Member Avatar for weasel7711

So yeah, it happened.
Here's my issue, I don't have the CD of windows. I may be able to get a copy later this week but I was wondering if, since I DO have Ubuntu installed and can run that and access both hard drives and the windows/system32/config/ folder if there were any files I can download to place in that folder. Any help is appreciated. Thanks :)


I did try something I saw on another thread where you copy the files from the repair folder to the config folder and it semi-worked. What I mean by that is that it got to the screen where there is the windows logo and the little blue load bar at the bottom, then locked up and I had to hard-restart. So I moved the old corrupted files back.

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Generated

The error indicates the SYSTEM registry hive under %WINDIR%\System32\config is damaged. Because can boot Ubuntu and see the Windows volume, a no-CD recovery is often possible by restoring the registry hives from local backups rather than trying to import hives from another machine. Copying only the single SYSTEM file (as described earlier in this thread) can bring the boot process farther but still hang if the other hives are inconsistent — the five machine hives must come from the same restore set.

Look for two local backup sources before considering a repair install:

  • Windows\System32\config\RegBack (may contain SYSTEM, SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, DEFAULT)
  • System Volume Information\_restore{GUID}\RPx\Snapshot — files named _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_DEFAULT map to the hive names SYSTEM, SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, DEFAULT.

Example approach from an Ubuntu live session (replace device and RP paths as appropriate; root required):

# mount NTFS read/write (replace /dev/sda1)
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/win
sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /mnt/win

# backup current hives
cd /mnt/win/Windows/System32/config
sudo mkdir -p hive-backup
sudo cp -a SYSTEM SOFTWARE SAM SECURITY DEFAULT hive-backup/

# if RegBack exists, restore whole set
sudo cp -a /mnt/win/Windows/System32/config/RegBack/* /mnt/win/Windows/System32/config/

# OR copy matching files from a single RP snapshot and rename to hive names
sudo cp -a "/mnt/win/System Volume Information/_restore{GUID}/RP1/Snapshot/_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM" SYSTEM
# repeat for SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, DEFAULT
sync
sudo umount /mnt/win

Important cautions: always back up the existing config files first; restore all five hives from the same restore point (mixing sources causes instability); never copy hives from a different computer or mismatched service-pack level; access to System Volume Information requires root. If no usable RegBack or restore-point copies exist, the XP CD repair install (as and noted) is the reliable fallback.

Recommended Answers

All 13 Replies

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

whats happen here, are u getting an error when u tru to boot xp, what is the error? when does the error happen, on boot up? log on screen? in safe mode only? in normal mode?

Member Avatar for weasel7711

whats happen here, are u getting an error when u tru to boot xp, what is the error? when does the error happen, on boot up? log on screen? in safe mode only? in normal mode?

On boot up. When I select to boot up Windows it comes up with the error "Windows cannot boot because a file is missing or corrupted in
WINDOWS/SYSTEM32/CONFIG/SYSTEM
It does not boot up at all. If you press a key it restarts the computer.

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

ok now we are gettign some where. can it start in safe mode. then do a roll back from system restore. if not your only option will be to get the xp cd and do a repair or extract the file thats corrupted.

Member Avatar for weasel7711

no i cant start in any mode

Member Avatar for saks_seany

i have same problem it is really annoying i dont have access to a windows disk either

Member Avatar for weasel7711

The thing is, I think it would be easy if I could just find out which files to put in the windows folder. I am currently running linux on the same machine as we speak and I have full access to the HD and the system folder. Just not sure what to do.

Member Avatar for rabbott

That error points to a corrupt registry hive. There are instructions at microsoft.com to try to fix it but my experience has always been a repair install using the XP cd that came with your computer.

Good luck.

Member Avatar for caperjack

That error points to a corrupt registry hive. There are instructions at microsoft.com to try to fix it but my experience has always been a repair install using the XP cd that came with your computer.

Good luck.

same info as my post

Member Avatar for rabbott

That's correct, the links have similar information. My point got lost in my ramble........
You can try the instructions in either link, but you will eventually have to do a repair install to fix your situation.

Member Avatar for weasel7711

i guess i will have to wait 2 weeks to get home to get the cd

Member Avatar for bobbyraw

seeing that u can't boot to any mode u will need to have the win xp cd to resole this. the computer error is reffereing to file in the system32 directory.

Member Avatar for weasel7711

I can get to that file when I boot up linux, so I can move and edit any files I want, just not in windows.

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