[Desperateforhelp]

Hi, I’m new here and completely lost . I have a vpr matrix with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition version 2002.

Upon turning the computer on, I receive “Please select the operating system to start:” After choosing any of the listed I get another screen to which I’ve tried Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, Start Windows Normally but to no avail. I continually receive “Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.“

So, I entered the Windows XP Home Edition setup CD. The setup loads I select “repair Windows XP installation using Recovery Console.” After consulting Microsoft help pages and various forums I enter “bootcfg /rebuild.” Recovery console scans all disks for Windows installations and comes up with the following:

Total Identified Windows Installs: 2
[1] C:\My Old Data -- 04-10-03 10:22PM\Windows
(From a previous recovery, I believe.)
Add Installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
I chose yes.
Enter Load Identifier:
I input Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Enter OS Load Options:
I leave this blank as instructed by Microsoft help.
[2]: C:\Windows
Add Installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
I chose yes.
Enter Load Identifier:
I enter Microsoft Windows XP Home
Enter OS Load Options:
Again, I leave this blank. I enter exit and the computer restarts. When the computer restarts, I see various operating systems from numerous attempts prior. I chose Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. I run it in Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, Start Windows Normally but I receive the same \Windows\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM is corrupt or missing error.

I Realized that maybe the problem was that I had two identified windows installs and that only “C:\My Old Data --04-10-03” under the Load Identifier title of “Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition” was available at the choosing an operating system screen. I go back to the recovery console, I run bootcfg /rebuild. But this time I choose NO to add “[1]C:\My Old Data -- 04-10-03” to boot list and yes to add “[2] C:\Windows.” When asked to enter Load Identifier I type “Microsoft” to be able to distinguish it from the others, and I leave OS Load Options blank. I exit and restart. I chose it from the Operating System’s list and choose safe mode but AGAIN I get the \Windows\System32\Config\System missing or corrupt error. I chose it again and run it in any other setting, but receive the same error.


For some reason, I get another error. I get:
<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.


I enter “expand d:\i386\hal.dl_c:\windows\system32\hal.dll.” but I receive “The system cannot find the file or directory specified.”

I enter “md tmp” and get “A directory or file with the name tmp already exists”
When I input “copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak” I get “the system cannot find the file specified.”

Up until three days ago, I didn’t know any of this existed. I’m completely stumped. I followed what Microsoft help said and I seem to be stuck. Should I just re-install windows xp home edition, and am I guaranteed that will work?

All help, big or small, is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading about my problem!

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Sounds like you have a corrupted registry. From your post, you seem to know your way around a computer pretty well, so follow directions here: http://forums.cclonl...read.php?t=1183

This will replace the registry with copies from the Repair directory. Then allow you to logon in Safe Mode as Administrator and copy all the registry files from a late (but not latest) System Restore point.

Once that's done you should be able to boot as normal. You can then run System Restore or not, depending on how the system behaves.

I did this recently for a computer that was getting the"

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.“

error message. I did not have to do the System Restore afterwards.

[Ztruker]

Sounds like you have a corrupted registry. From your post, you seem to know your way around a computer pretty well, so follow directions here: http://forums.cclonl...read.php?t=1183

This will replace the registry with copies from the Repair directory. Then allow you to logon in Safe Mode as Administrator and copy all the registry files from a late (but not latest) System Restore point.

Once that's done you should be able to boot as normal. You can then run System Restore or not, depending on how the system behaves.

I did this recently for a computer that was getting the"

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.“

error message. I did not have to do the System Restore afterwards.

[Desperateforhelp]

Sounds like you have a corrupted registry. From your post, you seem to know your way around a computer pretty well, so follow directions here: http://forums.cclonl...read.php?t=1183

This will replace the registry with copies from the Repair directory. Then allow you to logon in Safe Mode as Administrator and copy all the registry files from a late (but not latest) System Restore point.

Once that's done you should be able to boot as normal. You can then run System Restore or not, depending on how the system behaves.

I did this recently for a computer that was getting the"

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM.“

error message. I did not have to do the System Restore afterwards.

I really appreciate your help. I followed this exactly and I got pretty far. But when the system starts I get ANOTHER ERROR. "lsass.exe system error, an invalid parameter was passed to a service or function." Apparently, this is some sort of virus. So I guess i'm up a level in a fiery place. But really, thank you. I would never have known to do this if you didn't post a response.

Edited by Desperateforhelp, 05 January 2008 - 12:00 AM.

[Desperateforhelp]

"lsass.exe - System Error: An invalid parameter was passed to a service or function." Now i'm just trying to re-install microsoft xp. I get to the windows xp licensing agreement, get passed that. Get to a screen that says I can either repair the selected Windows XP installation, or install a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing. I hit repair and a new screen comes on. But first the lsass.exe system error: an invalid parameter was passed to a service or function comes up and the computer restarts. do I just have to accept the inevitable and install a fresh copy of windows xp? or is there a way around this?

Edited by Desperateforhelp, 05 January 2008 - 01:00 PM.

[Ztruker]

With the recovery you've done, can you now boot to Safe Mode? If so, read through this area, see if you can Cleanup Your System

If not, Post a HijackThis log

Please be patient as the malware removal experts are extremely busy and it may take a day or three for them to get to you.

Before you do that (if you get to Safe Mode), login as Administrator and try doing a System Restore to a date before all this occurred.