Can't boot, can't fix, can't re-install. HELP!

[Tiggerbear]

Ok, I’m really praying that someone here can help. My PC won’t start, and yes its been 2mths from my last backup, so I’m desperate. Switched it on one morning and got ‘Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\config\system’. It wont start in safe mode, it wont allow me to repair it, it wont allow me to re-install windows (goes to a blue stop screen).

Partition Magic says the disk isn’t mounted, Knoppix can’t see it either (but I no very little of this programme) and Redhat 9.0 wont install on the disks either. Have I now got dead disks? They seem to be spinning with no bad sounds!

The PC has two SATA disks in serial 0 array (striped), and I was using XP Pro.

Thank you in advance forum.

[techguyonce]

Originally Posted by Tiggerbear

Ok, I’m really praying that someone here can help. My PC won’t start, and yes its been 2mths from my last backup, so I’m desperate. Switched it on one morning and got ‘Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\config\system’. It wont start in safe mode, it wont allow me to repair it, it wont allow me to re-install windows (goes to a blue stop screen).

Partition Magic says the disk isn’t mounted, Knoppix can’t see it either (but I no very little of this programme) and Redhat 9.0 wont install on the disks either. Have I now got dead disks? They seem to be spinning with no bad sounds!

The PC has two SATA disks in serial 0 array (striped), and I was using XP Pro.

Thank you in advance forum.

hi there you can proceed two ways
1.)You could repair the file you have mentioned.Create a bootdisk in xp(from someone's other computer or download it form www.bootdisk.com ).By entering through bootdisk you can give the follwing command

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config

I think this may solve the problem if it is associated with that file only

2.)You said you can't reinstall but i am sure u must be having access to your bios.Have you tried booting from floppy disk. I think you should erase all the data on the hard disk and start from the scratch.Please download the utility and try to run it via floppy .It is small in size and wipe off your all disk

http://www.killdisk.com/downloads/killdisk.exe

[thedon57]

Hi on this blue stop screen is there any errors written like stop 0x000000???.
If not have you tried to start it from when you first start it up. what i have done faced with the same situaction is, open the cd drive, insert the start up disk, then start up the computer, this should find it.
If that does not work. stop it,then when it start up again press f2 to enter the BIOS, AND SET cd or IDE to be the first bootup,follow instructions.pressenter when finished and you should find that windows should start loading.

Keep in touch

[Tiggerbear]

I'm desperate for the some of the data, i'm not fussed about saving the disks. I have just tried to do a further repair using the recovery console, and have got passed the Admin/password stage. I'm now looking a 'C:\windows' prompt, and have done dir and my the data appears still there. Any idea how I should try to fix the file \windows\system32\config\system’?

TIA

[qfisheye]

If you want the date and its that important, I would buy another hard drive and install it as master and the problem as slave ( OR use cable select, but remember master goes on end of cable.) Install xp on new drive. look at old drive and move any files to the new drive. I have a second drive in my machine and store same files on both drives. Just how important are your files--plan ahead..Good Luck Lenny