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Windows XP Problem solving for the Windows XP Operating System

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  #1  
Old September 20th, 2007, 03:50 AM
saben23 saben23 is offline
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laptop wont startup- \windows\system32\config\system missing or corrupt

Please help. My laptop computer i turned on and now wont start up. I back up my files but there are still some very inportant files on there that i would like to get off. Wiping out the entire laptop i would like to be a last resort. so here is the thing.

I have a HP Pavillion dv1510 laptop. Running Windows XP Home. Turned computer off it was working fine, about 4 hours later i tried to start again. The computer kept going to a blue screen for a few minutes then turn off and restart to the screen asking if i wanted to start in safe mode, last known config or start normal, i tried all those options it still goes to this blue screen for a few minutes and then restart again to this screen. below is what it said on blue screen:

Stop:c0000218 (Registry file Failure)
The Registry cannot load the hive (file):
\systemroot\system32\config\software
or its log or alternate

it is corrupt,absent, or not writable
Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete
Contact your sytem administrator or technical assistance.


So after fighting with this i looked on hp website and microsoft and was advised to load using the Operating System CD. see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/ i tried part one of the info on that link. and on some of the inputs it would say file not found. so i restarted. Now it doesnt goto thew blue screen it restarts in the screen that asks , safe mode, last know good config or normal, i tried all those steps and now it just prints the line below that screen:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\Windows\system32\config\system

You can attemp to repair this file by starting windows setup using the original setup CD-Rom. Select "R" at the first screen to start repair.

So i put the CD-Rom back in and when threw the steps at the first screen after i bringing up that screen is asking me to press enter to setup Windows xp. Or press "R" to repair Windows XP using REcovery console. Or press F3 to quit. When i press enter like the things says i get the licence aggreement which i press f8 to agree. then i get a screen that is not exactly how they describe it on any website close. but no option "R"

it says: use up and down arrow to select item. press enter to set up windows XP on selcted item. to create a partition in the unpartitioned space press "C". to delete partition press "D". and then in a box it has:

76317 MB Disk 0 at Id on bus 0n on atapi [MBR]
C: Partition1 [NTFS] 76105 MB <41989 MB free>
Unpartitioned space 8 MB
E: Partition2 [Unknown] 204 MB <203 MB>

This is where i am lost, hope this gives anyone enought info they need. If anyone could please help me with this i would be so thank ful.. this laptop is my life and i would love to get it up and running, If i even could get it running for one time, i would be able to get my files and then i would be ok. thank you so much to know ever lends a hand.
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  #2  
Old September 20th, 2007, 04:38 AM
Murf's Avatar
Murf Murf is offline
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O/S: Windows XP Pro
Posts: 17,424
Welcome to CTH

One of the best step-by-step on trying to do what you are doing, is written by a fellow MVP.

HERE
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  #3  
Old September 21st, 2007, 02:01 AM
saben23 saben23 is offline
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thank you so much for your help....unfortunatly this did not help. i did all the steps and it is still saying missing ro corrupt
\windows\system32\config\system on start up.

thank you anyways for your help. if you or anyone else knows of maybe somehting else yo try please let me know
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  #4  
Old September 21st, 2007, 03:28 PM
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Murf Murf is offline
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O/S: Windows XP Pro
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OK,

Then do the same thing except this time you are going to use the recovery console.

1. On the CD boot screen after it loads files:

You're going to select the "R" option to repair the pc via Recovery Console

2. Once you get into the Recovery Console it'll ask which Windows install you want to use. If you're a regular computer user there should only be 1 listed (Usually listed as 1. C:\windows ) if you're a more "advanced" user there might be more listed. It is assumed you should then know which one to boot into if you know how to setup a multi-boot system.

After selecting the Windows installation you would like to boot by pressing the respective number you will be asked for the Administrator's password. It's time to enter it.

There is a built-in “Administrator” account when you install Windows Windows XP. When entering the recovery console that is the password the recovery console is asking for. It is not asking for the account you created during install or the one that you generally login to. Unless, of course, you're logging into the built-in administrator's account which is not a good idea. If the password was/is blank then you shouldn't get a prompt asking for a password. It'll just load into a C:\> prompt. Otherwise if you don't remember or have one try just typiong ADMIN.

3. At the recovery console type chkdsk /p (note the space between the "k" and "/p" ) and hit enter.

4. After it completes, restart the computer. This could have fixed your problem but if not, then proceed:.

5. Here are some notes before we continue. What you are about to do is basically a minor System Restore via the Recovery Console. I say minor because you're only going to copy part of the registry, not the whole thing. Since you are copying over a registry backup to be used you may loose some program(s) or their settings, it all depends on when the last Restore Point for System Restore was created. If some programs don't work it's really as simple as reinstalling them.

6. The text in red will be what you type and the black text will what the system outputs or what is put there by the system.

C:\Windows>CD C:\system~1\_resto~1
C:\system~1\_resto~1\>dir

7. After you enter the DIR command and hit enter you will get a list of folders like such rp1, rp2, rp3, rp4, etc. etc. The "rp" part of the folder name denoting it's a Restore Point.

8. What you'll want to do is find the 2nd highest numbered folder in that list. So, for instance, if it listed rp1 thru rp10 you'll want the rp09 folder. I'll use 09 for the rest of this little fix just to keep things simple but substitute rp09 for whatever folder is the 2nd highest in the list on your pc.

Now, we have more commands..

C:\system~1\_resto~1>cd rp09

C:\system~1\_resto~1\rp09>cd snapshot

C:\system~1\_resto~1\rp09\snapshot>copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system

Overwrite system [y,n]: y

1 file copied

C:\system~1\_resto~1\rp09\snapshot>exit (before typing exit, please remove your Windows XP CD from the CD Drive)

9. After typing “exit” and pressing “enter” on the keyboard your computer will restart, hopefully into a working machine. If by some chance this did not fix your issue you can either go through this option again and try a different restore point.
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  #5  
Old September 22nd, 2007, 01:44 AM
saben23 saben23 is offline
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almost there i think

i did the second step there, where i typed CD C:\system~1\resto~1

and choose the second last restore point. After i clicked enter after the last command on there. It never asked if i wanted to overwrite. its just said
1 file copied

i typed "exit", and it restarted i was so happy i wanted to kiss you it was loading up and everything....but i spoke to soon. before it could finish loading up a pop up box came up with the title of "lsass.exe system error"
and in the box it had "When trying to update password this return state indicates that the value provided as the current password is incorrect" then it stays up there for a few minutes and then restarts and kepts doing this. I tried loading it in safe mode or last known good conifg, and the same result.....so you have helped me so much, if you now know what i should do please let me know, i think we are so close. thank you
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