Solved :Windows System32 config SYSTEM cannot be opened

debitcardmayhem

Hi guys ,

a friend has a Toshiba Lappy with XP/Home (old 6 yrs A100 i think) and get's the message cannot/or find Windows/system32/config/System
Then asks you to install the install CD and reply "r" . He has a recovery "chocolate fire guard recovery disk(my description not his)" disk that does not allow a r option because it is a re-install wipe and start afresh.
He cannot go in to recovery console either.. usual situation then, any ideas , he is going to drop it round to me soon.
Any one got any suggestions before I get it?

Donnie

Get hold of a copy of XP Home?

spud17

Recently 'acquired ' an A30-104, contemporary with yours, thrown out because of exactly the same problem.

The HD was on the point of giving up, confirmed by plugging into my Linux system, which has an automatic disk test facility.
I dragged off all the data, then the BIOS started to give warnings of 'imminent hard drive failure, please back up immediately, press F1(?) to continue'

I tried a fresh install, as an experiment, but soon after it went back to dropping/ losing files.

Only solution was a new HD. I managed to source a sensibly priced brand new one from ebay, runs perfectly, especially after upping the RAM with another 512Mb.

debitcardmayhem

Donnie wrote: »

Get hold of a copy of XP Home?

Good idea but where from, it's an old lappy and is not worth buying a ?new? one

Donnie

This might be one. Don't remember. Use ImgBurn to burn Image to disc. Don't burn as Data.

debitcardmayhem

spud17 wrote: »

Recently 'acquired ' an A30-104, contemporary with yours, thrown out because of exactly the same problem.

The HD was on the point of giving up, confirmed by plugging into my Linux system, which has an automatic disk test facility.
I dragged off all the data, then the BIOS started to give warnings of 'imminent hard drive failure, please back up immediately, press F1(?) to continue'

I tried a fresh install, as an experiment, but soon after it went back to dropping/ losing files.

Only solution was a new HD. I managed to source a sensibly priced brand new one from ebay, runs perfectly, especially after upping the RAM with another 512Mb.

Hi , apparently a new disk was installed about 18 months ago and the ram was upped to 1024 too at the same time. I will try and copy the useful stuff to my USB HD using rescuecd but he would like to re-use the XP system for some reason , I have offered to install ....ux as a backup (goes without saying I will re-partition with 5-10Gb of save my friendship too) If the HDD is pants then who knows , but till then I have offered to resolve the probable with MS.
ps the Disk was apparently recently, and often, defragged. Until I get hold if it I cannot comment further

debitcardmayhem

Donnie wrote: »

This might be one. Don't remember. Use ImgBurn to burn Image to disc. Don't burn as Data.

Thanks for that Donnie but there is no info with this link ie what it is an ISO of, but I appreciate it none the less. Give me a chance to look at the lappy first and then get back to you :beer:

Donnie

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Thanks for that Donnie but there is no info with this link ie what it is an ISO of, but I appreciate it none the less. Give me a chance to look at the lappy first and then get back to you :beer:

Just download it, unless you have a download limit. Don't worry, it's virus free.

spud17

I didn't actually install Linux, by connecting it as a slave to my Ubuntu system, it was automatically checked, which showed many errors.

I believe, this setup is temporarily suspended because, it was hammering SSDs.

Palimpstest will even tell you the total number of days your disk has been running.

Nearest Windows equivalent is

http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html

Or try the disk manufactures website.

tronator

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Hi guys ,

a friend has a Toshiba Lappy with XP/Home (old 6 yrs A100 i think) and get's the message cannot/or find Windows/system32/config/System
Then asks you to install the install CD and reply "r" . He has a recovery "chocolate fire guard recovery disk(my description not his)" disk that does not allow a r option because it is a re-install wipe and start afresh.
He cannot go in to recovery console either.. usual situation then, any ideas , he is going to drop it round to me soon.
Any one got any suggestions before I get it?

It looks like your registry got corrupted. You need to restore the files from the folder %WINDIR%/repair. You can find instructions here.

If you don't have a Windows CD, use a Linux Live CD to access your hard disk.

debitcardmayhem

tronator wrote: »

It looks like your registry got corrupted. You need to restore the files from the folder %WINDIR%/repair. You can find instructions here.

If you don't have a Windows CD, use a Linux Live CD to access your hard disk.

Solved as follows
Using USB copy of sysrescd
Booted into linux
mkdir /mnt/a
ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /mnt/a
cp /mnt/a/System\ Volume\ Information/_restore\{.........\}/RPxxx/snapshot/_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT /mnt/a/WINDOWS/system32/config/DEFAULT
and also
..... _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY /mnt/a/WINDOWS/system32/SECURITY
..... _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE /mnt/a/WINDOWS/system32/SOFTWARE
..... _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM /mnt/a/WINDOWS/system32/SYSTEM
..... _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM /mnt/a/WINDOWS/system32/SAM
umount /mnt/a
rebooted and voila XP is back
tx for the link tronator :beer: