System file missing. Anything I can do short of reformat?

**Thread Updated with New Problem, Check Posts Below**

I am working on fixing a problem on a computer of a friend of mine. I would like to keep the current installation of windows (xp) up and running so I don't lose all their data. Here's the problem I'm getting:

Computer POSTs and gets to when windows should load. Then I get this:

(Deleted Image as it's now irrelevant)

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.

Click to expand...

I have used the XP CD to start a repair process, but it just brings me to the C:/Windows> prompt and I don't know what to do from there. Is there any way to correct this file? I have another hard drive with Win2k installed that I have used to successfully boot to and have this drive as a slave, but cannot replace the file as I have only Win2k files. Keep in mind I would like to keep this installation of windows and NOT reformat.

Thanks!

Repair install should fix it. It just installs windows again but keeps the same user settings.

You can get there by doing enter at the install thing then letting it detect the previous install; and then pressing R.

Don't press R the first time is says to when you boot from the CD, on the first question say you want to install, then it shows u the EULA and then it scans the drive... THEN press R, it will look likes its installing windows like normal, but its actually just replacing the system files.

Unfortunately, your friend has a corrupted Registry. Like CrashOveride and JDXNC suggested, you could try doing a repair install...but you also have the option of repairing the Registry from the Recovery Console. If you decide to repair the Registry, then the following MSKB article describes in detail 'How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting'...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307545

The following is quoted from the above article...

When you try to start or restart your Windows XP-based computer, you may receive one of the following error messages:

• Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
  
• Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE
  
• Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate

The procedure described in this article uses Recovery Console, System Restore, and lists all the required steps in specific order to ensure that the process completes fully. After you complete this procedure, the system should return to a state very close to the system before the problem occurred. If you have ever run NTBackup and completed a system state backup, you do not have to follow the procedures in parts two and three; you can skip to part four.

Click to expand...

redduc900 said:

Unfortunately, your friend has a corrupted Registry. Like CrashOveride and JDXNC suggested, you could try doing a repair install...but you also have the option of repairing the Registry from the Recovery Console. If you decide to repair the Registry, then the following MSKB article describes in detail 'How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry that Prevents Windows XP from Starting'...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q307545

The following is quoted from the above article...

Click to expand...

Lol, I was gonna say that you could repair it in the repair console if you knew how but I wouldn't even know where to start (maybe the windows knowlege base but... )

You amaze me redduc! Simple amaze me.

His method will probably take less time but might be little harder than click next a couple times. But you will probably keep all the tweaks on your OS that I *THINK* you lose when you do the repair install.

I had the same problem, here is the link for the thread i made http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=242496

LKG (Last Known Good) should fix the problem if it's a registry problem. Boot into safe mode if you can and select the LKG option. It starts the computer with the last known good registry configuration.

funzie said:

I had the same problem, here is the link for the thread i made http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=242496

Click to expand...

hey,

i'm glad my suggestion works in your case !

yes it did, thanks

**UPDATE**

The repair installation was unsuccessful, so I backed up what I could and deleted the partition. I started an install of Windows XP Home on a newly created partition and didn't think anything else about it.

Now I'm getting an error that I believe is related to the first one. After the partition has been formatted it goes into Windows Setup. At this point I have recieved numerous errors (a different blue stop screen for every time I tried to install Windows). Sometimes it gets around 96% done with setup and I get it, sometimes I only get to around 35%.

One time while in the Setup bar screen it said it couldn't find (I don't remember exactly but I'll give it my best shot) nt3211.dll (or something similar). I hit enter to try to re-install the file from the Windows CD, but nothing happens, it just stays on the "hit enter to retry, hit esc to skip it, hit F3 to quit installation" screen. The only thing I could do was skip it. After I skipped it it went through the rest of the install process and even booted into Windows, but got past the initial load screen and gave me a stop screen error.

I think I might have to write zeros to the drive before I start again. I'm not at home at the moment, so I can't check what kind of a hard drive it is (all I remember is it's storage capacity: 100GB), but I assume its a major brand with software support.

I was thinking on the way to work today that I might have a duped copy of the Windows XP Home CD, although I doubt it since they purchased the system through Best Buy and they have a legitimate XP license number.

Tell me what you think....

It could (probably?) be your disk, but you did lower your OC right?

You can, I think, but disks from Microsoft directly w/o a number so its pretty cheap.

Run a RAM test. I was getting similar errors on a 2000 load and then reinstall. It turns out that the memory was generating the errors.