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windows\system32 \config\system is missing or corrupt-h


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#1
ellie1

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when i try to turn on my computer i get the message: windows\system32\config\system is missing or corrupt. this is all the things i have tried:

-so i typed this in the recovery console:
bootcfg /rebuild
Enter load identifier: Windows XP Pro
Enter OS load:/fastdetect
fixboot

that did not work and now depending on which windows i select at the boot menu i get either: windows\system32\config\system or minint\system32\config\system is missing or corrupt

-I then tried a different solution and typed this into the recovery console:
md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

however this did not work either as i get the message "the system can not find the file specified" when i type "copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system "

-i then tried to system repair however could not find the "r option" and only the options: install, delete partition, quit
-:Partition 1 <EISA Utilities>
C:Partition 2 <ACER> [NTFS}

-safe mode does not work, i get this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\hal.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\KDCOM.DLL
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\BOOTVID.dll
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\system
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS\system32\system.alt

-when i typed chkdsk /p in recovery console i get: chkdsk found one or more errors on the volume

-i am using a genuine windows xp home edition cd however it is not the one that was used to install windows on my laptop, as my laptop had windows xp already installed when i purchased it

-laptop is Acer aspire one

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Edited by ellie1, 17 January 2014 - 10:30 PM.

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#2
SleepyDude

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Hi Ellie1 :welcome:

Some questions:
- The Acer laptop have a working CD/DVD drive?
- Do you have access to another computer to download and Burn a CD?
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#3
ellie1

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Hi
yes to both your questions
I don't know how to burn a CD
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#4
SleepyDude

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Hi,

I don't know how to burn a CD


No problem. I want you to download OTLPEStd the file when executed will self extract and ask if you want to burn the CD, you only need to put the CD on the burner and click Yes.

After burning the CD try to boot the "bad computer" with the CD and tell me if it loads and display a Reatogo desktop.

Note: The Live XP will take some time to load because it needs to detect your hardware and load the operating system from the CD.
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#5
ellie1

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Hi
Sorry it took me so long to reply, i had to borrow my friend's computer.
I am having trouble burning the disc. I will keep trying but is there any other way?

thanks
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#6
SleepyDude

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Hi
Sorry it took me so long to reply, i had to borrow my friend's computer.
I am having trouble burning the disc. I will keep trying but is there any other way?


Hi,

No problem. What type of troubles? Which program did you use to burn the ISO to the CD?
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#7
ellie1

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ImgBurn
it has "failed to write sectors 0-31"
I have attached screenshots

Attached Thumbnails

  • Untitled.png
  • Untitled1.png
  • Untitled2.png

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#8
SleepyDude

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Hi,

Are you using a CD or DVD medium?

On the Write Speed: select 4x
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#9
ellie1

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Realised I was using a DVD-RW so i went out and bought a CD-RW
and now it has successfully burned the CD

will try and boot my laptop with the CD now
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#10
ellie1

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Booted the laptop with the CD, it now displays the Reatogo desktop
What should I do now?
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#11
SleepyDude

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Booted the laptop with the CD, it now displays the Reatogo desktop
What should I do now?


Good. :)

  • Please boot the computer with the Reatogo CD.
  • Double click on the My Computer Icon and locate your OS Drive (usually C:\). It should contain the Windows folder
  • Create a new folder called RegBack at the root of your OS Drive
  • Locate and open the System Volume Information folder.
  • There should be a folder named _restore{sequence of alpha-numeric numbers}. Double click on this folder to open it.
  • You should see multiple RPx folders (RP1, RP2, .....RP23, etc.). Each RP folder contains a system restore point. The higher the number, the newer (more recent) the restore point.
  • You need to check the date and time of the RPx folders to evaluate when the restore point was created. Select an RPx folder just before the computer problem started.
  • Double click on that RPx folder, then double click on the snapshot folder. There will be multiple files present. The ones you need are these:
    • _Registry_Machine_Sam
    • _Registry_Machine_Security
    • _Registry_Machine_Software
    • _Registry_Machine_System
    • _Registry_User_.Default
  • Check the file size for each of the above files and make sure that the size of each file does not equal 0. All five files should contain data. If any of the files sizes equal to 0, you will need to choose another restore point.
  • Highlight the five files, right mouse click and select Copy, next locate and open the RegBack folder, right click on the empty window and select Paste to copy the files into the RegBack folder.
  • Now, rename the files in the RegBack folder as shown below:
    • _Registry_Machine_Sam =========> Sam
    • _Registry_Machine_Security ======> Security
    • _Registry_Machine_Software =====> Software
    • _Registry_Machine_System =======> System
    • _Registry_User_.Default ==========> Default (make sure there is no period (.) in front of the "renamed" Default)
  • Highlight the five renamed files, right mouse click, and select Copy, then open My Computer and navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\Config <=== This folder
  • To confirm that you are in the correct folder Config, verify that SAM, Security, Software, System, and Default files exist.
  • Open the Edit menu and click Paste, confirm that you want to overwrite the original (corrupted) five files.
  • Restart the computer without the CD to see if it boots into normal Windows.

Let us know the result.
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#12
ellie1

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You need to check the date and time of the RPx folders to evaluate when the restore point was created. Select an RPx folder just before the computer problem started.


Forgot the date before computer problem started so went 10 days back from the newest folder to be safe

To confirm that you are in the correct folder Config, verify that SAM, Security, Software, System, and Default files exist.
Open the Edit menu and click Paste, confirm that you want to overwrite the original (corrupted) five files.


When in C:\Windows\System32\Config folder the files (sam, security, software, default) were there but system file was not
so i overwrited those four and pasted the system file.

I have now restarted the laptop without the CD and the screen is showing the windows XP loading page for about an hour now
The loading bar is frozen in place, but I read somewhere that it may take hours to load, is this true?

I will leave the laptop to load during the night and get back to you in the morning.
Thank you for the help so far!
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#13
SleepyDude

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Hi,

If the computer isn't booting I would like you to try booting in Safe Mode, after power on the computer start pressing F8 to access a boot menu like this:
Posted Image

- Select Safe Mode from the menu

Note: In some machines pressing F8 during boot can give you access to a BIOS boot menu if this happens select boot from the CD drive and start pressing F8 again.

Let me know the result. In case the boot process gets stuck please take note of the last line of text you see and tell me.
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#14
ellie1

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Yes it worked in safe mode!
What should I do now?
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#15
SleepyDude

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Yes it worked in safe mode!
What should I do now?


Do you have the Windows XP install CD? Insert the CD on the drive open the Command Prompt and type:
sfc /scannow

Let me know the result.
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