Have I killed it ?

georgiac

My PC won't start up - it comes up with a message

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt : \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup.
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.

Which would be really good if I could find the disc! It's a dell pc running XP and I haven't dropped it, kicked it or had any major virus on it so I don't know how I have got to this state.

Any advice much appreciated.

Money_Grabber13579

Does it ask you for a disc? Most computers have a separate partition where all the recovery files are kept.

georgiac

Hi, yes it says to insert the disc so not sure about the partition or how to find it?

But don't recall a disc either?!

Money_Grabber13579

I'm not sure about Dell computers, but I have a Toshiba laptop and a Compaq desktop, neither of which came with XP CD's. Now that I think about it though, my Toshiba had a recovery disc, while the Compaq had a program installed on it where you made your own. (Must do that, before it's too late!)

Maybe there's someone else who know's how Dell's work?

Browntoa

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

or

http://www.help2go.com/Tutorials/Windows/C:%5Cwindows%5Csystem32%5Cconfig%5Csystem_missing_or_corrupt.html

Browntoa

if you have no data on the PC that you need to save then most newer Dells have a restore partition , hit CTRL F11 as the PC boots ,you will lose ALL data though

if you have data that needs saving then you could use a boot CD like Ubuntu to boot the PC and save the data to a CD or USB pen drive

Mercenary

Just a thought here...... I too have had this message turn up a few times in the past few years. At first I rushed around trying to do a restore/repair/re-install etc.
.... But I also learned to just do a hard shutdown, leave it a few minutes and then start it up again and 99% of the time the machine will startup as though nothing had ever happened. As if it's headache had gone away.

Of course, there will be the times when you have to go down the restore/repair/re-install route, but it's worth a try to reboot first

georgiac

Ah , the good old fail safe ... "Have you switched it off and back on again..!"

The sum total of my IT skills.

Hasn't worked yet, but here's hoping - many thanks