Windows/system32/config missing

I have a big problem. Suddenly my PC won't start Windows XP and I get the message "C:\windows\system32\config\system is corrupted or missing." I tried solving the problem with the recovery console but it does not work - I get access denied message.
What I did, I installed another copy of Windows XP on the same disk and partition. The PC starts now, all data seems to be OK. I go the C:\Windows\system32 folder and I cannot find Config folder at all. If I try creating folder named Config, it says such folder already exists. I see "config" as a file without any extension. I suspect this is my corrupted config folder.
Guys, is there any possibility to save my first windows installation? Is there any way to repair config folder? Thank you in advance!

 

When I start the recovery console, it does not ask me for a password. As I am the only user of the computer, I believe I am the administrator as well. I have read a number of complaints on the Internet that the Recovery Console is useless due to that "Access is denied" message.
As for the microsoft help for this problem. They can only advise to use the Recovery Console, which does not help at all

 

You may have administrative privledges on your account but its more than likely that you have both an administrative account and your account which has admin privledges. I'm not sure I understand your last post however - does this mean you can or can not get into the recovery console? Did you try just hitting enter when prompted for a password after typing 1 for the system you want to get into?

If you can get into the recovery console, I think I can get you back up and running in three easy steps but you'll have to be able to get into the recovery console.

 

I can get into the recovery console without any problems whatsoever. The problem is that I get the "access denied" message to the commands I type according to the Microsoft guidelines. For example, the recovery console does not alow me to create any directories or copy files.

 

I am falling at the first hurdle as you said. md tmp and acces is denied. The only command, which works in the recovery console is dir...

 

I suggest that you forget about using the Recovery Console since you have already performed a "Parallel Install" of XP to a different folder (probably windows0). If that is true you are now set up for dual booting and are seeing the boot options menu during the boot process.

If that be the case, you can do the work indicated by MS in the link that has been posted by using the convenient copy/paste technique while booted to your parallel copy of Windows since the other Windows folder will be inactive.

First you should verify that you are seeing all the files by doing the following:

Open Windows Explorer or My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View >

Check the box labeled "Show hidden files and folders "

Uncheck the boxes labeled "Hide file extensions for known file types" and "Hide protected operation system files "

OK out of there.

When you get that done, go to the original "Windows" folder and look for the system32\config\ folder and see if it exists and what it contains. If it has all five Registry Hives, then in view of your error message I would suggest replacing only the System Hive (rather than all of the hives as MS suggests) as the first stab at restoring your drive to bootability. That may be your best shot at getting it back the way it was without losing any setting needed for the installed software.

Be sure to rename the existing hive before copying the replacement to the folder since you may want to recover it.

 

If all else Fails......I've had similar problem from some of my Customers. The technique I've used to restore their PC's to their Original state, with no loss of Data, was from a Fred Langa column.

It's called:

The step by step procedure can be found Here:

http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/personaltech/189500364

I have used this as a last resort fix with success.

 

Thank you guys for trying to help. Unfortunately, nothing seems to help my PC. I read Fred's column and thought this would be the solution for me. However, the XP setup recognizes only my second Windows installation from Windows0 folder. I think it is probably due to the missing Config folder in the windows\System32 folder. It is REALLY missing as I have checked and unchecked everything correctly in the Tools menu.
My hard disk has been making some strange noises for some time now. I believe this might have caused the problem. If you guys do not have another solution how to save my Windows installation, I will buy a new hard disk and install a new copy of Windows. I just hate the fact that everything that was installed and set up over the last five years will be gone.

 

Look in your original Windows folder for a subfolder named Repair. If found, copy it to your Windows\System32 folder. Then rename it Config. Be careful to not mistakenly alter any files in the Windows0 folder!

Reboot to the original Windows system.

If successful, open System Restore and see if you can select any restore point that would be a few days before this problem surfaced.

Don't give up yet! Post back your results. There may be additional options left based on what your results are.

There is a possibility that you will be able to clone the data from this drive onto a healthy drive and be able to save your installed programs.