File is Missing or Corrupt

[Laf1njoker]

Alright, heres the deal:

I restart my computer and after the Dell let theoading screen, an error pops up saying "\Windows\system32\config\system file is missing or corrupt" alright, no biggie, I pop in my Windows XP disc in and try to repair it, as soon as I try to repair it, I get the BSOD, than I realized that my hard drive wasn't C:, it was F:, I cannot repair it because I can't change the path of the repair, this also happens for when I try to completely restore my computer. Is there a way to change my hard drive path now? or is it too late for me? =(

Thanks a lot.

[DaveC2003]

Check the link to a Microsoft article on the error message and solution below.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

[Laf1njoker]

Originally Posted by DaveC2003

Check the link to a Microsoft article on the error message and solution below.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

Great, but how do I install that if I can't get my computer to boot up past the loading?

[DaveC2003]

Originally Posted by Laf1njoker

Great, but how do I install that if I can't get my computer to boot up past the loading?

Check connections to your F: drive, what do you have on this drive?

Why not disconnect it and boot up the computer?

At least that may get the computer back up and running. If successful, plug the F: drive back on.

You can only change the drive letter by using Disk Management found in Administrative Tools when accessing the Control Panel.

[Laf1njoker]

Originally Posted by DaveC2003

Check connections to your F: drive, what do you have on this drive?

Why not disconnect it and boot up the computer?

At least that may get the computer back up and running. If successful, plug the F: drive back on.

You can only change the drive letter by using Disk Management found in Administrative Tools when accessing the Control Panel.

I have everything on this drive. It is my main and only hard drive.

If I disconnected it and booted the computer, won't I just get the boot disc failure error because there is no hard drive connected?

[DaveC2003]

Ok, thought it would have been a second drive. Can you get into MS DOS?

If you can, try this.



Type cd\ and press enter.

Once at DOS type "edit c:\autoexec.bat" (without the quotes).

In the autoexec.bat window locate the MSCDEX line.

Once this line has been found, if it does not have /L:x (were x is the letter of the drive) go to the end of the line and type /L (this example should assign the CD-ROM to D: this can be anything up to Z).

Once you have made the changes go up to file (if you do not have a mouse press Alt+F) then choose exit and say "Yes" to save the changes.

Once back at DOS type "edit c:\config.sys" (without the quotes)

In the config.sys window look for anything that says LASTDRIVE=x (were x is the last drive letter). If you do not see this line go to the very beginning of your config.sys and add LASTDRIVE=K (or the letter that you want to be the ending letter. Note this must be anything between C and Z.

Once you have made the changes go up to file (if you do not have a mouse press Alt+F) then choose exit and say "Yes" to save the changes.

Reboot computer.


If that doesn't work, have a look at the links below.

http://www.knoppix.net/
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/