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windows/system32/config/system file missing or corrupt


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#1
AmandaMFT

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Hello, Here's how it happened. My computer was on standby and a circut blew so the power went off for a minute. So when I went to turn the computer back on, it wouldn't boot and would say the "windows/system32/config/system file is missing or corrupt. You can attempt to repair this file be starting windows setup using origional setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair."
But the thing is, I don't have that cd. I have a cd that says System Recovery, if thats it. I tried to use it and got a blue screen..."unmountable boot volume". But on the cd, it says using it will erase all my files. And I don't want to do that.
After that, I tried safe mode and it booted into that. I checked to make sure my files were all still there and they were. But then right after that the whole computer locked up. So I had to reboot it. And now it won't even let me boot into safe mode. I get the same missing file error. I even tried loading the last good config. That didn't work either.
I've been looking all over the net on someone elses computer trying to find anything I can do. And everywhere I go it says to use the start up cd or some say to use a floppy disk (my computer doesn't have a floppy drive).
So is there anyway to fix this or a way to at least get all of my files?
I'm running WinXP media edition. And it's a Gateway desktop about 4 years old.
I'm just at a loss here. I just mostly want to save all my photos on it as I have a year old son and all his baby photos are stored on it and no where else. I do have a general knowledge of computers but have never run into this problem before. So if anyone could help, it would be great. Thanks.
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#2
Broni

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If you have Windows CD...(if you don't have Windows CD, scroll down)

1. Insert your Windows XP CD into your CD and assure that your CD-ROM drive is capable of booting the CD.
2. Once you have booted from CD, do NOT select the option that states: Press F2 to initiate the Automated System Recovery (ASR) tool.
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:

Posted Image

3. After you have selected the appropriate option from step two, you will be prompted to select a valid Windows installation (typically number “1″).
Select the installation number, and hit Enter.
If there is an administrator password for the administrator account, enter it and hit Enter (if asked for the 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:

Posted Image

4. There are eight commands you must enter in sequence to repair your problem..
I will introduce them here, and then show the results graphically in the next six steps.
NOTE. Make sure, you press Enter after each command. Make sure, all commands are exact, including "spaces".
These commands are as follows:

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 command which searches 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.
It is very important that you do one or both of the following two things:
A.) Every Windows XP owner must use /FASTDETECT as OS Load Option when the rebuild process is finalizing.
B.) If you are the owner of a CPU featuring Intel’s XD or AMD’s NX buffer overflow protection, you must also use /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN as an OS Load Option.
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).
Here is your computer screen:

Posted Image

5. 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, in that it contains no bad sectors or other corruptions that might be the culprit:

CHKDSK /R

6. 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”, then Enter to confirm your decision:

FIXBOOT

7. 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...
Download Windows Recovery Console: http://www.thecomput...om/files/rc.iso
Download, and install free Imgburn: http://www.imgburn.c...hp?act=download
Using Imgburn, burn rc.iso to a CD.
Boot to the CD...let it finish loading.
When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
Then, follow instructions from Step #3 above.
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#3
AmandaMFT

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Thank you Broni. I have a question though, since I don't have the windows cd and will have to burn that file to a cd, once I do all that, will all my files still be on the computer? I'm assuming they will be, but am just making sure before I do it.
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#4
Broni

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Your files are safe.
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#5
AmandaMFT

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Thank you so much. I'm going to go ahead and start burning that and see how it goes. Hopefully it all works out okay.
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#6
Broni

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I wish you luck :)
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#7
rb2000

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goodmorning.
i have a similar problem.
but i dont know how to burn correcty rc.iso?
can u help me with this?
tnx
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#8
rb2000

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I have a problem in BOOTCFG /REBUILD
it says that some files are corrupt or something like this.It cannot detect ths OSystem.
any ideas?please answer!
thank you
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#9
123Runner

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rb2000... You need to start your own topic. What you have added to this one is getting buried with it. Here on the forum we generally look for posts with no views.
Even though your problem looks similar, the outcome can be a different solution.

123runner
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#10
AmandaMFT

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Broni,
well i burned that rc disk & when i ran it, it blue screened when the rc said it was loading windows. with this error 'STOP: 0X0000007B (0XF7A9263C, 0XC0000034, 0X00000000, 0X00000000)' and said to run CHKDSK /F. so i turned it off because it was stuck on the blue screen. on booting up it ran the chkdsk & worked. i backed up what i wanted & everything seemed fine. now it's back to the system config error & the blue screen when i boot it to the rc cd. how can i run the chkdsk or can i? thanks
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#11
Broni

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Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD, and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.
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#12
blobotron

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hi,
i had a similar problem and got to step 6 successfully. i've been waiting for well over an hour doing a chkdsk /r, and left the room at 70%, only to come back and find it back at 53%. it is taking forever. i'm in trouble, aren't i? i was sooooo close. nevermind- just finished. fixed some errors. however, i run fixboot, and exit, but the problem is not fixed. still missing or corrupt config\system. this all started after i installed faulty ram, so i have no idea why this could be hard drive related. please help- i'm out of ideas. thanks.

Edited by blobotron, 20 July 2009 - 10:23 PM.

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#13
rshaffer61

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Direct to: blobotron

Please start your own topic
Although your issue may seem similar there can be other factors that may need to be resolved.
By bumping on someone's topic it makes it confusing for the tech to understand who they are helping. This can in turn cause the wrong support to be given and can cause instability or worse to happen to your system. Thank you for your cooperation.
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#14
thomrd

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I have the same issue but after I select r to repair it asks me to select the installation. You recommend 1 but when I do this I get an error message. Any other suggestions?
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#15
LSEactuary

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I have used your instructions to make the Windows CD and followed your steps on:
http://www.geekstogo...pt-t242795.html

Steps 1 and 2 work for me.

When i reach step 3 it says:

Microst Windows XP<TM> Recovery Console.

The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality.

Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.

It is black and white like your print screen.

However, the C:\WINDOWS part and everything below it does not come up.

And when I type the codes (on the page above) it says 'Access Denied'.

What shall I do?
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