Missing file, will not boot, even with repair from OS disc

[Vinny]

My boss's home computer on boot up goes to a black screen and gives the message that this file is missing: /windows/system32/config/system

and that it needs to be repaired. I gave him my xp sp2 disc, which he inserted (he lost his) and he strikes r for repair, it goes to boot up screen (dell screen since he has a dell) and then goes right back to the "select r for repair" screen. he tried 3 times and it went back to the repair/file missing screen each time.

any advice.

and he REALLY wants to avoid re-imaging his HD with the OS discs because he does NOT have his stuff backed up (which reminds me... i have to back up my comp )

so yeah, any advice would be great!

TIA!

~Vinny

[surfmaster2000]

If I am not mistaken, the repair option through an "OEM" XP install is not possible. I do not know of a way around this. If it is just files that your boss needs, it sounds like the drive is still readable to some extent. If this is the case you could do a fresh install of XP on a new hard drive with the XP disk you provided, and then mount his old hard drive and copy the files to the new XP install on the new hard drive. His old hard drive may be failing. The problem you have described indicates an area of the hard drive is no longer readable, or has become damaged.

Good Luck!

[Vinny]

looks like i'm going over to my bosses house one night this week... he'd have a heart attack trying to install a new HD

I appreciate the info... he won't, but it solves the problem at least.

THX!

~Vinny

[glc]

If you can't log into the repair console with your generic XP CD, there's an underlying hardware issue and a reinstall may not work. Pull his drive and slave it into another computer or put it on a USB adapter to get his files backed up.