XP Home startup fail - system file corrupt

[brianvander]

I would'nt be writing unless I have a problem, and this site has helped tremendously in the past.

I am accessing the Net form a second PC at home but there is no network connection between them. I do have third machine older machine (not connected or powered up yet) with 2000 on it that I could put back together to plus in the problem dive in as a slave.

First start with the machine: P3 633; XP Home; 30G; 512R; I use Mozilla for my browser and AVG7 as my virus protection updated dialy. AdAware, CWS Shredder and About Busters are run about each month or so.. I also have HijackThis when necessary. My HD is partitioned in 3 groups each with 10GB, C:\ are all my system files and programs: D:\ for my personal files and E:\ which is emtpy. The C:\ is better than 95% full. I intended to get a larger drive but just have'nt gotten to it yet.

First my wife yesterday reported that the the PC was slow loging into the Internet (Broadband Conn). When I booted the machine up I got this message:
"Windows could not sart because the following file is missing or corrput: C:\windows\system32\config\system" It continued with an additional message that I can repair this file with the XP installation CD and run the repair utility.

Upon running the XP install CD which loads, and selecting the "R" whcih starts teh Windows XP recovery Console, the display goes blank and the following message appears:

"Microsoft XP Recovery Console"
"The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality"
"Type EXIT to quit the console and restart te computer"
"1 C:\Windows"
"Which windows installation would you like to log onto? __"
"(Press Enter to quit)"

when I type in "1" the system gives me a "C:\Windows" prompt and then nothing else happens.

I've tried this 3-4 times with the same results.

Any ideas.

Thanks
Brian V

[stylin19]

Don't selecty the "R" at that screen. Instead do:
"To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER."

Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.

Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair.

go here for details

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

not much....good luck
when in doubt....don't

[stylin19]

Originally Posted by brianvander The C:\ is better than 95% full. Brian V

You might want to move your page file to the E:\ drive.
windows needs whatever it needs for the page file and with c:\ 95% full, it doesn't get what it needs.\
This can be done in: control panel\system\
select "advanced" tab
under "performance" select "settings".
select "advanced" tab.
under "virtual memory" select "change:
then have at it..

You can also free up space by decreasing the amount of reserved space for the recycle bin.
right click on recycle bin and select properties. it's probably set at 10%. You can probably reduce that to 1%.

You can probably also decreasing the amount of reserved space for your temp internet files.
In I.E. go to menu\tools\internet options
under "Temp Internet Files" select settings and have at it.

Good Luck