\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM is corrupt. HELP!

[chikamoday]

OK guys and/or gals, I have read so much on this that my eyes are fixin' to bug out!!

I do not have any XP CD's. I do not have any reformat CD's either.

I have already tried last known good configuaration, the whole F8 thing, safe mode, etc. I am FRUSTRATED! I do not have another computer that I can put my hard drive in as a slave....so....

What do I do now? Is there ANYTHING I can do at all?

Please Please help me...

TY! :O)

[FC Jamison]

Unfortunately...your best bet at this point is to buy a copy of Windows XP.

Heck...I don't even have that folder on my computer...mine is called systemprofile

[chikamoday]

Well, used a XP disk of a friend's and this is what I get:

"i386/ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded - error 7"

Is my computer basically dead? Am I gonna have to bite the bullet and just get a new one?

[FC Jamison]

A fresh install?

(i.e. did you reformat the drive first)

[tayspen]

Try a repair install. You won't lose data (unless somthing goes horribly wrong :) ).

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[chikamoday]

OK,
1) no, I did not reformat - I do not have reformat disks and do not know how to do it without them and
2) if you mean repair install by pressing the "r" at the first setup screen...I tried this repeatedly to no avail

Any other suggestions?

P.S. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for responding, any and all help is GREATLY appreciated!!

[chikamoday]

I just looked at the link provided above...MY windows Welcome to setup screen does not give any options at all...hmmmmm

[tayspen]

You sure you followe the repair install instuctions correctly? He says not to press r right away...

EDIT: Hmm, that is weird.

Perhaps a system restore? Using the recovery console.

http://www.myfixes.com/articles/system

[FC Jamison]

If you have your friend's disk...you can wipe and reformat your hard drive.

You need to back up your important data first, or you will lose all of it.

You will also have to reinstall all of your software.

Given the alternative between that and buying a new computer (which you will still have to reinstall all of your software on) it's certainly worth a shot.

[tayspen]

If you have your friend's disk...you can wipe and reformat your hard drive.

You need to back up your important data first, or you will lose all of it.

You will also have to reinstall all of your software.

Given the alternative between that and buying a new computer (which you will still have to reinstall all of your software on) it's certainly worth a shot.

There are other options we should try before we go straight to the reformat.

See edited post.

[FC Jamison]

true

EDIT:

I'm thinking, however, that if his friend's version of XP is not the same as the version installed on his computer...he might run into problems.

[chikamoday]

From the article posted above, I do all steps as it says:

1. Insert the Windows XP cd into the top cd drive
2. Turn the computer off
3. Setup the computer to boot from cd: either by pressing F2, F9 or Delete to go in BIOS or by pressing F12 on Dell computers to launch the Boot Device Menu
4. As soon as you get the message Press any key to boot from the cd hit enter.
5. Wait ~3 minutes for the Windows Setup to initialize
6. At the Welcome to Setup screen press R to repair windows using recovery console.
7. Wait a couple of minutes while setup examines the hard drive.
8. You will be prompted to choose a Windows installation. This NEVER happens....the little message at the bottom says to press F6 if I want to add something or other, then it goes straight to the i386 error and tells me to press any key to exit.

I have tried the recovery console as well. It SEEMS to work ok, but then reboots and the whole issue begins again. Soooo frustrating.

OK, so how do I reformat with the disk? I have no data I need to save, so I am VERY ready to reformat...

P.S. the XP versions are the same.

[FC Jamison]

Stein has posted a tutorial for this here...

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread55459.html

[chikamoday]

Well all, the Stein article/post is good IF I could get the options on the setup screen. Mine has NO options.

Thanks for all your help, but it appears I am gonna have to trash this and buy another. DRAT!

[gerbil]

I'm just watching, learning..... u say that you've read so much... but M$ have this to say on your "i386/ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded - error 7" message:-

CAUSE
This behavior can occur if either one of the following conditions is true: • There are incorrect settings in the computer's basic input/output system (BIOS) configuration.

-or-
• One or more of the random access memory (RAM) modules that is installed on the computer is faulty.
This is the URL :- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318729/en-us
So i assume that u tried setting your CMOS BIOS to default, and then tried swapping out RAM blocks [if u have multiple RAM cards, then you can try without one, and then another... keep swapping; or if u only have one installed, borrow one.]?
And as for the sys32/config/system error, well, that googles to M$ support also - that seems to imply a registry problem.... but i'd go with the BIOS and RAM swaps first. easy as. I'll keep watching... good luck
[and everyone with XP has that file...!]

[gerbil]

... just one other thing, I really believe in putting Windows into its very own partition, min 5GB, up to 10GB if you can spare it. Then it can spread out to its heart's content. Applications in another partition; temporary data [net rubbish, you know, cookies, temp inet files, stuff u only keep for a few days] in another; important data in yet another. Or more. Then if XP stuffs up you only have to reinstall it and the apps [apps cos a reinstall rewrites the registry], and hopefully all else is safe.