[David T]

Hi

My daughters Acer One has developed a problem with Windows XP

On start up it displays on black screen (this following is how it's laid out on the screen)

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 have purchased an external cd drive and changed the start up procedure following the hints from this site (thanks) but as the computer didnt actualy have back up cd (no cd rom) I have blagged a generic windows sp2 disk.

I have tried to follow the hints on repairing the system but it is not as per the instruction on the this site and it says its going to remove all folders etc. As my daughter is 1/2 way through the 1st years of A levels I get scared as I dont want to be responsable for losing all wer work.

Any suggestions greatly appricated

Many Thanks

DAVID

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Start the system and start tapping the f8 key. When the screen comes up use the arrow keys to select "Last Known Good Configuration ( your most recent settings that worked )" and hit the enter key.

[D-Berd]

Start the system and start tapping the f8 key. When the screen comes up use the arrow keys to select "Last Known Good Configuration ( your most recent settings that worked )" and hit the enter key.

[David T]

Thanks

I've tried that and it just reverts to

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

I've tried to start in safe mode,

I've remooved the hard drive and run a virus scan (with kaspersky) as external hard drive from my computer and found no infections etc. When the disk was connected as external drive I tried to move the documents to my computer but access was denied as my daughter had followed advise from forums and installed a password protecting the files.

If the Acer One would run Windows 7 (or even vista) i would up grade but i must recover the work before i can change the opperating system.

Any Ideas

DAVID

[D-Berd]

does it ask you for a password when you try to access the files?

[David T]

No,

It just says access denied

If I create a user account for my daughter with the same password could I then copy the files ?

[happyrock]

try this canned fix for non Bootable Computer xp
Speech written by: Broni
Speech edited by: Artellos

The following Canned Speech is designed for fixing a non bootable computer, specifically aimed at these errors:

- Invalid boot.ini
- NTLDR is Missing
- Missing or Corrupt HAL.dll
- Missing or Corrupt Ntoskrnl.exe
- Missing or Corrupt \\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\CONFIG\\SYSTEM


If you have your Windows CD

• Insert your Windows XP CD into your CD and assure that your CD-ROM drive is capable of booting the CD.
• Once you have booted from CD, You’re going to proceed until you see the following screen, at which point you will press the "R" key to enter the recovery console:
  
  
  
• You will be prompted to select one of the listed Windows installation (typically number "1").
• Select the installation number, and hit Enter.
  If there is an administrator password for the administrator account fill out the password and hit enter.
  By default you can leave this blank and hit enter.
  (If it does have a password and you don't know it, you're out of luck).
  
  You will be greeted with this screen, which indicates a recovery console at the ready:
  
  
  
• Please make sure you follow the instructions of this guide exactly as given or you might risk more problems.
  NOTE; Make sure you press Enter after each command.
  Make sure all commands are exactly as shown in this guide, including "spaces".
  
  First, we will start off with these 6 commands.
  

  CD..
  ATTRIB -H C:\boot.ini
  ATTRIB -S C:\boot.ini
  ATRIB -R C:\boot.ini
  del boot.ini
  BOOTCFG /Rebuild

  
  Note about the above command.
  BOOTCFG /REBUILD will search for pre-existing installations of Windows XP and rebuilds sundry essential components of the Windows operating system, recompiles the BOOT.INI file and corrects a litany of common Windows errors.
  
  For the Enter Load Identifier portion of this command, you should enter the name of the operating system you have installed.
  If, for example, you are using Windows XP Home, you could type Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition for the identifier (it's not crucial, however what the name is, as long, as it's meaningful).
  For the OS Load Option portion of this command, you should enter the following: /FASTDETECT /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN
  It is very important that you do one or both of the following two things:
  
  Here is what you should see:
  
  
  
• The following command verifies the integrity of the hard drive containing the Windows XP installation. While this step is not an essential function in our process, it’s still good to be sure that the drive is physically capable of running windows and that it contains no bad sectors or other corruptions that might be causing issues.
  Take note that this scan might take a long while. Leave it running uninterrupted![/b]
  
  CHKDSK /R
  
• This last command writes a new boot sector to the hard drive and cleans up all the loose ends we created by rebuilding the BOOT.INI file and the system files. When the Windows Recovery Console asks you if you are Sure you want to write a new bootsector to the partition C: ? just hit "Y" and hit Enter to confirm your decision:
  
  FIXBOOT
  
• It’s time to reboot your PC by typing:
  EXIT
  and pressing Enter.

With any luck, your PC will boot successfully into Windows XP as if your various DLL, Hive, EXE and NTLDR errors never existed.

If you don't have Windows CD
Please download ARCDC from Artellos.com.

• Double click ARCDC.exe
• Follow the dialog until you see 6 options. [i]pick the version and service pack option that corresponds to your system l
• You will be prompted with a Terms of Use by Microsoft, please accept.
• You will see a few dos screens flash by, this is normal.
• Next you will be able to choose to add extra files. Select the Default Files.
• The last window will allow you to burn the disk using BurnCDCC

Then, follow instructions from Step #1 above.

[David T]

Hi

Thanks for the replies,

I will try these but before I potentially ruin the disk (not due to errors from the experts here but due to my inepetude at typing!!!) Is there any way of copying the documents to my own computer?


DAVID

Edited by David T, 21 November 2010 - 06:49 AM.

[David T]

Hi

Thanks fro your imput, I've followed the instructions to the letter and everything is fine until I entre the

CHKDSK /R

I then see BLUE SCREEN with following

STOP: c0000139 {Entry Point Not Found}
The Procedure entry point NtSerializeBoot could not be located in the dynamic li
nk libary ntdll.dll.


I Really now fear its DEAD

PLEASE HELP


Thanks

DAVID