Windows won't start

17 years ago

My brother shutdown and unplugged his computer due to a thunderstorm. He forgot to unplug his DSL line. When he booted up the next morning, he got the following message:

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

He can't find his format disk but wants to exhaust all other possible solutions before requesting a new disk from Microsoft and having to go back to square one.

He has a Dell Dimension running XP Home.

Dee

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Comments (10)

owbist
17 years ago
As the computer boots through the POST sequence and reaches the start of Windows it would seem doubtful the storm had any effect. Is the a CD or DVD left in the drive? Or a floppy if you have a floppy drive?
zep516
17 years ago
Sounds like the user did not power down correctly an just pulled the plug, regardless that error usually indicates a corrupted windows Registry.

See link for additional information on the error..

Here is a link that might be useful: WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
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deew
Original Author
17 years ago
He doesn't have a floppy drive. I'll ask about the CD/DVD. I'll also pass along the link. Thanks so much. I'll post back with his results.

Dee
zep516
17 years ago
Dell should have recovery option , I think you hit f10 on restart to gain access an do a full restore.
bob414
17 years ago
Here are the instructions from the manual for my Dell:

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec. Use Dell PC Restore by Symantec only as the last method to restore your operating system. PC
Restore restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer.
Any programs or files added since you received your computerÂincluding data filesÂare
permanently deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail
messages, digital photos, music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using PC Restore.

NOTICE: Using PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications
or drivers installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using PC
Restore.

To use PC Restore:
1 Turn on the computer.
During the boot process, a blue bar with www.dell.com appears at the top of the screen.

2 Immediately upon seeing the blue bar, press (Ctrl)(F11).
If you do not press (Ctrl)(F11) in time, let the computer finish restarting, and then
restart the computer again.
. NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot in the following step.

3 On the next screen that appears, click Restore.

4 On the next screen, click Confirm.
The restore process takes approximately 6Â10 minutes to complete.

5 When prompted, click Finish to reboot the computer. NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot.

6 When prompted, click Yes.
The computer restarts. Because the computer is restored to its original operating state, the
screens that appear, such as the End User License Agreement, are the same ones that
appeared the first time the computer was turned on.

7 Click Next.
The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.
8 After the computer restarts, click OK.
deew
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks, Bob. I'll keep these in case my brother has to resort to a reformat.

I had an idea and wanted to run it by here to see if it is feasible.

My brother and I both have WinXP Home. He doesn't back up his registry, but I do so every month on a flash drive. If he put my flash drive in his computer, would Windows find the registry file and boot his machine? If so, could he then use Start/Run/regedit to import my registry into his machine and would it add the missing file or overwrite the corrupted one? If this is feasible, would a flash drive with only the registry on it be better than one with a lot of other stuff on it, or would if matter at all?

Dee
zep516
17 years ago
If your brother has an xp disk retail version not a recovery disk you could use his disk boot from it and do a repair install.
deew
Original Author
17 years ago
No, he doesn't. I gather using my registry is not a good idea. It was just a thought.

Dee
zep516
17 years ago
No---- I don't think, Follow bob414's instruction for full recovery and or restore or call dell they may help with instructions for that..
bob414
17 years ago
If windows won't boot I can't think of any way to get it to look for a different registry. If he has important files or pictures on his computer he wants to save it can be done using an Ubuntu (linux) boot up disk. It would involve downloading and burning the iso to a disk. Instructions at this link. If you need other help someone here can provide it.