Missing or Corrupt config/system file?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Our 2nd family computer, which is a year old and is a Dell 8400 with XP,
won't turn on. Actually, it turns on a comes up with a message like this one:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

According to: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545
We're supposed to put our XP Startup disk in, but when we do that, nothing
happens. We've tried restarting and we used the disk to this computer, but
no luck. Can anybody offer us some advice?

 

[Byte]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

If it is a year old, it must have worked before. How did you screw it up?
Your WindowsXP installation disk is also a bootable disk, use it? Try in
Safe Mode.
"How to Boot in Safe Mode"
http://www.columbia.edu/acis/capture/safemode.html

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
--
Some days you're the windshield,
some days you're the bug.


"Jackie" wrote:

> Our 2nd family computer, which is a year old and is a Dell 8400 with XP,
> won't turn on. Actually, it turns on a comes up with a message like this one:
>
> Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
> \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>
> According to: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545
> We're supposed to put our XP Startup disk in, but when we do that, nothing
> happens. We've tried restarting and we used the disk to this computer, but
> no luck. Can anybody offer us some advice?