Corrupted System file

Hello,

At boot up, my XP Pro machine displays the following message:

"Missing or corrupt Windows\System32\Config\System
"Insert original set-up CD and try option R to repair "

Could anyone help me recover from this without loosing my PC settings?

Thanks very much
Nicole

 

Ma'am, you might try the System File Check to get it right. In the Run feature, type "sfc /scannow" without the quotations marks. You will probably need to insert your Windows CD. This should restore corrupt and/or missing system files. Worth a try.

 

Here's a link to a trusted and often referenced site:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_sys32.htm

Read carefully and follow through the links and read carefully. I have not read any of this, just skimmed it. I'm not sure what you will lose or risk losing in the process.

Wait for confirmation/second opinions/firsthand_personal_experience on using this procedure. It was the first place I tried and the only fix that came up for this error. I will do some looking around in the archives to see if there's a less "all inclusive" fix. Although this is the fix that also comes up during a Microsoft search, it is advised to do this only after all other attempts at recovery have failed. <It is that Italic phrase that I need to dip into ie; "What are the recovery options other than above, that can be successful "?

 

Mudd is right - sfc is the correct remedy to try for this problem.

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 310747


Windows Server 2003
Windows XP

SUMMARY
This article describes System File Checker (Sfc.exe), which is a command-line utility used with the Windows File Protection (WFP) feature.

MORE INFORMATION
System File Checker gives an administrator the ability to scan all protected files to verify their versions. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder (%Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache) or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file. System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker. If the cache folder becomes damaged or unusable, you can use the sfc /scannow, the sfc /scanonce, or the sfc /scanboot commands to repair its contents.
End quote

EDIT: Look at this thread, same complaint due to a virus. Have you checked for viruses? http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20877&highlight=repair

The next step is the repair option if sfc doesn't solve the problem:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19487&highlight=repair


Regards - Charles

 

OK Guys,

Here's my understanding so far. I may be wrong and if so, please feel free to point it out.

SFC is not the correct step to use in trying to solve this problem. She has a corrupted registry. XP's sfc is used for protection of .dll, .exe, .ocx, and .sys. In addition, the TrueType fonts Micross.ttf, Tahoma.ttf, and Tahomabd.ttf, as part of the WFS protocol. In any case this is usually automated and runs on bootups after certain processes [updates, msi application installs, etc.] are done and is generally not needed unless one has a problem with a corrupted dllcache folder or wishes to purge the folder of some files they do not wish to have available for an overwrite. [This is a pared down description, as sfc is not the issue here and this is getting off topic.]

In most if not all cases, it seems that when this error rears it's ugly head, you cannot get into windows, which limits the recovery options until you boot into the recovery console.

An "F8 bootup" with a try for a "safemode startup" followed by a recent "restore point" or "last known good configuration" is more desirable but, while researching this, almost any other attempt at a recovery_option other than the link I have provided resulted in failure. They had to use the manual registry rename/copy as provided by link.

I use the word almost because while an xp "install repair" may work [and in some cases did] you will lose restore points which means you risk losing some application functions, data and any updates you may have done. If you haven't kept up on your Microsoft [and/or OEM] updates or use one of the other methods described in link belowV, your risk turns into a certainty:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q312/3/69.ASP

To sum up....
Using the Recovery Console to
*copy/overwrite older reg files and backups of restore points
*that allows booting into WIndows,
*where backups of important "Can't Lose Stuff" can be made
*and [fingers_crossed] a rollback to a recent "restore point "
will put you back up and running with no loss of data or updates, depending on the restore date.

Here's a more user friendly link to procedure with pics, a downloadable .doc and explanations included:
http://miscmail.home.mchsi.com/xpfix/xp.htm

==================================
To expand this topic with my personal opinion of "why this may not be the most desirable ideal recovery" will have to wait. There are reasons why you may wish to consider other options once you have regained entry into windows and done the backup of personal/critical files.

This thread could get quite long and time consuming and will have to wait. Others may wish to offer their comments or the "Archives" have references to "restore point" drawbacks. You may wish to browse through them at your leisure.

===============
I know I have left a lot of gapping holes in some of the information and explanations I provided. It seemed the more I typed, when the side issues where considered, even more typing needed to be done. In order to keep this from turning into a novel, I decided to try to stick to answering the original posters question and provide the answer most often used and has been known to work.

I hope the links help to fill in the holes.

I hope we haven't lost original poster, Nicole, either.... it's been a while????????

 

Hello Ann,

"Missing or corrupt Windows\System32\Config\System "

That's not the registry is it?

"I use the word almost because while an xp "install repair" may work [and in some cases did] you will lose restore points which means you risk losing some application functions "

If this means System Restore points, that is inaccurate. What would be lost is the ability to restore Windows to an earlier point, meaningless anyway after a repair. Nothing to do with any application functions.

Your suggestions can be tried, no downside to it that I can think. By all means, trying the RC can only help.

Regards - Charles

 

HI back at ya',

Yes it is the registry, or at least one of the 5 hives [in xp lingo/trees in Win98]:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;256986

As for the loss of restore points, in truth, I read so many KB articles, followed all the sublinks, read some more, and then followed the sub_sublinks to the bugs and "gotchas ", my head was spinning. That's after doing a "Google group tab read" and using the few reference books I have.

Somewhere in all of this, while trying to keep in mind what the poster risks/will lose in the various recovery procedures, I could have sworn "restore points" was one of those. While going back over some of those links, I may have confused the "temporary or appearence of loss " due to the older registry restore not being aware of the more recent points {still in what ever dir. they're kept}. Hence the additional step of coping the appropriately dated restore point [found in their folder and as instructed by the link_to_fix directions].

Perhaps I zeroed in and focused on the articles that stated a re-install or an OEM glitch could do this. I did provide a link for that also, or at least a link with a sublink

As far as I could tell, unless poster, has used a good 3rd party backup, did an ASR backup of system state {although this has it's own set of gotchas'}, was up to date on xp sp's and OEM's if applicable, this was the recovery that has the best chance of success.

I tried my best to be careful in data provided but sometimes suffer BrainFry when the problem rolls over into do this if x, y, z and be aware that a, b, c could happen if d, e, f is done or g, h, i isn't done first or if your using version blah blah of blah blah. Then after you do this, do j, k, l. AND you could have avoided all this in the first place if you did m, n, o.

On that note here's a public service announcement:
Those XP and OEM service patches/updates are so important but do this if x, y, z and be aware that a, b, c could happen if d, e, f is done or g, h, i isn't done first or if your using version blah blah of blah blah. Then after you do this, do j, k, l.............

Oh! and by the backup, backup, backup!

================

 

Hi Ann,

OK, no argument. I agree, more or less

"but sometimes suffer BrainFry ". Been known to suffer from this myself

I wish Nicole would post back, feel like we're holding discussions in a vacuum.

Regards - Charles

 

same problem as Carol

Hey all,

I have the same problem as Carol. After reading these posts and the links to the other posts, I decided I would rather use the '2nd' repair option. However, when I bypass the first 'r' and enter setup, it acts as if I did not have a previously installed version of windows. My system file does exist, but is corrupt, so maybe it can't identify it?

Maybe I can fool the setup process by use the first 'r' (Recovery Console) option, replacing my corrupt System file with the Repair\System file, then running the 2nd repair installation? What do you think would be the result? If at all possible, I would like to avoid losing applications and data, so the second seems the best option.

Thanks for any input.

 

Follow up

Well, I'm not so pacient tonight, so I went ahead and just let the system boot up after replacing the corrupt System file with the Repair/System file. My OS seems to be intact, and all my applications and drivers seem to be intact. So far so good!

I'll let you know if I run into any problems.

 

Everything running ok but...

Well, so far no blue screens, no system file errors. All my apps seem to be in place, except for a few start up items that no longer are starting. Unforturnately, one is McAfee AV. Won't start through the program menu either.

Another is my audio/mobo drivers (I have an Nforce chipset) seem to have rolled back. I tried to update them, but then my video drivers (I have an nvidia Geforce FX) seem to disappear. When I try to update them, the update does not seem to stick when I reboot and still reverts to the standard VGA.

One thing that is a bit annoying: When I shut down, instead of shutting down, I get the 'It is now safe to shut down windows' screen. How do I get it to shut down normally? Bet there is a setting somewhere...

Could be worse. I'm going to try uninstalling the audio and nforce drivers and installing the latest version to see if that clears up the nforce/nvidia driver issue.

Any suggestions or insight would be great!