Really bad Windows XP Problems Please Help!!

[imported_lamer]

Okay I tried following some advice online and tried repairing and/or reinstalling XP with the CD. I get to step 3 below and it freezes. It also freezes during the installation right after I press f8 it says wearching for previous versions of microsoft windows... and it just locks up. Anybody have ANY ideas?!?! I've tried every thing I can think of and I can't even get to a point where I can format and reinstall although I hate to lose all my files.




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

1. Insert and boot from your WindowsXP CD.
2. At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
3. Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
Typically this will be #1
4. Enter in the administrator password when requested
5. cd \windows\system32\config
6. Depending on which section was corrupted:
ren software software.bad or ren system system.bad
7. Depending on which section was corrupted
copy \windows\repair\system
copy \windows\repair\software
8. Take out the CD ROM and type exit

 

[imezb]

Hello lamer ... I'm having the same message "Windows could not start because the following files is missing or corrupt
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
I've heard several different ideas as to what it is, like boot sector virus, bad HD Controller or just corrupt windows. I have a Stripping Raid array and thought that it may have had problems. My friend brought a couple utilities over and we couldn't get my computer going again. I had an additional HD on my computer and installed windows on it just to get up and running again, but I was only able to reboot my computer twice before getting the same message on my other HD. I was thinking for sure it was a virus, but another friend that worked at Microsoft for a while said that bad HD Controllers can act the same way.
I'm in the same boat as you and I'm completely lost at this point. If you find out any info please send me a message and I'll do the same for you.

 

[imported_lamer]

Hey good news... I'm back up and running on my machine after 14 hours of panic. Okay I tried EVERYTHING and basically followed every advice I found on Google but none would help with my problem because my machine would freeze BEFORE I could get into recovery console to fix the system file. It would even freeze when I went to do a clean install!! I was totally bummed but luckily I had a Dell Win XP home cd that came with my dell and I put it in figuring it probably wouldn't work, BUT IT WORKED!!! I was able to get in and repair the bad files using the microsoft knowledge base site and it loaded up XP and didn't even lose my data!! Sweet, but it is running a little slow. Hope that helps imezb, but it is a messy situation. I was seriously depressed until I got it working again

 

[Gabornski]

I had the same problem with the software registry being corrupted. I first reinstalled XP in a different directory so I could boot. Then I checked out the knowledge base and followed the procedure to copy the registry files for an old restore point. It now boots ok for the original install but you are supposed to go and do the restore to that date. When I try to do that it errors out before even getting into the restore program. Anyone have any ideas? I did go to my second installation and I can get into the restore program there but there are only the restore points for that installation which is not what I need.

Greg

 

[imezb]

I'm sure that I know what my problem is now. As I said in a previous post, a windows microsoft rep had told me that a bad HD controller can also cause this message. I was seriously doubting it and was thinking that I had a boot sector virus.
Last night I unhooked all my Hard Drives and hooked up a new HD that I've never used and FDISKed the new HD and as soon as it was finished I got a message that there was something trying to write to my boot sector and mentioned virus. That cant be because I just FDISKed the HD.
So I think that I have a bad HD controller and called ASUS, but they just gave me a case # and said they would call back within 24 hours. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[jjm]

I had a similar problem. Bad HDD. Lousy Maxtor drive began failing 15 months after I got it and Maxtor refused to give me a break. No more Maxtor for me!

Anyway, run a thorough check on your HDD too.

 

[daveshel]

I got that same message on a service call a few weeks ago. Had to wipe and reload. Blamed it on an Adaptec 1200 RAID controller.

 

[Jeffyboy]

there may be backup files of system and software you can use.
System.sam and software.sam maybe you can copy them to system and software and see if that helps.

Jeff

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Jeffyboy
there may be backup files of system and software you can use.
System.sam and software.sam maybe you can copy them to system and software and see if that helps.

Jeff

And assuming XP and assuming System Restore is turned on (ALWAYS a wise idea to have it on!) you can easily repair this by copying the backups of the registry found in the C:|System Information folder to c:\windows\system32\config folder.

 

[imezb]

I'm still waiting for ASUS to call me back. When I called ASUS I waited about 15 min on the phone and a rep answered and asked if I had a case #, I said "No" and he said here is a case # and we'll call you back within 24 hours. I thought it was strange that he didn't even ask what my problem was and just ran me off the phone. That was on last Thursday and I still haven't recieved a call.
I did find an article that I think may be of use to someone that gets this message.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
It also has some other links at the bottom of the page that may assist you as well.:Q

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: imezb
I'm still waiting for ASUS to call me back. When I called ASUS I waited about 15 min on the phone and a rep answered and asked if I had a case #, I said "No" and he said here is a case # and we'll call you back within 24 hours. I thought it was strange that he didn't even ask what my problem was and just ran me off the phone. That was on last Thursday and I still haven't recieved a call.
I did find an article that I think may be of use to someone that gets this message.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
It also has some other links at the bottom of the page that may assist you as well.:Q

Exactly. Download and make a copy of Bart's PE Boot Disk, then follow those directions. That will get you bootable, but with the registry you had when you installed the box - not fun. A better way is to use Bart's PE Boot CD, but copy from c:\system information - grab the listed registry files from there, rather than from c:\windows\repair.

 

[imezb]

I called ASUS back, because they never called me back within 24 hours like they stated. I talked to a tech and he agreed that my HD Controller is bad. He actual said that he thought it was the Southbridge chip, but they are doing an RMA for me and sending me a new motherboard. The bad news is that I have to wait another week and a half to two weeks to get my computer up and running again :disgust:

 

[UCJefe]

I got the same problem just the other day but for me it was because of an overclock. When I went a bit too high, I saw that error. Bumping it back down fixed things. Of course since I was overclocking I was expecting weird things to happen but it's just funny that it was the same error.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: UCJefe
I got the same problem just the other day but for me it was because of an overclock. When I went a bit too high, I saw that error. Bumping it back down fixed things. Of course since I was overclocking I was expecting weird things to happen but it's just funny that it was the same error.

You overclocked, causing your disk controller to have a problem, so it couldn't correctly read your registry, of which the SOFTWARE file is one very large component. That's my guess.