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General discussion

Windows/system32/config/system help

Jun 19, 2009 7:44AM PDT

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 press 'r'

The problem is that this error already occurred and i cant access my windows at all. I have a mac computer with bootcamp (so it has both a mac and pc harddrives), the pc harddrive being the one that has this problem and that i cant access. Unfortunately, I do not have the original XP CD so that's probably not an option... Is there any way I can fix this problem without the CD, or is it absolutely necessary? (I dont want my parents to find out that the pc part of the comp is broken...). I've tried booting in safe mode with the f8 key at the start, but it just loads up some stuff and then restates the error on the black screen.

Additional Info: it's a Windows XP Professional

Also, I can access some of the files on the pc harddrive while being on the mac (the mac still works, but the pc doesnt). (To be specific, while on the mac, I can open up the finder and there's a WINDOWS tab that i can click on to view its files). Could that work to my advantage and possibly solve the problem?

Discussion is locked

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Re:
Jun 19, 2009 7:52AM PDT

To elaborate just a bit more, when I click on the WINDOWS XP tab in the mac finder, i can locate the start>program files>accessories>system tools and all that good stuff in that folder but problem is those programs arent recognized by the mac so it wont be able to open them properly

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Quite A Few Suggestions Are Available On These Forums
Jun 19, 2009 8:17AM PDT

A search with your error brings up a number of good suggestions.. Usually the "Recovery Console" fix using the Windows XP disc gets it done best. The commands below should do it:

MD TMP

COPY C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\SYSTEM.BAK

DELETE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

COPY C:\WINDOWS\REPAIR\SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Or, if the above steps don't help, type your error message into our Search line at the top of the forum..

Hope this helps...

Grif

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sorry
Jun 19, 2009 9:04AM PDT

yea ive searched and actually found that same message multiple times in several posts similar to mine, but to be honest, i dont fully understand that... sorry. do i go to command prompt and type in those stuff? cus if so, i cant access windows at all on that computer, unfortunately.

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help
Jun 19, 2009 4:55PM PDT

please can anyone help??

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C:\windows\system32\config\system
Jun 19, 2009 8:54PM PDT

Hi Budy
You Just Insert Os Disk And Boot From it Then When It Asking To Repaire At That Time Press R And Then Recovery Concule Will Be start
now log on to administrator then go to c:\windows\system32\repair folder then copy system file from there and paste it to c:\windows\system32\config\ .... It's Done Restart Your Pc Now It Will Work As Earlier Have A Nice Day By.....

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re:
Jun 20, 2009 6:50AM PDT

but what if i dont have the cd? am i hopeless?

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Hope is still there. Here's why.
Jun 20, 2009 6:56AM PDT

There is no shortage of XP CDs. I see XP Pro SP3 for sale at the local shopt for not much at newegg.com amazon and other places. You can replace that for less than a trip to any service counter.
Bob

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Sometimes ...
Jun 20, 2009 6:56AM PDT

you need to rebuy what you lost. Could be your mp3-player. Could be a Windows CD. Such happens. I regularly loose my pocketknife, to name another example.

However, if you registered with Microsoft, a replacement CD using your original license code is cheaper than if you didn't.

Kees

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sometimes the CD is useless
Sep 26, 2013 11:53AM PDT

this is the 2nd time i have dealt with this type of issue where the CD is absolutely useless... I click repair and it states that no HD is present, can't install OS b/c HD again is not present... but when it boots it stops at the same error message, windows could not start b/c of the missing or corrupt file...

possible solution is to locate a copy of the file, save and paste into new HD through external entrance to HD... problem is you can't simply copy the existing file from a running system as it is in use... will add more to the conversation if i find more...

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Ahh, that one I run into more and more.
Sep 26, 2013 3:04PM PDT

As newer PCs used SATA drives the owner may have forgot to set the BIOS to IDE EMULATION (this changes a lot so look for it's other names).
Bob