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Help, windows XP pooped out on me.

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  • #1

    Help, windows XP pooped out on me.

    I restarted my sytem today and got the
    'windows cannot start because the following file is missing or corrupted : c:\windows\system32\config\system'


    I tried the recovery console, renamed system to system.bak, and copied the system file from the repair directory.

    Now it won't start because of a password error (this was an oem install of XP)
    apparently oem installatios creates passwords and accounts that no longer exit.

    I've got the drive installed on my other system and am copying all the important data into a backup folder,
    but I would really like to be able to save my XP installation if at all possible.

    Does anyone have any suggestions??
    Yeah, well I'm gonna build my own lunar space lander! With blackjack aaaaannd Hookers! Actually, forget the space lander, and the blackjack. Ahhhh forget the whole thing!
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  • #2
    I've been using W2KAS until a few months ago when I built my HTPC. The new system uses XP Home which I'm finding is a bit frail compared to W2K. I might have seen one Blue Screen in the 5 1/2 years I've been using W2KAS but with XP ... spontaneous reboots have occurred a handful of times ... IE is now shutting down on me under various conditions. Unimpressed with this baby OS.

    Have you run through the system file checker? How about recovery from automatic system snapshots? The recovery console has gotten me out of trouble once or twice when I lost my system partition on W2K ... quick and easy fix that worked for me, brought it right back.
    <TABLE BGCOLOR=Red><TR><TD><Font-weight="+1"><font COLOR=Black>The world just changed, Sep. 11, 2001</font></Font-weight></TR></TD></TABLE>

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    • #3
      Ouch, uh.... what about running a repair then?
      Titanium is the new bling!
      (you heard from me first!)

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      • #4
        problem is it never boots into xp, not even in safe mode.
        my only option is manually trying to repair in the recovery console - but the usual fix will not work because of xp being an OEM install.
        I do have it connected at the moment to my win2k system - is there any utility to try and repair the system file?


        Yes, I'm really being convinced win2k was the best OS MS produced.
        Yeah, well I'm gonna build my own lunar space lander! With blackjack aaaaannd Hookers! Actually, forget the space lander, and the blackjack. Ahhhh forget the whole thing!

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by xortam
          I've been using W2KAS until a few months ago when I built my HTPC. The new system uses XP Home which I'm finding is a bit frail compared to W2K. I might have seen one Blue Screen in the 5 1/2 years I've been using W2KAS but with XP ... spontaneous reboots have occurred a handful of times ... IE is now shutting down on me under various conditions. Unimpressed with this baby OS.

          Have you run through the system file checker? How about recovery from automatic system snapshots? The recovery console has gotten me out of trouble once or twice when I lost my system partition on W2K ... quick and easy fix that worked for me, brought it right back.
          Sooo... you've been running Win2k since mid 98?!
          "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." -- Dr. Seuss

          "Always do good. It will gratify some and astonish the rest." ~Mark Twain

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Greebe
            Sooo... you've been running Win2k since mid 98?!
            Yes (well actually, a bit longer) ... I developed for that platform long before it was released to the public. Why else would I be running W2KAS?
            Last edited by xortam; 14 September 2004, 15:43.
            <TABLE BGCOLOR=Red><TR><TD><Font-weight="+1"><font COLOR=Black>The world just changed, Sep. 11, 2001</font></Font-weight></TR></TD></TABLE>

            Comment

            • #7
              2 good options for you. If you can find a copy of Windows PE (Pre-install Environment, think Nopix for Windows XP, but it only boots to a command prompt). Once it's done booting up you can type REGEDIT to get the registry editor open. Then click/highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, File -> Import Hive, navigate to C:\windows (or winnt)\system32\config\, and load SYSTEM (no file extension). Regedit should automatically repair it.

              Option 2: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

              If you need to go to option two (only need a WinXP CD to use this) let me know. I've got the instructions for this at work. I can even upload a BartPE ISO for you if you think it's too complex to make. Anyway, BartPE is like WinPE but with a GUI and you can run programs from it. There's a more comples way, using BartPE, that I've developed to recover from said error. I've got about a 95% success rate using this fix.

              Jammrock
              “Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out”
              –The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

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              • #8
                No, PE available to me,
                I'm having a good read at the site you posted - great info there.
                I do have an original winxp installation disk, if you can find that info at work, I'd be uber-greatful
                Yeah, well I'm gonna build my own lunar space lander! With blackjack aaaaannd Hookers! Actually, forget the space lander, and the blackjack. Ahhhh forget the whole thing!

                Comment

                • #9
                  Wow, this all goes beyond my skills, good luck gt40.
                  Titanium is the new bling!
                  (you heard from me first!)

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Long story short, either the power was cut while Windows was trying to write the registry to the HDD, or a portion of the HDD where the registry resides got corrupt. Either way, one of the reg hives got whacked.

                    Essentially, there are ways to revocer enough of the registry to get it back up and running, but it requires you to load the HIVE in a parallel installation of Windows ... which is what BartPE and WinPE are.

                    GT40 ... if you can get a BartPE disc working with UltraEdit, TextEdit, or some non-notepad text editor byt tomorrow I'll get you the rest of the fix when I get to work.

                    Jammrock
                    “Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out”
                    –The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

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                    • #11
                      well this sucks, I can't build the bart pe image due to the fact my xp installaton disk is not service pack 1 or greater!!
                      Yeah, well I'm gonna build my own lunar space lander! With blackjack aaaaannd Hookers! Actually, forget the space lander, and the blackjack. Ahhhh forget the whole thing!

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by xortam
                        I've been using W2KAS until a few months ago when I built my HTPC. The new system uses XP Home which I'm finding is a bit frail compared to W2K. I might have seen one Blue Screen in the 5 1/2 years I've been using W2KAS but with XP ... spontaneous reboots have occurred a handful of times ... IE is now shutting down on me under various conditions. Unimpressed with this baby OS.
                        So you have a brand new OS, on brand new hardware. Why would you automatically blame the OS? It's more likely bad hardware or drivers causing those kind of problems.
                        Lady, people aren't chocolates. Do you know what they are mostly? Bastards. Bastard coated bastards with bastard filling. But I don't find them half as annoying as I find naive, bubble-headed optimists who walk around vomiting sunshine. -- Dr. Perry Cox

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                        • #13
                          I have this disk installed on my win2k system, can I do anything from there?
                          Yeah, well I'm gonna build my own lunar space lander! With blackjack aaaaannd Hookers! Actually, forget the space lander, and the blackjack. Ahhhh forget the whole thing!

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            You could try slipstreaming XP SP1 (or 2) onto your installation CD. Do you have a burner in your Win2k system? If so, google for the instructions on slipstreaming.
                            Lady, people aren't chocolates. Do you know what they are mostly? Bastards. Bastard coated bastards with bastard filling. But I don't find them half as annoying as I find naive, bubble-headed optimists who walk around vomiting sunshine. -- Dr. Perry Cox

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              I had the exact same problem on my computer a while ago.

                              I had no luck with the recovery console either. Reformat+reinstall was the only option I had.

                              Be interested to see the outcome of this. Good luck GT40.

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