact.

The Parallel Installation will install Windows in a new Windows directory. Your data will end up in your old user account in the same Documents and Settings folder as your new account. This makes recovering your files quite easy.

To do a parallel install:

Boot to the Windows XP installation cd by pressing a key when the "Press any key to boot from cd" prompt appears at the top of the screen.

• At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press Enter to set up Windows XP.
• Accept the License Agreement by pressing F8
• With your current installation selected in the box, press Esc
• Select C: Partition1 [NTFS] in the box and press Enter
• To continue setup using this partition, press C
• Now you should see formatting options...choose the last one, Leave the current file system intact (no changes), and press Enter
• To use a different folder, press Esc
• Name the folder WINDOWS0 (just type a 0 (zero)) and press Enter

The Windows installation should begin. This will install Windows to a new folder, leaving your data intact. Any programs installed on the old directory will have to be reinstalled to the new one. Device drivers will also have to be installed for all the hardware to work as it should.

The data will be located in the Documents and Settings folder (C:\Documents and Settings) under your old user account name...so when you set up the new installation, give yourself a slightly different user account name.

Thanks Wannabe - I did what you suggested and installed all my old drivers and XP office. I have found some of my old music and video files but not my .doc files and pictures? I have searched in all the folders (e.g. shared, admin) and ran start-search without any success. Seeing as the Hard disc and wins installation does not delete the old files (unless sepecified to by DOS commands) any ideas how I can find my old pics and .doc files?

.

Run a complete search for *doc to locate your .doc files. Do the same with Then run *jpeg to find your pictures. If the files you look for are different, run the appropriate search. Enable "show hidden files and folders" in "folder options". Search for "all files and folders".

to continue my last post - I opended C:\ from wins and went to doc/settings > tools>folder options>ticked show hidden files. Now I can se my icons of my old files and pics but cannot access them as when I do I get "unavailable".

I still need suggsetions hwo to access my old files please

You may have to Take Ownership of the files to recover them.