can I download a fix for WinXP using WinME?

I'm trying to help a friend with WinXP, who's getting a \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM error. She bought the laptop (Gateway) with XP preinstalled, and says the only disk she received with the system was a Microsoft Works Suite one (i.e., no WinXP disk).
I've found a possible fix at microsoft.com that involves downloading setup disks for a floppy boot install (of WinXP) and downloading a Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...9229-ca494362419c&displaylang=en&Hash=87RYSY8 is where this solution is described]

The instructions say:
"-Next, download the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility by clicking on the link on this page. Clicking on the link will launch an installer that will guide you through the download. You will be asked to insert Disk No. 6 of the Windows XP Setup Boot Disks into your floppy drive, and run the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility installer, which will write new files to the floppy disk.
-Next, insert Windows XP Setup Boot Disk No. 1 into the floppy drive of the machine with the corrupted registry and then boot the system with Disk No. 1 inserted into the floppy drive "

My question is, CAN I insert the specified Disk #6 of the WinXP setup boot disks into my own computer's floppy drive (WinME with nothing wrong with it!) and run the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility installer? I don't want to risk corrupting my OWN system in trying to help out, and I also don't know whether running the Registry Repair Utility on MY computer will accomplish what needs to be accomplished on HER computer.

Is anyone able to advise me on this matter?
Thanks,
Rebecca

PS - Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility page says, "Before you download this tool, you will need to download the Windows XP Professional Setup Boot Disks: Windows XP Professional Utility: Setup Disks for Floppy Boot Install
This will require six floppy disks. Be sure to label the disks in order in which you use them for the download. You will need the disk numbers later." [the italics are mine]
I think my friend has XP Home, not Professional, but should I take the info literally just the same and download the XP Pro setup disks rather than the XP Home ones (which are also available for download from microsoft)???

 

Just found a related thread at http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=37618
and am wondering if I might be able to use the advice offered there.
I have a laptop (with Win98SE, if that's of any relevance) that I suppose I could theoretically connect to my friend's...
It looks to me like the solutions offered at the other thread "just" involve saving data from the problematic computer -- not that this is a small thing, but I'm hoping to actually get my friend's computer up and running again as well.
Should I try saving her data BEFORE trying to deal with the \winnt\system32\config\system error message itself?
Thanks,
Rebecca

 

Sorry to be so disorganized about this question - I keep thinking I have all my thoughts in order, but then new things keep popping up.
I just spoke to my friend with the "sick" laptop, and she tells me that the laptop has both floppy drive and a CD drive; she thinks it's a CD-W, though she's never tried burning anything. So maybe there's no need for me to think about connecting her laptop to MY computer in order to save her data? Maybe I could save her data by burning a CD on the selfsame (sick) laptop? If so, how?
So many of the suggestions I've found on my google search sound like they're telling you steps to take as if you were able to use the sick computer normally (i.e., they talk about accessing registry hives or something), but I don't understand how you're supposed to DO that if you can't get your computer to get beyond the error stage! Aaargh!

 

There are some comprehensive instructions on how to address the WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM error on this Kelly's Korner page.

 

Hi Rebbeca,

Maybe I could save her data by burning a CD on the selfsame (sick) laptop? If so, how?

Start > Help and Support > type burn into the searchbox and you'll get instructions on how to use XP's burning program (Roxio lite).

Same with erase - type that in and you get instructions on how to erase a CD when using RW's.

Regards - Charles

 

OK, I've obviously asked way too many questions in one shot here, so let me start at the beginning.
Miz's link suggests using the Recovery Console Tool -- "Start your computer to the Recovery Console." I don't know how to do that, or I don't know what that means. I think I'd need the Win XP disk for it, which my friend insists she never had (her Gateway laptop came with XP preinstalled).
Further on, the author suggests:
"If you cannot start from the Windows XP CD-ROM or use Recovery Console and you are using the FAT file system (not the NTFS file system), use a startup disk from one of the following operating systems to start your computer to a command prompt:" WinME is one of the OS's listed, so I tried using MY startup disk (WinME).
A message comes back saying that drive C does not contain a valid FAT or FAT32 partition.
I'm left with an A:\ prompt
I type in C:\windows, and get "Bad command or file name "
Pretty much anything I type in after the C:\ results in the same message (win, scanreg/restore). The computer DID accept scandisk/all/surface, but it took literally a single second to come back and report that there were no errors detected, so I'm not convinced it really performed the scan.
So I think now I'm back to my original question about using the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility and the Windows XP Setup Boot Disks I downloaded, which is: CAN I insert the specified Disk #6 of the WinXP setup boot disks into my own computer's floppy drive (WinME with nothing wrong with it!) and run the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility installer?

 

Hi Rebecca,

CAN I insert the specified Disk #6 of the WinXP setup boot disks into my own computer's floppy drive (WinME with nothing wrong with it!) and run the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility installer?

I can't answer that question, maybe Newt or Joe or someone else whose had experience in this area can.

Your friend should call Gateway and insist on a XP cd - simple as that. And I know that this is not helping at the moment, but a must to have.

I think the file system is NTFS, no reason for it not to be. To find out definitivly, bring up the drive and right click > properties and you'll see the file system type.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for the input, Charles.
I've told my friend to put in a call to Gateway and request a copy of XP, but I'm going to try to keep working on her computer in the meantime.
I'll continue with my google searches and see if I can find answers to any of my questions there, since Newt and Joe don't seem to be around these days.
I can't find out if her file is NTFS because I can't access Windows to right click on anything. When I turn her computer on, all I get is the \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM error message. It's not followed by a promp or anything, and any key I press after that doesn't have any effect.
As far as burning a CD with her laptop's data, can you tell me how to do that without being able to access Windows? The only way I can even get a C:> is using my WinME startup disk on her system, but as I mentioned before, the only command I've been able to input without getting a "bad command" message is scandisk...

 

Hi Rebecca,

As far as burning a CD with her laptop's data, can you tell me how to do that without being able to access Windows?
As far as I know, can't.

In looking at references to this error, they all hinge on RC which in turn presupposes having the XP cd. Can you borrow one by any chance, that probably would allow booting into the installation.

Regards - Charles

 

I would definitely try to borrow an XP cd. Your workaround may be successful, but your repair will be simpler with a real XP disk.

If she has data on her computer that she can't afford to lose, she might be wise to take it to a professional. There is some risk that the computer will not boot, if a repair is done incorrectly. Since you are not familiar with the Recovery Console, you may not want to experiment at your friend's expense!

Johanna

 

Well what do you know? Some GOOD news here at last. After 2 days of searching, my friend found a "Gateway Operating System Windows XP Home Edition CD" tucked away amidst her kids' CDs. So at least now I have something more tangible to work with.
We're still hoping to salvage her "My Documents" folder, so before I actually try to run her reinstallation disk, can anyone steer me in the right direction? In another thread (http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=37618), Surferdude2 suggested a parallel installation of WinXP. If I were to do this, might I be able to access the original "My Documents" folder afterwards?
Or, now that I have access to the CD, might I be able to go the Recovery Console route as long as I take my time and keep asking for help here each step of the way?
The files we're trying to save are not "critical" - it's mostly photos. Sadly, we don't have access to professional computer help where we live - the nearest center where we could go for that is over 3 hours away, and none of us goes there on any kind of regular basis. My friend will be disappointed if she loses the pix, but I've been given permission to do whatever has to be done to get the laptop up and running again.
Thanks for any help!
Rebecca

 

Hi Rebecca,

Try the most straightforward first, go the RC route first, you can always try reinstalling later in whatever form if need be.

Regards - Charles

 

Going to start a new thread, because the title of my original post no longer applies.