windows\system32\config\system error

[pinion9]

My wife's HP is getting the dreaded missing...windows\system32\config\system error.
I have a bootable XP Pro CD, but it won't boot from it. This isn't the OEM hard drive; it is a WD. Anyhow, is there any way I can mount her drive on my computer and repair her install?

Thanks in advance.

 

[deLouis]

Get this and transfer files to another ide. http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=906&sku=17705&engine=adwords!654&keyword=%28laptop+hard+drive+cable%29

 

[pcgeek11]

The bigger issue is why can't you boot from the CD Disk. The system is repairable from her system, but first you are going to have to be logged in as the administrator in a recovery console.

I'm assuming that you already have the MS Knowledgebase articles on how to recover...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545

Is the BIOS set to boot from the CD?

Is there a special key ( F12 ) to give you a boot menu choice when booting up.

pcgeek11

 

[pinion9]

I even disabled the HD as a boot option and only left CD drive as the option and still unable to boot from disc. I did my own fix:

I mounted the drive in another computer and chkdsk /r did not help. So instead I replaced the system file with the system file stored in C:\windows\repair. It worked...of course, my registry is now 2 years old and needs some work, but at least it boots.

 

[Smilin]

take a copy of the bad system hive and load it into regedit in XP or 2003.

They have some built in features that will correct corruption during load.

See "load hive" in regedit help for more info.

Be sure to unload the hive as well...simply closing regedit doesn't really do this.


If you are using system restore (If you are not then you are teh noob ) you can also grab a recent copy of the hive from the system volume information folder.