\windows\system32\config\system error - Please help!

Question

I am working on a friend's computer, and he has made it very clear that the last thing he wants to do is to wipe and reload his computer.

He has used LimeWire in the past, and has accumulated over 1000 entries of spyware and quite a few viruses. I began by first installing Firefox over IE8. I then ran disk cleanup, and cleaned up about 10GB of HD space. I then ran Spybot for spyware, CCleaner for registry issues, then installed Avast! anti-virus, and selected to do a boot-time scan for root-kits, etc. I rebooted, and I got a black screen telling me that "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

I decided to visit MS's website to see if I could get some help. I went to this link: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545 and followed the steps of Part One exactly. I got to the Recovery Console, but when I got to Step 5, I had a problem with the following line:

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system

Windows keeps screaming to me that the c:\windows\system32\repair\system is not available. I ran CHKDSK C: and it came up that there was an error, so i ran CHKDSK C: /r and repaired it. I really do NOT want to wipe and reload, but it seems to be my only option.

Is there a place where I can find the MS XP MCE 2005 \windows\system32\config\system file? And if there is a place, can I burn it to the DVD I have the media center .iso image burned to, and type the line: copy e:\system c:\windows\system32\config\system?

Thanks so much for any and all help! I've been working on this for about 8 hours now, and I've researched pretty much everything. I need some fresh ideas.

Taylor

PS. Machine Specs

Intel Core Duo 2@1.6GHz

1GB Ram

XP Media Center Edition 2005 SP3

mombodog · Answer

Most of the time (80%) a chkdsk /r will fix that particular issue   http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=5097   .

taylorjr · Answer

I tried that. I actually ran chkdsk /r twice, and it didn't work. it comes up with the same error when i try to boot the hard drive, and when i try to run the line 'copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system' Any other suggestions?

mombodog · Answer

There is, but is not an easy task,

Connect your non-bootable hard drive to another computer, as a secondary drive and boot into windows. If you can see your data on the drive, back it up Now, then follow the rest of these instructions.

Open Windows Explorer. Click on Tools|Folder Options|View. Check the box beside "Show hidden files and folders". Apply your change.

Navigate to the d:\System Volume Information folder ( d: represents the crashed drive letter).

You will see a folder named something like _restore{.........} the dots represent an alpha-numeric sequence.

In this folder you will see folders named RP0....RPnn. Find the one with the highest number.

These are your System Restore points. In the highest numbered folder you will see a folder named snapshot. In this folder are registry hive files which you need to recover your system:

_registry_user_.default

_registry_machine_security

_registry_machine_software

_registry_machine_system

_registry_machine_sam

Create a subdirectory; i.e, d:\Windows\TMP. Copy these files to the TMP subdirectory. Rename them:

default

security

software

system

sam

Note: Be sure to lose the period (.) in the file named _registry_user_.default

Delete the files in the d:\windows\system32\config subdirectory with the same names.

Copy the d:\windows\tmp files to the d:\windows\system32\config. subdirectory.

Put your drive back in its original system. Your system should start normally. If you get the same error go back and choose another folder (RPnn-1) and repeat the procedure.

If you are denied access to any folders you will have to take "Ownership" of the folders first.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

If this procedure fails to work you must reinstall Windows.

.

Windows General

\windows\system32\config\system error - Please help!

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