It's not the hard drive. It's usually registry corruption.

What operating System is this?

What discs do you have available, Recovery disc, or operating System disc?

This article[see Link] describes how to recover a Windows XP system that does not start because of corruption in the registry. This procedure does not guarantee full recovery of the system to a previous state; however, you should be able to recover data when you use this procedure.

Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system. The system hive on OEM installations creates passwords and user accounts that did not exist previously. If you use the procedure that is described in this article, you may not be able to log back into the recovery console to restore the original registry hives.

Infomation from below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

In my experience I find only a small amount of users recover from this error.

Also is that the full error or is this one,

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt
C:\windows\system32\config\system

Again:

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. Do NOT use an OEM "Recovery Disc". Only a valid Windows XP media will work or a disc from the OEM that says "Operating System" may sometimes work depending on how the manufacturer labeled the CD.

From here:

http://www.help2go.com/content/tutorials/28-c-windows-system32-config-system-missing-corrupt.html

Thank you very much..once again I forgot to mention my operating system, and yes...it is XP

I stand corrected it's possible the hard drive could be bad. As pointed out in the help2go link given..

I was reading the above on Google also...the computer goes to the shop in the morning. I'm not prepared to try and fix it myself any more...I'll let you know what happens with it. The first shot over the bough was when MSE quit working and I had to reinstall it...then Google Chrome crashed...it was all downhill from there. I'm very careful with my computer and try and keep all the necessary scans up-to-date and my anti virus programs working..."something" went wrong.

I have friends who don't even know what defrag is...and never bother with updates,etc, and they just blissfully go through life with no computer problems...

It's possible they have problems and simply don't realize it.

The hard drive can fail at any time for no reason. The windows registry can also get corrupted easily no matter how careful you are. With all the operations / tasks that take place from the time you boot a computer and connect to the internet it's amazing how consistent and accurate they are most of the time.

Good luck at the shop and please do let us know. Your last description of the issue tends to look like a hard drive issue since other programs were causing problems too.

My heard drive was, indeed, toast....my tech is hoping he can clone it so that I won't lose any data. I had all my files and folders backed up, but he said he wasn't going to use my external hard drive unless he has to....he also said I have enough room on my secondary hard drive, that he could go ahead and use it, but I think I would prefer getting a new hard drive...bummer. But...I'm not surprised from the way things were going. I was a little disappointed that it happened, but I use my computer a lot and I hate to tell you how old it is :o) I'm not going to get a new computer for a while...no reason except that I don't want to. I have a new laptop, but I still like XP as long as I can have it on a desktop....the laptop uses Windows 7 and it's "all right", but I like XP...

Wish we would have got more of a warning signal about the drive failure. Glad you're on your way though with the repairs..

Things happened over a period of a few days...live and learn. First MSE wouldn't update and showed that my computer wasn't protected....I got that going again. Then, my wallpaper disappeard....I set that straight. Then, my computer wouldn't defrag...that was a first. I had 85% free space and up until these things, it was all working fine...got up one morning and had the black screen with white letters giving the System 32 warning. I guess these things taken into consideration one at a time wouldn't be cause to worry, but one thing after another was something I should have paid more attention to. Well, I sort of did pay attention, I made sure I was backed up. I'm just crossing my fingers that he can clone it and I won't have to reinstall all of my programs.

how do you clone a bad hard drive? i have an external drive that is not responding. it powers up. i can feel it hum. computer cannot see it. if i unplug it, computer says it was unplugged wrong. i want to save the data.

You don't clone a bad hard drive, you clone a good hard drive. Your mission now is to salvage what data you can from it.

Joe_mn, start a separate thread Joe. Your subject is totally different to the issues Maybee has and it is unfair to highjack another thread. It becomes difficult/impossible to separate the help offered to either party.

Just copy and paste the same message in a new thread and you'll get answers.

Well, my tech did say he was hoping he could clone it. Somehow he can "see" what is there, but it won't boot...this all got beyond what "I" can do. I have a secondary hard drive and he said I could use it and not buy a new one, but I've chosen to get the new one...

You could opt to have your second hard drive installed in the case then back up your data to it as and when needed. Very unlikely both hard drives would fail at the same time. Only downside is slightly more power being consumed and a little more heat generated, neither item is drastic.

hmmmm...I never thought of that...that certainly would have solved this latest problem.

Took my computer to the shop and then went on vacation....it is back and up and running now and all seems to be well. With the exception of MSE not installing. The tech told me he tried numerous times and it wouldn't install, but that after a while I could try again. He installed AVG. I've never used AVG, but I've read here that others like it.

Maybe run your single use virus scans, especially MalwareBytes.

I've seem so many computer shop installs that come with something that blocks a list of av programs. MalwareBytes used to find it.. I think SuperAntiSpyware does too but doesnt spell out what it is.

With the exception of MSE not installing.

There must have been some error generated. Do you know what it was?

Something like this Installation Error 0x80070643.

He didn't tell me there were any errors. He said it would go so far and then stop. I did run Malwarebytes when I got my computer home, but haven't run SuperAntiSpyware as yet. I did do a AVG scan it it found two corrupt files. He also said that I could run my computer for a while and then try MSE again and it might install at a later time...would you do this or just leave AVG and not worry about it. The trouble with me is (and I know this is a fault)...if I know something is wrong, I want it gone or fixed :o) It's a personality flaw I've always had and computers just make it worse.

Oh yes...and Malwarebytes came up clean and I just ran SuperAntiSpyware and it just found some tracking cookies

Do you know what the Tech did to fix System32\is missing or corrupt?

I bought a new hard drive and he cloned all of my information from the old one...everything seems to be working now

Was Microsoft Security Essentials installed on the computer when you took it in for service?

I'm not fond of AVG, that being said, there's nothing wrong with AVG. Anti Virus programs are a matter of personal preference the one you like is the one to use. If you decide to try Microsoft Security Essentials again you would want to run a special tool to remove AVG first. See how you like AVG you may decide to keep it. If you do decide to remove it and try MSE. Let us know and we can help..

Yes, MSE was installed on this computer when I took it in...that was one of the first things that went bad before the System 32 error. I thought I had it up and running again, but after the new hard drive and information cloning, it wouldn't install. He said it might be something that will fix itself with time and that I could try to reinstall it in the future. Would I have to completely get rid of AVG before doing that or could I just disable it until I see if MSE will install?

You should fully remove the avg & use a clean up after too befrore installing any other av program.
Might download the free avg before you uninstall in case you need it later.. or perhaps avira or avast.

MSE does a genuine windows check/verification before it will install & the latest version requires xp sp3 or newer. Might tell you it first needs a newer windows installer 3.1

Hi maybe,

No, No, I would strongly suggest uninstalling AVG completely using a special link that I have and can provide for you if you decide to do it. Part of installing errors / problems with MSE can and do result if there are other security programs on the computer. I'd like to see you get MSE back that's what you had and you're use to it.

The process includes this:

First you download MSE to the desktop, that is the setup file like every program has. Once the set up file is on the desktop you would run the AVG unistaller that I would provide a link for. Once Avg is removed by the special installer you then go back to the MSE set up file you downloaded Earlier and double click it to install it.

If you decide to work on this I have time, I would like to see a hijackthis log first before we start. I would provide those instructions and all other instructions to successfully do this for you.