Windows XP fails to startup

Hi,

when attempting to start my computer. i get a message saying \Windiows\System32\config\system is corrupor missing. please run setup etc etc.

The problem is that i have an IBM laptop with swapping floppy and cd drives. i only have the floppy drive and use an external usb cd drive. i have a copy of windows xp cd.

Is there anyway i can restore the file.

When pressing F8 to get list of startup options, command prompt only isn't available, however using a floppy disk to install the ibm recovery program (the recovery program itself not os files) i can get to command prompt after the program installs.

Is there a solution?

Cheers

 

Hi zabirp,

Welcome to the BBS.

Because IBM configures its laptops in such a proprietary manner, I'm a bit confused by your references to both an XP CD and the IBM recovery program. In my experience, with several different T-series Thinkpads, IBM doesn't furnish anything but recovery CDs.

If your laptop is still under warranty (three years from date of purchase), your best bet is to call IBM tech support and explain the problem to them. You don't say where you're located, but you can get a number from their Worldwide IBM Support Center phone list.

If you're not still under warranty, please post back with more details.

 

Short answer is yes. Correction - maybe.

I've had both success and total failure with this one - it can be a bear. MS has a couple of knowledgebase articles on this and they'll both scare you into total submission. You may be headed for a re-install but - before you panic, here's the fix from the XP repair console (R) using your CD. As to enabling your USB CD drive - can you do this in the BIOS re: legacy USB devices? You may be looking at buying the correct CDROM drive thats interchangeable in the floppy bay but I'd recommend that if you have anything of value on your drive and no backups. I've seen them in the $35 range for older IBM laptops.

cd \windows\system32\config
ren system system.bad
copy \windows\repair\system
Take out the CD ROM and type exit


Good Luck. Read the KB article first and if you are still breathing, the above works.

 

zabirp ...

I knew that Rockster, or someone equally knowledgeable, would have some ideas but let me add something, just in case your initial IBM startup screen doesn't display the info.

At the initial screen (with the diagonal IBM), pressing F1 will take you to the BIOS, while F12 will give you a boot menu (so you can select a temporary boot device and not have to change the boot order in the BIOS). You may be able to select your external CD drive there ... I use an external USB floppy drive with my T-40, and the boot menu recognizes it as a "Legacy Floppy Drive ".

HTH.

 

Thanks for the help.

In the end it was nothing major, Microsoft provide a program that allows creation of xp boot floppy disks. It installs the required files over 6 disks.

You put in each disc one by one and it installs all the required files, including support for external hard drives and cd drives. So it allowed me to re-install xp.

Great!

Edit: None of my files were wiped off, however all the programs needed to be re-installed.

 

Glad you got it fixed. Thanks for posting back.

 

Coulda, woulda, shouda ......
Glad you got it fixed - re-installs usually do that. I tried to save you a few hours, but .........

 

My own initial reaction was so that maybe if i change the boot sequence to cd-rom first it may work. The BIOS utility did state that booting off usb floppy drives doesn' work, so i assumed cd-roms wont work either, when i moved cd-rom to the top of the list, an exclamation mark was next to it, probably meaning no such device?

I did find a program that allows usage of usb devices in dos, however it required changing lines on config.sys and autoexec.bat. Anyway, by the time i managed to get it downloaded and onto the computer, the command prompt would no longer let me switch from A: to C:\ stating that C:\ not found etc. Luckily i then came across the boot disks.

Great forum btw, i shall be visiting regularly

 

zabirp ...

Just out of curiosity, what model Thinkpad do you have? IBM type would be even better (my T-40 is a 2373-4CU).

If you don't have that information available (and why would you?), download either (both are free) Belarc Advisor or Everest Home Edition. They will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about your system, and then some.

In the Belarc summary the IBM type is found under the heading System Model and in Everest under Motherboard Name.

 

IBM Thinkpad R31 2657-BG7