\windows\system32\config\system

[AceArtemis7]

tried to boot up my laptop one day and I got this message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt C:\windows\system32\config\system You can attempt to repair this file by starting windows setup using the original setup CD-Rom. Select "r" at the first screen to start repair.

I googled around for fixes, but none of them work. i tried using the recovery console copying the system file from \windows\repair\system, and doing the the restore, but it would just say file cannot be found, chkdsk says its unrecoverable, and the windows setup thing doesnt have a repair install so i cant do that either....

im starting to think that I should do a fresh install of windows, but then I wanted to see if I can recover some files first before I do that, but I have no idea how to do it :S

any help would be appreciated

[HAL9000]

You can attempt doing a repair install of windows... boot from your CD select repair installation.

[AceArtemis7]

my windows cd doesnt have that option it only has the option to do a fresh install

[LeftyAce]

To save data off of the harddrive, get one of these: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...CBL&cpc=CBLbsc

It'll let you hook it up to another computer via USB, and you can then copy and paste the data off.

[AceArtemis7]

:S doubt I can get those cables to hook it up...so theres no way doing it from the recovery console? or maybe from a program I can download somewhere? :S

[LeftyAce]

Aaaactually, if you've got an external harddrive or something else to save things onto, try a bootable Linux CD (Such as knoppix). Boot it, and browse the C drive to copy and paste stuff off onto the external. If that sounds doable, I'd be glad to walk you through any issues with knoppix.

[AceArtemis7]

oo that sounds doable, where do i get this cd from?

[Marke522]

http://www.knoppix.net/get.php

If you have a Bit Torrent program, click where it says Knoppix BitTorrent Tracker, if you don't have one, you'll have to get one, or buy the cd.

I reccomend Azureus, http://azureus.sourceforge.net/

I've been using it for years, really like it. It does seem to hog memory if you don't have a lot, but I've got 2 Gbs. Oh, and you can't game while you're downloading with it. It takes up quite a bit of bandwidth. But I imagine if it didn't, then there would be no transfer of data.

[LeftyAce]

Or skip bittorrent and download it directly: http://www.knoppix.org/

from the 'downloads' page.

[mikeL]

Just a note, I recieved the same error recently and it turned out to be a bad stick of RAM. I didn't find out until after I had re-formatted which took longer than normal, and tried to re-install windows which would not finish.

So you might want to run memtest86, it may save you a lot of work.

[Lespaul20]

Originally Posted by AceArtemis7 my windows cd doesnt have that option it only has the option to do a fresh install

It's a little late but you might have seen the screen that ask you to press "R" for repair console or install Windows. You would want to press enter to install Windows after that you would get an option to do a repair install. That would have only replaced the system files.