2nd hard drive to boot from when 1st HDD will not boot...

Since I keep getting the "...system/config missing or corrupt..." error causing major I was thinking about using another hard drive to boot from so I can simply copy the missing/corrupted file to the original hard drive and voila. Back to business with the original drive---until it happens again
Is this a viable plan? It's certainly much faster and more convenient than using a back up program.
Input welcomed.

Thanks

It _could_ be, but I wouldn't advise it. Typically the computer will boot from the first boot device that it finds, and that first device may be the one with the bad OS. Weird Stuff may happen if you try to copy a windows system file right out from another installation. (Don't forget to attrib the file properly if you do copy it.)

Also...There may be another problem at work here; you may have a bad block that is unfortunately colocated with that system file, for instance, or some other, more sinister, problem. I'll reread your thread and see what we haven't talked over yet

Wouldn't it work if I set the back up HDD to boot first in BIOS when the problem comes up again--Or plug the back up HDD(reverse connections) into the same port the primary HDD was using? Then copy the config file.

My HDD passes all diagnostic tests btw.

Thanks

hi
if you can boot in safe mode, insert win cd in and type in the run command :
sfc /scannow, this will check the system files and replace the faulty is there is one, once completed, run ; sfc /purgecache, reboot.
if nothing gets better re-install using the repair option

hope it can help a bit

i686

I'm doing your first request right now even though I just restored from Back Up My PC becasue it happened AGAIN this morning.
I tried the repair option before, but that doesn't work.
I'm removing the X-Fi after the system file check is completed.

Thanks

Well that hosed my system. It wouldn't boot. Luckily safemode/Restore worked this time.

I had that SAME problem.

It turned out to be an issue with my Bios, i just reset them, and *poof* magically fixed.

Did you try that?
Because I know when I replaced the file, it did absolutely nothing.

I dunno what setting in the bios was causing that, but something was, cuz after i reset the bios, it was all fixed!

I've already tried messing with a zillion settings in the BIOS.
There is a known issue with the X-Fi and NF4 chipset.