Well installed new memory 1 gig pc3200 200 pin to my Dell Inspiron 9100 and nothing I only used that one stick on A slot only but a prior mem test didn't show any issue with my prior memory so I think in my case its better to either re-install XP or buy and install a new bigger size hard drive and clone old hard drive to new and re-install XP again if necessary after the clone if still the same issue.:sad2:
THANKS FOR THIS THREAD! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT!
Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
I was able to successfully repair our Windows XP - SP2 installation using ERD Commander. which is now free for a 30 day trial from Microsoft. I actually found it unnecessary to do the second system restore. First I ran memtest86+ to make sure the RAM memory was not defective. Then I used the Seagate Hard Drive diagnostic program to do a complete scan of the hard drive. After ruling out hardware problems, ERD commander let me do a system restore and then restarted the computer under normal Windows operating system.
Well installed new memory 1 gig pc3200 200 pin to my Dell Inspiron 9100 and nothing I only used that one stick on A slot only but a prior mem test didn't show any issue with my prior memory so I think in my case its better to either re-install XP or buy and install a new bigger size hard drive and clone old hard drive to new and re-install XP again if necessary after the clone if still the same issue.:sad2:
THANKS FOR THIS THREAD! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT!
I ultimately had windows reinstalled and new hardware put in but I personally think my problem may have been the fans and area being full of dirt and caked on dust. Cause after I recieved my laptop it was very fast for a week then super slow and the fans were on high very loud...after talking to a friend he explained since he already had the same experience that to spray forced air(Dust off) in the fan and areas which I did and boy were they full of caked on dust! Well after cleaning them thoroughly it worked fine...prior to redoing laptop I had fan sound as loud also. So try to force air the fans and any cooling fins first prior to anything.
I have been experiencing the same problem with the DFI Lanparty NF4 SLI-DR mobo on the machine I have just built. The problem seems to be that the registry hive .....\windows\system32\config\system is being corrupted due to an improper shutdown. I have not been able to trace the cause, but the following fix allows me to boot back into Windows XP. In my case this has worked every time and that must be at least twenty or thirty times now (I too am beginning to hate the DFI board)!
Boot from Windows XP Install CD
Press R for recovery console
Select the number for the OS (in my case 1. C:\WINDOWS)
This should result in a prompt C:\WINDOWS
At the prompt type "fixmbr" (no quotes)
A warning will display stating the mbr is not standard or corrupt (or words to that effect) do you wish to continue? Type "y" (no quotes)
the new mbr should then be successfully written to the hard disk.
Type "exit" (no quotes) at the prompt, the system will reboot and all SHOULD be well.
A word of warning care should be execised if you multiboot into different OS's as this may prevent the system accessing a custom boot loader, but for single operating systems it should be fine. As I said before it works 100% of the time for me.
I still have to find the cause of the improper shutdown, but will post back if I have any success.
I have this same problem.
I put the disk in and make it start up on that. it gets to the point in which it says to continue repair or cancel i think. i hit repair and it says the C:/windows but i hit the one on mine(only option) but it asks for a password(administrator's) and my dad and me dont know what is wrong. we never set the password.
Boot from the cd. Do NOT do a repair using recovery console. proceed like you were doing a fresh install but BEFORE you select which disk to install to it will look for previous installs and ask if you want to repair it. DO NOT INSTALL A NEW COPY! Hit "r" to repair bt only when it shows you the previous install disk/directory not at the revovery console prompt!
If it does not see the old install post back as the filesystem is just corrupt and it can't read the boot.ini and I'll walk you through that repair. It isnt hard. And no she isnt going to lose any files as long as the disk is operating properly!
I've done this maybe... A hundred times.
Tex
i have the same issue, got to this point and hit r - nothing happens. thoughts?
Hello TEX. I am new to this site and hopefully you are the expert you appear to be. CYBERAT, if I spelled her name correctly, has the same issue I have. That is I cannot boot because of the message that says "SYSTEM32 CONFIGURATION FILE MISSING". I have the same issue. Like her I am NOT a techno geek. My only choice is to ask for help. Your short answer to her was to reboot using the CD. I am using XP PRO and I do NOT have a CD, never did as this is an older tower loaded with either 2000 or ME and upgraded to XP. The cd used is an exact copy but not a MS disc. This is what the screen shows in order of appearence. LOGO screen, XP screen, than a CANNOT BOOT black screen. On that screen are a number of choices, 2 SAFE MODES, LAST KNOWN GOOD CONFIGURATIONS, START NORMALLY, and under that is the "MISSING" message. WITHOUT a cd is there any way to force the tower to boot? Can I download the missing file from the net, on a good machine, make a cd of it, and then use that cd to install the file into the other tower? If yes could you talk me through it? All my towers have cd writers NOT burners. Can I use any DVD format disc in a writer? If this is not possible than I will have no choice but to have my tech friend reload the OS and I will have to finish it again. You offered phone support so here is mine 203 345 7815. On the same tower before the catastrophe, SYSTEM RESTORE stopped working yet again. Is there any way to repair it for the future or maybe even download the official MS program from the net? Any help would be welcome.
Hello TEX. I am new to this site and hopefully you are the expert you appear to be. CYBERAT, if I spelled her name correctly, has the same issue I have. That is I cannot boot because of the message that says "SYSTEM32 CONFIGURATION FILE MISSING". I have the same issue. Like her I am NOT a techno geek. My only choice is to ask for help. Your short answer to her was to reboot using the CD. I am using XP PRO and I do NOT have a CD, never did as this is an older tower loaded with either 2000 or ME and upgraded to XP. The cd used is an exact copy but not a MS disc. This is what the screen shows in order of appearence. LOGO screen, XP screen, than a CANNOT BOOT black screen. On that screen are a number of choices, 2 SAFE MODES, LAST KNOWN GOOD CONFIGURATIONS, START NORMALLY, and under that is the "MISSING" message. WITHOUT a cd is there any way to force the tower to boot? Can I download the missing file from the net, on a good machine, make a cd of it, and then use that cd to install the file into the other tower? If yes could you talk me through it? All my towers have cd writers NOT burners. Can I use any DVD format disc in a writer? If this is not possible than I will have no choice but to have my tech friend reload the OS and I will have to finish it again. You offered phone support so here is mine 203 345 7815. On the same tower before the catastrophe, SYSTEM RESTORE stopped working yet again. Is there any way to repair it for the future or maybe even download the official MS program from the net? Any help would be welcome.
I've been working on a computer for a few days and I'm completely stumped. On boot, it is saying window\system32\config\system cannot be located. I've tried accessing the boot.ini file by removing the system, hidden, and read-only attributes, but the file cannot be accessed at all. I know Windows XP is installed because I was using it prior to the crash. The last performed shut down was a normal shutdown, and when I insert the Windows XP install disk, it only shows one partition. It is an NTFS partition, but the name next to it is UNKNOWN and the partition is completely empty. I also tried to slave the drive into another computer, and Windows said that it is not formatted. Entering a DOS prompt, the only drive that is appearing is Drive D, an empty recovery drive supplied by HP. Drive C doesn't exist anymore according to Windows. What should I do. I would like to recover the data on the drive, as it belongs to my boss.
If you get this error message and you get the BIOS to boot from the CD first, you 'don't' need to do a repair. All that is needed from the CD is the Windows Setup. Look at the error screen again and note the reference to 'setup'.
From my reading, I found that this is a bogus error in the Windows XP OS- it's for a MS-DOS file used on earlier versions of Windows. basically that means there really isn't anything to repair because nothing is really 'broken'..
After I posted this issue, I gave my tower to my tech friend to do his MAGIC. He did and all is fine. I am writing this on that tower. I am NOT a techno geek and your(every ones) advice is GREEK to me. No understanding and no knowledge.Since I can get my stuff done for FREE or almost FREE. I use him frequently. It is good to have a tech in your back pocket. COMPUTERS HATE ME! They are always throwing me curve balls that I cannot solve. That is what my friend is for.
I have been using an inherited computer (xp, vintage) and I have a bunch of CDs for the OS and software, but no disc to use to reboot - and I'm not even sure I know how at this point. I've tried to use the disc to reload the OS but no luck.
I have been trying to do something about this for 2 days and I am frantic. I can get into a menu by tapping F8 but I can't get a command prompt and about every solution I find on-line requires one. If I choose a an option (safemode, reboot, recovery console, drop dead...) I wind up at the STOP:c0000218 message again with no keyboard control.
You could also be having some problems if your hard drive came from another computer using Windows XP as an OS. Often the hard drive will not recognize the new computer it's in and simply refuse to work. If you have some cash handy, it probably wouldnt hurt to get your hard drive reformatted.
I have this same problem of windows/system32/config/system missing. I've switched around RAM, tried 1 stick seperately and still nothing worked. I've had this error before and I formatted my harddrive and installed a fresh copy of XP and it worked fine. But now, everytime I try to boot from the disk I get the above error =(
I'm considering buying a new harddrive. What happened before my computer died, was all my icons on the desktop were dissapearing, then I got an error of somesort (forgot what it was, as it was 2 months ago but I'm pretty sure it was concerning my harddrive).
Should I just buy a new harddrive? Will that sort the problem?
Your "system" is your registry hive. It has become corrupt, probably from an improper shutdown. I have linked this several times in other threads and the success has always been good
Any problems, please post and do let us know how you get on
I have been working for 2 days on my computer that developed this error! You have GOT to check the link out above and follow the instructions! I fixed it!!!!!!!! PLEASE... follow the instructions on the above link!
I don't know if this was covered earlier but I have been getting a system 32 fault on start up also and yes its the mother board. HP pavillion laptop windows XP, I had to push real hard to get it to come on then that stopped working. Instead of using the power button you can click on the dvd quick player right next to the on button, then hit "ctrl, alt, delete" and boom i'm in. I have been doing this for a couple months now and don't know how long his will work but it will give you time to make other arrangments while giving you access to all your information. Hope this helps someone, I tried it as a last resort and it has worked every time.
A BartPE (google it) would have some tools that could help in this situation. You could download the basic install and then burn it to a CD if you have access to some CD-R's
I'm deployed (US Army) and don't have any CDs. Anything I can do other than wait until I get home? Thanks!
UBCD (here) can be downloaded and burned to a USB flash drive if you don't have access to CDs. Please start your own topic where appropriate, so we can direct specific help to you.
Thanks guys for the link to Kellys Korner - it completely solved my problem of the registry file failure. The tech team from Dell wanted to wipe out my hard drive and reinstall. It was their "only option" What crap.
umm ive been having the corrupt file thing and its happend to two of me hard disks and is realy annoying me now, also i dont know how to repair any of them ive lost all me school work and i was wandering if some1 could take me through set-by-set on how to recover my hard disks becuase i have no idea on what to do. ive tryed this but cant make it work could someone explian please http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm
Hi am having same issue which you guys were discussing ...but in my case i don't cd Rom to run xp.. i have us drive.. can i run xp from usb... Any suggestions Please help
Comments
\windows\ytem32\onfig\system
you can attempt to repair this file by starting windows setup using the orginal setup CD-rom.
Select "r" a the first sreen to start repair.
I Donot have the orginall disk HELP!
i can not afford to losses any of my files HELP!
please also emailany helpful reponds to rlarco@coach.com Thanks somuch!
THANKS FOR THIS THREAD! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT!
Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
I was able to successfully repair our Windows XP - SP2 installation using ERD Commander. which is now free for a 30 day trial from Microsoft. I actually found it unnecessary to do the second system restore. First I ran memtest86+ to make sure the RAM memory was not defective. Then I used the Seagate Hard Drive diagnostic program to do a complete scan of the hard drive. After ruling out hardware problems, ERD commander let me do a system restore and then restarted the computer under normal Windows operating system.
Don't give up hope.
I ultimately had windows reinstalled and new hardware put in but I personally think my problem may have been the fans and area being full of dirt and caked on dust. Cause after I recieved my laptop it was very fast for a week then super slow and the fans were on high very loud...after talking to a friend he explained since he already had the same experience that to spray forced air(Dust off) in the fan and areas which I did and boy were they full of caked on dust! Well after cleaning them thoroughly it worked fine...prior to redoing laptop I had fan sound as loud also. So try to force air the fans and any cooling fins first prior to anything.
I have this same problem.
I put the disk in and make it start up on that. it gets to the point in which it says to continue repair or cancel i think. i hit repair and it says the C:/windows but i hit the one on mine(only option) but it asks for a password(administrator's) and my dad and me dont know what is wrong. we never set the password.
Help me!
i have the same issue, got to this point and hit r - nothing happens. thoughts?
After I posted this issue, I gave my tower to my tech friend to do his MAGIC. He did and all is fine. I am writing this on that tower. I am NOT a techno geek and your(every ones) advice is GREEK to me. No understanding and no knowledge.Since I can get my stuff done for FREE or almost FREE. I use him frequently. It is good to have a tech in your back pocket. COMPUTERS HATE ME! They are always throwing me curve balls that I cannot solve. That is what my friend is for.
I have been trying to do something about this for 2 days and I am frantic. I can get into a menu by tapping F8 but I can't get a command prompt and about every solution I find on-line requires one. If I choose a an option (safemode, reboot, recovery console, drop dead...) I wind up at the STOP:c0000218 message again with no keyboard control.
Can anyone help me?
Jessica here from Canada. As I have seen your comments above & I think you had shared a lot of information.
Thanks
Jessica
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I have this same problem of windows/system32/config/system missing. I've switched around RAM, tried 1 stick seperately and still nothing worked. I've had this error before and I formatted my harddrive and installed a fresh copy of XP and it worked fine. But now, everytime I try to boot from the disk I get the above error =(
I'm considering buying a new harddrive. What happened before my computer died, was all my icons on the desktop were dissapearing, then I got an error of somesort (forgot what it was, as it was 2 months ago but I'm pretty sure it was concerning my harddrive).
Should I just buy a new harddrive? Will that sort the problem?
Thanks!
I have been working for 2 days on my computer that developed this error! You have GOT to check the link out above and follow the instructions! I fixed it!!!!!!!! PLEASE... follow the instructions on the above link!
So, I went to the link provided- thanks a ton. Trying to figure out how to use "the ultimate boot cd". Will start my own topic now.
Thanks!!
Just wanted to say thanks
Gundo
You should probably start with this and then post your own thread
Any suggestions
Please help