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error message winnt\system32\config\system is corrupt
- Thread starter cmyk
- Start date
Do you get that error by itself on a black screen, or is that in reference to a bugcheck you are getting (stop 0xc000021a)?
It could be corrupt, or it could be too large. Try running chkdsk from the recovery console. While you are in there, change into the system32\config folder, do a dir, and tell me how large the system hive is.
🙂
Edit --> What did you do to "create" a duel-boot system? Did you install to a new partition, same partition different folder, etc. In addition, what order did you install the OSs in?
It could be corrupt, or it could be too large. Try running chkdsk from the recovery console. While you are in there, change into the system32\config folder, do a dir, and tell me how large the system hive is.
🙂
Edit --> What did you do to "create" a duel-boot system? Did you install to a new partition, same partition different folder, etc. In addition, what order did you install the OSs in?
i have been running w2k for years and recently installed winxp on another hd drive. All was good. I could boot into both w2k and xp until i updated winxp. Know i cant load win2k but I can still boot into winxp
Yes i do get the error message by itself on a black screen when i try booting w2k.
Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
is the system32\config\system the hive ur talking about.
This file is 7 megabytes.
I followed the instruction on this microsoft
webpage but it didnt work
how do u run chkdsk from the recovery console
Yes i do get the error message by itself on a black screen when i try booting w2k.
Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
is the system32\config\system the hive ur talking about.
This file is 7 megabytes.
I followed the instruction on this microsoft
webpage but it didnt work
how do u run chkdsk from the recovery console
If you suspect actual corruption of the hive, boot into your good Windows XP installation, open regedit, then try and load the hive (winnt\system32\config\system). If there is corruption, we'll try to repair it automatically.
7 MB is much larger than normal, but shouldn't keep you from booting. A normal system hive sits between 3 and 4 MB.
To do the chkdsk, boot from your 2000 or XP CD, and press F10 at the "Welcome to Windows Setup" screen. Choose to log into your Windows 2000 installation, then run chkdsk /r.
🙂
7 MB is much larger than normal, but shouldn't keep you from booting. A normal system hive sits between 3 and 4 MB.
To do the chkdsk, boot from your 2000 or XP CD, and press F10 at the "Welcome to Windows Setup" screen. Choose to log into your Windows 2000 installation, then run chkdsk /r.
🙂
Chevelle24
Senior member
Ok here is what you can do. In your win2k install hdd. Copy the file "System" from \windows\repair\ folder. And put it in to the \windows\system32\config folder.
*sigh*
How about, rather than take the shotgun approach to fixing problems, we try and discover the actual cause?
Yes that will work; you will be completely replacing your system registry hive with a blank version.
You are the same type of person that has the person just copy over the original right? Not rename it first? You also realize that if you do that, you should copy both system and software, never just one of them? Of course you did, you probably do this for a living.
How about, rather than take the shotgun approach to fixing problems, we try and discover the actual cause?
Yes that will work; you will be completely replacing your system registry hive with a blank version.
You are the same type of person that has the person just copy over the original right? Not rename it first? You also realize that if you do that, you should copy both system and software, never just one of them? Of course you did, you probably do this for a living.
Chevelle24
Senior member
Well of course you should rename the old ones just in case. And not they are not blank ones. Windows makes a backup of the those files when it shuts down. Thats why those are there.
VirtualLarry
No Lifer
Not really, W2K at least only updates the files in \repair, when you create an ERD disk, AFAIK. Certainly not every time you shutdown. Possibly you are confusing the \WINNT\SYSTEM32\config\SYSTEM and SYSTEM.ALT hives?
imported_Phil
Diamond Member
At least try to know what you're talking about before spouting mindless dis-information on here.
The hives in %systemroot%\repair\ are the registry hives that were created at the time of install. Once install is completed, those hives aren't touched again.
The regular backups of registry hives are stored in the System Volume Information, inside each restore point, on XP anyway. I'm not sure that they're even stored in Win2k.
VirtualLarry
No Lifer
They are not.
imported_Phil
Diamond Member
They are not stored?
cmyk:
That error you are getting indicates an oversized or corrupt system hive. Sianath is right, the hive is definately larger than normal but not too large to boot (>~10.5 megs). You are likely looking at corruption. If you can load the damaged hive with the registry editor for XP it has some built in functionality that will attempt to correct damage.
In regards to booting to recovery console to run chkdsk:
Set your CD rom first in your boot order in bios. Press any key to boot from CD when it comes up. Bios is the only thing that really has any control over what loads at these early stages of boot. You should be able to boot to either a w2k or xp cd without any trouble. The problems on your system will not affect this.
In regards to the 'load hive' being greyed out:
To load a hive in your registry editor in XP, you must have HKLM highlighted before selecting File | load hive. After choosing which file to load (winnt\system32\config\system) you need to give it a temporary name such as "test". After loading it should tell you if it corrected any errors. Closing regedit will not unload the hive. To do so you have to highlight "test" and select File | UnLoad hive.
Don't forget to get a chkdsk run on your drive as well.
The low-down on hives:
%systemroot%\system32\config\system is your system hive.
system.alt is an identical copy that's updated simultaneously with system. It's simply a backup copy. If you get the missing or corrupt system error message, the OS has already tried to use this copy with no luck.
system.log is used to track if changes make it successfully to the hive. Basically anything that's about to get written to the hive is written here first. When changes are successful this will be empty.
%systemroot%\repair\system is a copy of the hive that is written just after GUI mode setup completes. It's old as dirt, typically useless for anything except booting long enough to fix the real system hive or do a restore.
%systemroot%\repair\regback\system is a backup copy of the hive made when you do a system state backup with ntbackup or choose to create an ERD with the 'also backup the registry' option. This hive, if it exists, is often your best bet to get running again with w2k.
C:\system volume information\_restore{ugly guid}\RP???\snapshot\_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM is a backup copy of the hive made under XP whenever you create a restore point. This hive is often your best bet to get running again under XP.
Follow Sianath's instructions to get a chkdsk run, load your w2k hive in the XP registry editor.
The rest of you should probably just sit back and listen to the man. He's probably fixed this EXACT issue more times than he can count. You might learn something. 🙂
That error you are getting indicates an oversized or corrupt system hive. Sianath is right, the hive is definately larger than normal but not too large to boot (>~10.5 megs). You are likely looking at corruption. If you can load the damaged hive with the registry editor for XP it has some built in functionality that will attempt to correct damage.
In regards to booting to recovery console to run chkdsk:
Set your CD rom first in your boot order in bios. Press any key to boot from CD when it comes up. Bios is the only thing that really has any control over what loads at these early stages of boot. You should be able to boot to either a w2k or xp cd without any trouble. The problems on your system will not affect this.
In regards to the 'load hive' being greyed out:
To load a hive in your registry editor in XP, you must have HKLM highlighted before selecting File | load hive. After choosing which file to load (winnt\system32\config\system) you need to give it a temporary name such as "test". After loading it should tell you if it corrected any errors. Closing regedit will not unload the hive. To do so you have to highlight "test" and select File | UnLoad hive.
Don't forget to get a chkdsk run on your drive as well.
The low-down on hives:
%systemroot%\system32\config\system is your system hive.
system.alt is an identical copy that's updated simultaneously with system. It's simply a backup copy. If you get the missing or corrupt system error message, the OS has already tried to use this copy with no luck.
system.log is used to track if changes make it successfully to the hive. Basically anything that's about to get written to the hive is written here first. When changes are successful this will be empty.
%systemroot%\repair\system is a copy of the hive that is written just after GUI mode setup completes. It's old as dirt, typically useless for anything except booting long enough to fix the real system hive or do a restore.
%systemroot%\repair\regback\system is a backup copy of the hive made when you do a system state backup with ntbackup or choose to create an ERD with the 'also backup the registry' option. This hive, if it exists, is often your best bet to get running again with w2k.
C:\system volume information\_restore{ugly guid}\RP???\snapshot\_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM is a backup copy of the hive made under XP whenever you create a restore point. This hive is often your best bet to get running again under XP.
Follow Sianath's instructions to get a chkdsk run, load your w2k hive in the XP registry editor.
The rest of you should probably just sit back and listen to the man. He's probably fixed this EXACT issue more times than he can count. You might learn something. 🙂
I dont mean to intrude, but i have the same original problem as cmyk:
cant boot (Win2k Server) because winnt\system32\config\system is corrupt.
The irony of it is, this happened on reboot after a seemingly successful windows update.
Smilin and/or Sianath: Making use of your help with cmyk, i've tried to replace the system file with one or the other of the registry backup files in order to be able to boot the system, but now i have a different problem:
Win2000 login screen won't let me in. I typed in the correct user name and password, and after about 15 seconds or so it returns to the log in screen. Same story if i use admin login.
What's up with this now? Can i get around this problem and log in somehow?
Thanks for your help.
cant boot (Win2k Server) because winnt\system32\config\system is corrupt.
The irony of it is, this happened on reboot after a seemingly successful windows update.
Smilin and/or Sianath: Making use of your help with cmyk, i've tried to replace the system file with one or the other of the registry backup files in order to be able to boot the system, but now i have a different problem:
Win2000 login screen won't let me in. I typed in the correct user name and password, and after about 15 seconds or so it returns to the log in screen. Same story if i use admin login.
What's up with this now? Can i get around this problem and log in somehow?
Thanks for your help.
mandrake99
Junior Member
Sianath is exactly correct! I have repaired this error on my sons PC several times. If you search the microsoft knowledge base for the exact error you will be able to follow the step by step instructions to repair this back to the latest restore point before the corruption. Almost every problem you could have is usually covered by the knowledge base as someone has usually had the problem before. Check it out and read through the steps before you start as the recovery is performed mostly via the command prompt, but it is the best way. try this link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822705
If you are going to try an older version of the registry hives, test with both system and software. Rename your current system/software hive in system32\config to *.old, then copy the version from the winnt\repair folder to c:\winnt\system32\config.
If you cannot boot with those blank versions, the problem you have is not related to the registry, but to the core system files.
If you can get to the login screen, there are a few things that could be going on. A changed drive letter will give you the behavior you are seeing... possibly issues with lsass.
What led up to the problem fresh?
If you cannot boot with those blank versions, the problem you have is not related to the registry, but to the core system files.
If you can get to the login screen, there are a few things that could be going on. A changed drive letter will give you the behavior you are seeing... possibly issues with lsass.
What led up to the problem fresh?
Sianath:
System was working perfectly fine. Windows update alert popped up, so i selected a few of the critical ones, then let it download and install them on its own. Came back and it had the 'finished installing updates, reboot' message, but i had to leave, so i hit 'cancel' and did a normal shutdown.
Next day on boot i get the error message. Not expecting any problems (how silly of me!) i didn't pay attention to anything else, so this is about all i remember.
I can get to the logon screen with the \repair copy of the system hive, but when i enter a valid username and password, it blinks the 'loading profile' message, but then returns to the logon screen.
No changed drive letters, no passwords changed, no new software other than the WinUpdates.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'Isass'?
System was working perfectly fine. Windows update alert popped up, so i selected a few of the critical ones, then let it download and install them on its own. Came back and it had the 'finished installing updates, reboot' message, but i had to leave, so i hit 'cancel' and did a normal shutdown.
Next day on boot i get the error message. Not expecting any problems (how silly of me!) i didn't pay attention to anything else, so this is about all i remember.
I can get to the logon screen with the \repair copy of the system hive, but when i enter a valid username and password, it blinks the 'loading profile' message, but then returns to the logon screen.
No changed drive letters, no passwords changed, no new software other than the WinUpdates.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'Isass'?
lsass = local security authority subsystem
Do you remember how many updates you installed? Each of them will have created a $NTUninstallKB<article number>$ folder under winnt. In that folder is the original version of the file updated by that fix.
If you know it was just one or two that were done, you can manually "uninstall" those patches from the Recovery Console by renaming the current version of those files that were updated (usually in winnt\system32) and then copying the backed up version from the uninstall folder for that fix back into winnt\system32.
If there were too many for you to remember, please check to see if you have a ServicePackFiles\i386 folder (and that it has files in it) under winnt. If so, PM me and I'll get you a batch file to refresh your service pack files.
Do you remember how many updates you installed? Each of them will have created a $NTUninstallKB<article number>$ folder under winnt. In that folder is the original version of the file updated by that fix.
If you know it was just one or two that were done, you can manually "uninstall" those patches from the Recovery Console by renaming the current version of those files that were updated (usually in winnt\system32) and then copying the backed up version from the uninstall folder for that fix back into winnt\system32.
If there were too many for you to remember, please check to see if you have a ServicePackFiles\i386 folder (and that it has files in it) under winnt. If so, PM me and I'll get you a batch file to refresh your service pack files.
There's about 15 \winnt\$NTUninstall... directories that have the date 05/10/04 (last operational date), as well as several more with earlier dates.
There's also a ****load of files in \winnt\ServicePackFiles\i386\, all of which have the date 07/22/02, which i presume was the original install date.
What info do you need to make this batch file you speak of?
Oh, and what about those updates that specifically say "this update cannot be uninstalled"?
There's also a ****load of files in \winnt\ServicePackFiles\i386\, all of which have the date 07/22/02, which i presume was the original install date.
What info do you need to make this batch file you speak of?
Oh, and what about those updates that specifically say "this update cannot be uninstalled"?
Cannot use system restore unless you can boot successfully. If you can boot, then it's a great solution.
I'll send you the batch file tomorrow when I get back to work, PM me with an email address to send it to. I wanted you to verify that you DID have files in the servicepackfiles\i386 folder because if you didn't (as is common in the case of a slipstreamed install) then there wouldn't be a way to refresh your files with a set from the last SP install.
The batch file can be run from the recovery console by typing:
BATCH <name of file.txt>
🙂
I'll send you the batch file tomorrow when I get back to work, PM me with an email address to send it to. I wanted you to verify that you DID have files in the servicepackfiles\i386 folder because if you didn't (as is common in the case of a slipstreamed install) then there wouldn't be a way to refresh your files with a set from the last SP install.
The batch file can be run from the recovery console by typing:
BATCH <name of file.txt>
🙂
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