Shut OUT of XP Home

I'm in hurry, being still at work, and won't have time until later to get deeper into this, but perhaps this link will be helpful:

<A HREF="http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=307153" target="_new">Error Messages Appear During Upgrade from Windows Me or Windows 98 to Windows XP</A>

Toey

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Thank you kindly....I have attempted to re-enter my WIN XP by using the (6) boot disks....now a new error message appears which states that the following is missing or corrupt:

C:\windows\system32\config\system. Is there any way to re-install this file? The recovery mode on has not worked to repair this file. lastly, if I cannot re-enter my WIN XP OS, how can I use DOS commands to copy files from the MY DOCUMENTS folder onto 1.44 mb floppies? I cannot get the "C" drive cursor to appear when I boot from a WIN 98 boot disk.

Thank you.

Take a look at this solution (specifically, the "Hard Way") and see if it helps you:

<A HREF="http://www.dslreports.com/faq/3546" target="_new">Q: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM is corrupt. HELP! (#3546)</A>

This link might also prove to be useful:

<A HREF="http://sft-cyber.com/Corr Reg.htm" target="_new">Recovering From a Corrupted Registry That Prevents Starting(MS Q307545)</A>

Toey

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You cannot use a WIN98 boot disk to access an XP disk, as the different file systems are incompatible (FAT32 doesn't like NTFS).

Is there a repair option when you try and re-install the OS? That would be worth a try, it work for me in WIN2000.

If I was as sexy as I was smart.....I'd still be ugly..DAMN  

This depends on <i>if</i> the file system is NTFS, and Inquiring hasn't mentioned whether or not the partition is FAT32 or NTFS. I suspect, due to the errors, that the partition is still FAT32, since he upgraded with a Home Edition Upgrade CD.

BTW, it's not that FAT32 doesn't "like" NTFS. It's that operating systems such as WinME and Win98 (and anything older) don't support NTFS, and the Win98 Boot Disk is no exception, since it's nothing but Windows DOS.

Toey

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When trying to get to the recovery console/C Prompt I get these messages:

Windows could not start the following file missing or corrupt:
/Windows/System32/Config/System

You can attempt to repair this file by starting setup using the original setup CD-ROM.

When I insert the CD-ROM and press "r" (repair) I recieve this set of messages:

This computer is already in the process of being upgraded to Microsoft Windows.
What do you want to do?

1. To continue the current upgrade, press enter.
2. To cancel the current upgrade and install new version of MS, press f-10.
3. To exit setup without installing MS, press f-3.

I have attempted to use #1, which takes me into a blue screen that says:

Windows XP Home Edition Setup
Setup cannot locate the Windows installation you want to upgrade.
Contact your system administrator.

Is there something that I am missing here to get to the recovery console?

How about option 2? You might have to edit the boot.ini file afterwards, though, because the OS might be listed more than once.

However, if this doesn't work:

Have you tried booting with your original Win98/ME CD and renaming the %WinDir%\System32\Catroot2 folder ... and afterwards, doing a complete reinstall of WinXP? That was discussed in the <A HREF="http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=307153" target="_new">MSKB 307153 article</A>.

You could also boot with the Win98/ME disk, and use this to format the primary partition. Afterwards, you could install WinXP in the clean partition. The original operating system doesn't need to be previously loaded on the hard drive for the upgrade to work correctly; all you need to do is place the licensed CD in the CD-ROM long enough for verification, and then install WinXP as a clean installation, as mentioned in this link:

<A HREF="http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_installation_of_windo..." target="_new">Clean Install Windows XP</A>

This really might be your best option, to avoid problems during the upgrade, and to eliminate possible stability issues. WinXP can be difficult enough to set up correctly without files from the previous OS being accidentally included, due to errors during the installation because of older files that won't delete cleanly.

Toey

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Yes that option (2)will allow me to install MS XP. However, I am warned that the re-install of XP MAY delete the MY DOCUMENTS folder and I desperately need to retain that folder and the files contained therein. I am unable to even get a function C prompt cursor and when I do get anything its C:\Windows which will not allow me to use the DIR or CHDIR or DEL commands that Id hoped to use. The use LAST KNOWN GOOD CONFIG upon key F8 merely tells me that my system32 file is corrupt and the last known good cant be invoked. I WILL reinstall XP if I can salvage the MY DOCUMENTS files and Id love to save my Quickbooks PRO data as well. If I cant access the C prompt cursor then can I slave this hard drive to a master hard drive and then "look" at the files on this hard drive from the master and then copy off this drive to the new master drive the files that I need to retain?

Thank you.

The partition is FAT 32

With this problem and prior to my inability to launch back into XP Home, the OS worked fine but was slow on its DSL download and the DSL Provider (Verizon) suggested that something was wrong with my OS—hence the attempt to re-install XP—hence the now damaged system32 file.

That sounds like a heck of a good idea! Give it a try ... because you certainly don't have anything to lose at this point.

I wonder why you can't move to the C: partition with a boot disk from the A: prompt? Perhaps the floppy disk files are corrupted. If that's the case, a new copy can be downloaded from this web site:

<A HREF="http://www.mirrors.org/archived_software/www.bootdisk.c..." target="_new">Mirrors.Org Boot Disks</A>

Be advised, though, that the Windows boot disks don't have a copy of the FORMAT command, so if you need it, I can send you the latest version.

You could also try booting with a DOS 6.22 disk, and attempt to use the <A HREF="http://www.computerhope.com/xcopyhlp.htm" target="_new">XCOPY</A> command to capture the files. I've used this in the past to retrieve files off partitions if the hard drive has developed bad sectors, and isn't bootable by normal means.

Toey

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