[The Oman]

was working on a dell desktop that would not load windows XP Home. error was \windows\system32\config\system not found or corrupt...used the installation disk to get to the repair area...computer has 2 hard drives C: and D: which have windows ...in the repair area can only login to D: and all attempts at repair are non-productive...if I attempt to login to C: it does not respond (freezes) and I need to reboot. In addition....if I attempt to install a new version of windows (from the installation disk) in the attempt to repair the operating system that way....when it looks for a current windows operating system...it also does not respond and freezes at that point, never showing the current operating system. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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Model of Dell please - specific ie Dell Inspiron etc. .

computer has 2 hard drives C: and D: which have windows

Is this a dual boot - two hard drives with windows on each OR one hard drive partitioned.. Please explain a little further.

When you say repair area do you mean recovery console?

error was \windows\system32\config\system not found or corrupt

frequently a corrupted registry

See this - Seatools for dos will work on any hard drive. If the computer has a floppy - download to another computer install on a floppy and run on this computer. See if Seatools will see the hard drive/s and run a check. It is ONLY a check for the state of the disk. It is not a windows chkdsk for data corruption.
http://www.seagate.c...000dd04090aRCRD

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 February 2011 - 02:31 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Model of Dell please - specific ie Dell Inspiron etc. .

computer has 2 hard drives C: and D: which have windows

Is this a dual boot - two hard drives with windows on each OR one hard drive partitioned.. Please explain a little further.

When you say repair area do you mean recovery console?

error was \windows\system32\config\system not found or corrupt

frequently a corrupted registry

See this - Seatools for dos will work on any hard drive. If the computer has a floppy - download to another computer install on a floppy and run on this computer. See if Seatools will see the hard drive/s and run a check. It is ONLY a check for the state of the disk. It is not a windows chkdsk for data corruption.
http://www.seagate.c...000dd04090aRCRD

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 February 2011 - 02:31 PM.

[The Oman]

dell inspiron, recovery console, and 2 separate hard drives listed with windows ...only D: will allow access and login to administrator.

[Macboatmaster]

2 separate hard drives listed with windows

I see what you have replied, but DO YOU KNOW BEYOND DOUBT that this computer two hard drives.

Also have you run Seatools.

AND
I ask

specific ie Dell Inspiron etc. .

so I mean Dell Inspiron etc ie the number.
so could you please post the rest of the model details.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 16 February 2011 - 04:45 PM.

[The Oman]

A dell inspiron 4400 (I believe)...was working at the user location. She stated that
she had added a hard drive (not sure if dual boot or partitioned). Have not run Seatools, since I have not yet been back to
her place....

[Macboatmaster]

Well if she is capable of adding a hard drive I presume she will know - what she put on it.
I will wait to hear from you re that and Seatools.