Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

N

Netsirk

1 Message

2111

September 9th, 2007 19:00

Please help - corrupt or missing windows\system32\config\system - appears to be unfixable

My desperation with this problem has brought me here.  The problem is with my Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop running Windows XP.  It cannot boot up Windows in any mode, including Safe Mode.  It displays this message:
 
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM
 
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM.
 
Taking this advice, I used the original setup cd and tried the Recovery Console.  But the Recovery Console won't accept the administrator password, which is blank.  When I just hit Enter, it says the password is invalid. 
 
Thinking that maybe there was a administrator password that Dell had preinstalled on the system, I have tried using Ophcrack and Offline NT Password & Registry Editor (which is also supposed to work for Windows XP) to reset the password.  But neither program worked successfully.  Maybe it can't be reset because the administrator password is associated with that same corrupt or missing file - \WINDOWS\system32\config\SYSTEM.
 
I am stuck.
 
Can you help me??
 

mombodog

12.7K Posts

September 9th, 2007 20:00

Run the Dell diagnostics extended tests on that Lappy, The hard drive may be dying or dead.

jjbtnc

43 Posts

September 10th, 2007 07:00

Here's a few links - i'd try the first links live cd first - hopefully it should give you the info you need

i have a feeling you have a problem with the xp boot files - things like ntldr, ntdetect, etc so you may have to copy them off your cd to the required directory and use some recovery console commands like fixboot or bootfix?? can't remember and fixmbr - so google for those keywords to find some info

http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/


some links on this page to try

http://sniptools.com/tipstricks/lost-my-windows-xp-password-how-to-recover

this - but read it carefully to see if you want to do this - and follow the info EXACTLY - one guy tried it but didn't press a key at the right moment or take the cd out on a reboot or something and got stuck in a xp set up loop!

then theres this

http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/

then some links here - look for MTChandlers posts on doing a repair install that SHOULD leave your apps and docs intact!

http://www.technologyvault.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,440.0.html

http://www.technologyvault.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,209.0.html

http://www.technologyvault.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,685.0.html

http://www.technologyvault.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,949.0.html


also any chance of popping out your disc (or use a linux live cd) so you can copy off your important data and maybe do a fresh install???

View More

View All

No Events found!

Top