1. The article [Q315341] describes how to perform an in-place upgrade/repair, or reinstallation to the same folder, and discusses the procedures and obsticles which may be encountered during the process.
2. Supplemental reading:
a. "Data Loss May Occur After Reinstalling, Repairing, or Upgrading Windows XP (Q31236
."
Note: If WinXP came preinstalled, the information in the article could apply to you. Check and see if there is a file named Undo_guimode.txt resident in the Windows\System32 folder. Note that will apply each time an OEM restore disk is used.
b. "You May Lose Data or Program Settings After Reinstalling, Repairing, or Upgrading Windows XP (Q312369)."
1.3 duron, A7V-e Mboard, Maxtor 120 gig.
This machine gave me a missing or corrupt file "Windows\Sytem32\Config\System" error
on boot at least 4 times in the last year. I have installed a new hard drive and loaded XP with all the upgrades each time. The last time was 2 weeks ago and then again today. The message says use the XP CD and select R at the startup screen. This gets me a DOS Directory that I have no idea what to do with. Does anyone have any Idea why this keeps happening and how to get XP going again without reformatting and reloading?

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