System file corrupt or missing

[Shadow2018]

I have a dell computer that will not boot up because of the error message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt C:\Windows\systyem32\config\system.

Is the only way in to windows by running the recovery console or is there another way?

[Tex]

nope thats it

[Shadow2018]

By going through the recovery console will I be able to retain all the data that is currently on the drive?

Thanks for the reply TEX.

[Tex]

sure. Try getting to the command line and just running a chkdsk to make sure the filesystem isnt just messed up.

If you reboot and still have a problem boot from the cd and do not go into the recovery console. Proceed like you are installing XP normaly. Right before you get to pick the partition to install to it actually reads the boot.ini and looks for previous installs and displays them and asks if you want to just repair one of the existing installs. Say "helllllll yes" and let it repair it.

Either one will keep all the existing data. Just never format the disk. At this point I have done HUNDREDS of repairs. It's not hard.

Tex

[Shadow2018]

Thanks again TEX. I have run the checkdisk from the recovery console and it found one or more errors on the drive but I wasn't sure which command was needed to do the repair for that file.

[Tex]

it might of already repaired it actually. do a "chkdsk ?" and with the ? I think it gives all the options.

It takes a long time but consider doing whatever the real long one is that does a surface check and checks both data and free space etc.

I assume it still won't boot right?

Tex