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Old 12-11-2006, 03:35 PM   #1
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Help! XP boot error, XP cannot start!
I got a new computer, about 2 weeks old or so, dimension E520, when I start the computer up it says that the file \Windows\System32\Config\System is corrupt and XP cannot start
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Old 12-11-2006, 03:41 PM   #2
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Press F12 on bootup and run diagnostics. You either have a hardware problem or you will need to reload Windows. If you have a hardware problem, contact Dell for warranty service, if you need to reload Windows, press Ctrl+F11 on bootup and use the Symantec restore utility.
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Old 12-11-2006, 04:00 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glc
Press F12 on bootup and run diagnostics. You either have a hardware problem or you will need to reload Windows. If you have a hardware problem, contact Dell for warranty service, if you need to reload Windows, press Ctrl+F11 on bootup and use the Symantec restore utility.
I dont have a hardware problem, but im not sure i should re-install xp...
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Old 12-11-2006, 05:05 PM   #4
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Have you confirmed no hardware problem by running the full suite of Dell diagnostics, including memory and hard drive?
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Old 12-11-2006, 05:19 PM   #5
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i agree, even if you call dell's tech support they are going to make you run those diagnostic tools before they do anything else, save yourself the hassle of having to sit on the phone forever while these tools run with the dell tech. if there is a hardware problem, you will get an error code and reference that to the Dell Technican to speed up the troubleshooting over the phone.
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Old 12-11-2006, 07:15 PM   #6
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I ran the diagnostics, and everything passed the test
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Old 12-11-2006, 09:50 PM   #7
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http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

If Guided Help can't fix it, you will have to reinstall Windows.
Last edited by glc; 12-11-2006 at 09:53 PM.
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Old 12-12-2006, 03:01 PM   #8
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Before you go ahead and re-install...try this method...this has worked for me in situations like yours. Hey it can't hurt if all your going to do is re-install anyway
http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=313
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Old 12-12-2006, 04:19 PM   #9
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Quote:
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup
using the original Setup CD-ROM.
Now, how is this person going to do this without the CD? Dell doesn't give them to you any more. The Guided Help I referenced in my link will do this procedure for you without the CD. This is something new Microsoft has added to that article - I assume for this exact reason - very few OEM's provide reinstall XP CD's any more, they all use a recovery partition instead.
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Old 12-13-2006, 03:59 PM   #10
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oh, I have a reinstallation CD, and the link xf1 gave me turned out to walk me through perfectly. My new computer is now running virtually flawlessly
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Old 12-13-2006, 10:06 PM   #11
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Great! Lucky you had the reinstall CD.
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