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Thread ID: 84590 2007-11-11 05:49:00 system file missing and can't reboot Alison (2911) Press F1
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610463 2007-11-11 05:49:00 Hi all, my children were playing one of their games on my PC today and they have left me with a black screen and a message saying that Windows couldn't start as the following file was missing: windows/system32/config/system

It then suggests that I attempt to repair this problem by starting Windows Setup using the original Windows Setup CD rom and typing r at the prompt.

I have put the recovery CD-rom that came with the PC in the drive and tried to reboot but keep coming back to the same black screen and message.

Can someone help me out please so I can get things going again!!!!
Alison (2911)
610464 2007-11-11 06:10:00 is it an actual recovery CD or a XP CD ?

You can try this - on startup keep pressing F8, when you get the black screen using the arrow keys move to " last known good configeration" (words to that effect") If that doesn't work redo the F8 Startup, - Try using system restore to put the PC back to when it was going OK.

Run System Restore in Command Prompt

1. Boot into Safe mode with Command Prompt – Keep Pressing F8 at start-up then with the arrow keys select Safe mode with Command prompt.

2. At the command prompt, type C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
Press Enter.

Follow the instructions given to perform the System Restore process.

Hopefully that will fix it.
wainuitech (129)
610465 2007-11-11 06:12:00 If this this is what you're seeing ( . microsoft . com/kb/307545" target="_blank">support . microsoft . com)

You may have to restore the system .

So it restores the system back to its original state .

You'll have to reinstall everything again .

As it says:

Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system . The system hive on OEM installations creates passwords and user accounts that did not exist previously . If you use the procedure that is described in this article, you may not be able to log back into the recovery console to restore the original registry hives .

Yours may come under this .
Speedy Gonzales (78)
610466 2007-11-11 06:27:00 Correct Speedy - that often fails in an OEM .

Hopefully the Command prompt method of restoring the Reg work fingers Xed
wainuitech (129)
610467 2007-11-11 06:38:00 it wont run any recovery cd unless the system boot order is set in bios to 'cdrom' as first boot device....... drcspy (146)
610468 2007-11-11 07:19:00 Thanks for the suggestions and the Xed fingers! I've tried the F8 and last known configuration boot and just got the error message again. Tried again with booting to Safe Mode and command prompt and got about 5 lines of file names and then the error message turned up again and no command prompt. My recovery disk is an OEM one so after reading the Microsoft article I'm not even going to go there. Guess it will be a trip to town and get someone more clued than I to sort it out and hopefully it won't be too much drama. Alison (2911)
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