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Resolved XP Can't Open - WIN...SYS32...CONFIG missing or corrupted

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by virginia, 2011/02/02.

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  1. 2011/02/02
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    A friend's computer (XP Media Center SP3) stops during boot with the following message:
    It then instructs to insert the original CD and select the "r" option. Friend doesn't have the original CD. I have XP Home SP2 CD, XP Pro SP2 CD, and the Microsoft SP3 disc. Can I use some combination of these to repair her file. I have looked at the Slipstreaming procedure that Arie posted but I don't think I can do that - if it's necessary.
     
    virginia,
    #1
  2. 2011/02/02
    MrBill

    MrBill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    No. It must be a SP Media Center.
     
    MrBill,
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  4. 2011/02/03
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks MrBill - I was afraid of that. Would another Media Center CD along with my SP3 disc from Microsoft work? Also, I should mention that I did try to boot in Safe mode but it stopped after loading about 5 or 6 files - apparently when it got to the corrupted file.
     
    virginia,
    #3
  5. 2011/02/03
    MrBill

    MrBill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    It should work. Is this a name brand machine?
     
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  6. 2011/02/03
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Only if SP3 is slipstreamed into the Media Centre CD which is only possible if the MC CD is retail. OEM disks cannot be used for slipstreaming as noted in Arie's article.

    The slipstreaming process is very straightforward and not as complicated as it might at first appear :)
     
    PeteC,
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  7. 2011/02/03
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    OK, I must confess to not knowing if this is the case or not but the question has been asked about using a different version XP CD for the repair option when booting from the disk.

    Well, here's what I'm wondering. If you choose the first repair option, you will get the recovery console. In this case, barring a complete reinstall, to recover from this you need to follow the directions In this MS article.

    How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

    When you go through the steps they give you there, you are only copying files that are already on the hard drive. If this is the case, would it work to boot from that alternate version XP CD and just use the recovery console to do that? Just a thought.

    A word of warning though. If you were to try this and it would work, you'd probably have to reinstall all of the programs that were installed on the computer again. I'm guessing all Windows Updates too. It would be pretty much like starting over except that you would still have all your data files. It's kind of an extreme solution but unless you have a Media Center CD to do a repair install with, I don't really see any other way.

    Anybody know if this would work or not? Like I said, it's just a thought. :)

    Edit:
    I just had a look at the article again and I see it states that you should not do this if it's an OEM computer. So, if the computer is one that was purchased from one of the many computer manufacturers, well, I guess this wouldn't be the thing to do.
     
    Last edited: 2011/02/03
    Zander,
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  8. 2011/02/05
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for all of the suggestions. I was able to get into the Recovery/Restore? Console via the HP splash screen and I ran it through it's paces - took about 3 hours to run. After it completed, it gave all indications of booting, HP Splash Screen, then Windows XP Splash Screen, and at one point a Log On screen. But it always reverts back to a light blue screen with simply the cursor/arrow showing on the screen and a bit of HD activity light, but nothing happens other than the light blue screen.

    I have located but don't have yet an XP Media Center CD but the individual didn't know whether it was OEM/Retail. I assume if I look at it and it gives me a message that I see on my Dell OEM discs - "....already installed on your computer...." then I am dealing with an OEM disc and probably can't use it to slipstream the SP3 CD that I have.
     
    virginia,
    #7
  9. 2011/02/05
    indmusic

    indmusic Well-Known Member

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    Zander's link should help you out, I've had to use it on a few seperate occassions

    How far into the link did you get?
    Did you choose a restore point previous to the problem?

    I don't choose to use the Recovery console, but use a live linux distro instead
    Do you want to try again and see if it MAY help using something like Puppy linux, it's not a very big download
    Should be able to walk you thru the steps
     
    indmusic,
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  10. 2011/02/05
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

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    We'll have to replace the registry hives with a set of those present in the C:\System Volume Information folder, (if Restore Points are available).

    Be very careful with following next set of steps:

    We need to create a batch file and save it into a flash drive to move information from the sick computer to a working computer. This batch is to list all directories in C:\system volume information, which is useful for finding the backed up registry!.

    Important note: Ensure that you Save it on the flash drive. Do NOT save this file on the working computer. You can accidentally run the file in the computer and damage its registry. This file will be ran in the non working computer after following the next set of instructions.

    Using your clean working computer do the following:

    1. Go to Start -> Run, and type notepad into the box.
    2. Click OK.
    3. Copy and paste the following code into Notepad:

    Code:
    Ren C:\windows\system32\config\system system.123
Dir  "C:\System Volume Information" /s >C:\log.txt
Ren C:\windows\system32\config\system.123 system
Del %0
    4. Go to File -> Save As then enter: ren.bat (save it as all files (*.*))
    5. Then.. Save it on the flash drive. Do NOT save this file on the working computer.
    6. After that insert the flash drive into the infected computer.

    NOW...
    On good computer...
    Please download OTLPE (filesize 120,9 MB)

    • When downloaded double click on OTLPENet.exe and make sure there is a blank CD in your CD drive. This will automatically create a bootable CD.
    • Reboot your system using the boot CD you just created.
    • Note : If you do not know how to set your computer to boot from CD follow the steps here
    • Your system should now display a REATOGO-X-PE desktop.


    7. Once booted with OTLPE CD, go to Start My Computer then go to your flash drive and copy the batch file to the desktop then double click it to run it.
    8. Then go to C:\log.txt copy and paste it back here as a reply to this post.

    Note: You may have to copy and paste the log into the flash drive so you can post it back here.
     
    broni,
    #9
  11. 2011/02/05
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Broni,

    I burned the CD but I would like to clarify one of your instructions.

    I assume you mean to reboot the sick system, not the good one I used to create the CD. Am I correct?
     
    virginia,
    #10
  12. 2011/02/05
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

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    Yes..
     
    broni,
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  13. 2011/02/05
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Broni,

    Got the REATOGO desktop fine and put the ren.bat file on the desktop. I double clicked it and it created a DOS dialog box and every time I hit any key, it just repeats the command. Here is text of what I am seeing:

    It appears to be looking for a batch file on a diskette - DriveB. There is no floppy on this particular computer. I tried to change the Drive from B to I (the drive assigned to my flash drive) but every time I use a key, the command is simply repeated. It won't let me enter any DOS commands.
     
    virginia,
    #12
  14. 2011/02/05
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

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    Did you "copy the batch file to the desktop ", or you're trying to run it from the flash drive?
     
    broni,
    #13
  15. 2011/02/05
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I opened the I drive (flash drive) in My Computer and dragged and dropped the ren.bat file (perhaps I should have copied and pasted?). I then double clicked to run it and got the dialog box that contained the text in my previous post. I tried it once with the flash drive inserted and once with it removed.
     
    virginia,
    #14
  16. 2011/02/05
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

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    Can you check, if there is C:\log.txt file?
     
    broni,
    #15
  17. 2011/02/05
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    There sure was/is. I guess the batch file ran so fast I thought it hadn't done anything. In any event, here it is:

     
    virginia,
    #16
  18. 2011/02/05
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

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    Unfortunately, there are no system restore points present, so this method won't work.

    On a top of it, this Media Center edition, so as Pete said, you would have Media Center Edition CD with SP3 slipstreamed to perform repair installation.
     
    broni,
    #17
  19. 2011/02/05
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks so much Broni. I hoped you had found a silver bullet. Interesting bit of learning on my part was the REATOGO disk.

    I guess I'm back to searching for a Media Center XP disk for slipstreaming.
     
    virginia,
    #18
  20. 2011/02/05
    broni

    broni Moderator Malware Analyst

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    If we had some restore points, that would be pretty easy fix.
     
    broni,
    #19
  21. 2011/02/20
    virginia Lifetime Subscription

    virginia Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Status Report

    We were finally able to determine that the hard drive was bad. Due to the age of the computer, my friend has elected to go with a new unit with Windows 7. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I'll mark this one as "Resolved ". Although I guess that if one gives up and gets a new computer that's actually avoiding a resolution.
     
    virginia,
    #20
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