Missing or corrupt file

July 25th, 2002

Hi, hope someone can help.
I have just received this error on my PC for he third time.

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

The first time i followed the MS Knowledge base article and that seemed to work ok.
The second time i messed up somewhere and had to format and reinstall, everything was fine for a couple of months, but all of a sudden i got the error when booting.
Any ideas??

Win XP Home edition
Asus A7A 266 -e
Asus v7100 GeForce2 400 MX 64mb (detonator 29.80)
512 mb PC 2100 DDR ram

**Hipster Doofus** · July 26th, 2002

This seems to be happening quite a bit. Are you sure you are not accidently deleting it? If it is corrupting maybe try replacing it with a file from someone elses computer. :confused:

July 26th, 2002

Hi Hipster!
Thanks for replying
I am 99% sure i am not deleting the file, not intenetionally anyway, i just cannot think why all of a sudden the problem has come back.
Unfortunately, i don't know anyone else using XP so i can't copy the file from there.
It's strange 'cos i did a full format and reinstall recently and everything was running hunky dory until yesterday.

July 26th, 2002

if u have XP on cd-rom, u can boot to it and choose the repair option.

xsk8zerox · July 26th, 2002

Originally posted by Dlovely
if u have XP on cd-rom, u can boot to it and choose the repair option.

yep only way... its a screwed up reg hive... probably from a hard shutdown

July 26th, 2002

Yeah
i tried the restore option and went through the article on MS Knowledge base about making tmp dir's etc and copying from the repair folder. Done that 4 times altogether, although only twice since my latest episode.
Even so, why would a hard shutdown cause the registry to mess up, it doesn't in any other windows versions even W2000 or NT which XP is supposedly built around.
Could it be indicative of a hardware problem?

xsk8zerox · July 26th, 2002

heh try the REPAIR option

**Hipster Doofus** · July 26th, 2002

What file system are you using? Does xp restart by itself or freeze up? :confused:

July 26th, 2002

just restart ur computer with the XP cd in, then chose the repair command and you should be fine. don't bother messing with other stuff yet. its an idiots way of fixing important files that may have been corrupted/deleted.

July 26th, 2002

Sorry , i meant the repair option.
Using NTFS, it did restart once and i used to get the occasional lockup, but not anymore.

**Hipster Doofus** · July 26th, 2002

If it's not playing up anymore try the repair option & then keep an eye on what happening, if anything, to cause the corruption.

July 26th, 2002

Yeah i will.
I will check the system log and see if i can find anything theer!
Cheers guys

July 26th, 2002

I have encountered the same exact problem, and I've always had to re-format and to re-install.

I'm running WinXP Professional, and when I try to perform the repair function, I just don't get HOW to use it.

Anyone here care to explain HOW to exactly perform a recovery/repair when this particular thing happens?

July 26th, 2002

Yeah,
I would be interested too!
The help option seems a bit vague. Not enough descriptions

July 26th, 2002

This has happened to me on 2 occasions and both times I restored the registry from backup using the NT backup program I got from this site. It worked both times.

July 26th, 2002

can you put a link to the NT backup thing?

**Khayman** · July 26th, 2002

have you tried running "sfc /scannow" (no quotes) at the command prompt?

July 26th, 2002

not yet no.
Does the file checker actually fix files aswell or just scan them for problems?

**Khayman** · July 26th, 2002

it should fix them, i think you need the xp cd in the drive.

run sfc /? to see the full list of options

July 26th, 2002

thanks, i will try that

July 25th, 2002	Top \| #1
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	Missing or corrupt file Hi, hope someone can help. I have just received this error on my PC for he third time. Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM The first time i followed the MS Knowledge base article and that seemed to work ok. The second time i messed up somewhere and had to format and reinstall, everything was fine for a couple of months, but all of a sudden i got the error when booting. Any ideas?? Win XP Home edition Asus A7A 266 -e Asus v7100 GeForce2 400 MX 64mb (detonator 29.80) 512 mb PC 2100 DDR ram

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #2
Hipster Doofus Good grief Charlie Brown Joined: May 2002 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 5,920 Reputation: 560 Power: 187	This seems to be happening quite a bit. Are you sure you are not accidently deleting it? If it is corrupting maybe try replacing it with a file from someone elses computer. :confused: Pentium 4 2.6ghz 400mhz @ 3.07ghz 472mhz / Gigabyte GA-8IHXP v2.1 / RAMBUS PC 800 768mb / Sapphire Radeon 9600XT 256mb / 2 x Maxtor 80gb ATA133 DiamondMax, RAID0 :: 1 x Western Digital 7200 40gb / Liteon DVD-RW Dual Layer SOHW-1633S @ 1653S / Liteon 52x24x52 CD-RW LTR-52246S / Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu Fan / Antec TruePower 480w / RD3XP Gladiator Rounded Cables

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #3
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	Corrupt file Hi Hipster! Thanks for replying I am 99% sure i am not deleting the file, not intenetionally anyway, i just cannot think why all of a sudden the problem has come back. Unfortunately, i don't know anyone else using XP so i can't copy the file from there. It's strange 'cos i did a full format and reinstall recently and everything was running hunky dory until yesterday.

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #5
xsk8zerox OSNN Senior Addict Joined: March 2002 Location: Philly Posts: 746 Reputation: 0 Power: 131	Originally posted by Dlovely if u have XP on cd-rom, u can boot to it and choose the repair option. yep only way... its a screwed up reg hive... probably from a hard shutdown

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #6
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	Corrupt file Yeah i tried the restore option and went through the article on MS Knowledge base about making tmp dir's etc and copying from the repair folder. Done that 4 times altogether, although only twice since my latest episode. Even so, why would a hard shutdown cause the registry to mess up, it doesn't in any other windows versions even W2000 or NT which XP is supposedly built around. Could it be indicative of a hardware problem?

Latest News Posts

Latest Forum Posts

Latest Member Blogs

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #4
Dlovely Unregistered Posts: n/a	if u have XP on cd-rom, u can boot to it and choose the repair option.

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #7
xsk8zerox OSNN Senior Addict Joined: March 2002 Location: Philly Posts: 746 Reputation: 0 Power: 131	heh try the REPAIR option

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #8
Hipster Doofus Good grief Charlie Brown Joined: May 2002 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 5,920 Reputation: 560 Power: 187	What file system are you using? Does xp restart by itself or freeze up? :confused: Pentium 4 2.6ghz 400mhz @ 3.07ghz 472mhz / Gigabyte GA-8IHXP v2.1 / RAMBUS PC 800 768mb / Sapphire Radeon 9600XT 256mb / 2 x Maxtor 80gb ATA133 DiamondMax, RAID0 :: 1 x Western Digital 7200 40gb / Liteon DVD-RW Dual Layer SOHW-1633S @ 1653S / Liteon 52x24x52 CD-RW LTR-52246S / Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu Fan / Antec TruePower 480w / RD3XP Gladiator Rounded Cables

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #9
Dlovely Unregistered Posts: n/a	just restart ur computer with the XP cd in, then chose the repair command and you should be fine. don't bother messing with other stuff yet. its an idiots way of fixing important files that may have been corrupted/deleted.

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #10
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	Sorry , i meant the repair option. Using NTFS, it did restart once and i used to get the occasional lockup, but not anymore.

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #11
Hipster Doofus Good grief Charlie Brown Joined: May 2002 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 5,920 Reputation: 560 Power: 187	If it's not playing up anymore try the repair option & then keep an eye on what happening, if anything, to cause the corruption. Pentium 4 2.6ghz 400mhz @ 3.07ghz 472mhz / Gigabyte GA-8IHXP v2.1 / RAMBUS PC 800 768mb / Sapphire Radeon 9600XT 256mb / 2 x Maxtor 80gb ATA133 DiamondMax, RAID0 :: 1 x Western Digital 7200 40gb / Liteon DVD-RW Dual Layer SOHW-1633S @ 1653S / Liteon 52x24x52 CD-RW LTR-52246S / Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu Fan / Antec TruePower 480w / RD3XP Gladiator Rounded Cables

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #12
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	Yeah i will. I will check the system log and see if i can find anything theer! Cheers guys

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #13
jomz Unregistered Posts: n/a	I have encountered the same exact problem, and I've always had to re-format and to re-install. I'm running WinXP Professional, and when I try to perform the repair function, I just don't get HOW to use it. Anyone here care to explain HOW to exactly perform a recovery/repair when this particular thing happens?

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #14
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	Yeah, I would be interested too! The help option seems a bit vague. Not enough descriptions

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #15
Waldo Unregistered Posts: n/a	This has happened to me on 2 occasions and both times I restored the registry from backup using the NT backup program I got from this site. It worked both times.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Problems reinstalling Windows XP, File Missing/Corrupt	kev59	Windows Desktop Systems	9	September 5th, 2006 4:35am
Win XP error message "...Corrupt Or Missing File"	gonaads	Windows Desktop Systems	7	February 19th, 2003 9:05am
windowssystem32configsystem missing or corrupt	loppdawg69	Windows Desktop Systems	4	June 7th, 2002 11:28am
corrupt or missing system file	TonyH	Windows Desktop Systems	2	April 7th, 2002 10:16am
??Clean install->files missing/corrupt hal.dll	LPDad	Windows Desktop Systems	5	March 17th, 2002 5:06am

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #16
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	can you put a link to the NT backup thing?

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #17
Khayman I'm sorry Hal... Joined: January 2002 Location: England Posts: 5,514 Reputation: 1210 Power: 194	have you tried running "sfc /scannow" (no quotes) at the command prompt? "I'm on the server side. I don't know what side you're on"

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #18
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	not yet no. Does the file checker actually fix files aswell or just scan them for problems?

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #19
Khayman I'm sorry Hal... Joined: January 2002 Location: England Posts: 5,514 Reputation: 1210 Power: 194	it should fix them, i think you need the xp cd in the drive. run sfc /? to see the full list of options "I'm on the server side. I don't know what side you're on"

July 26th, 2002	Top \| #20
Marco Unregistered Posts: n/a	thanks, i will try that