Please Help - Corrupt file on my laptop - Will not Start up

suzanna

Hello Everyone,

Hope you are enjoying the break.

Please could you help me fix my laptop, When i turn it on it comes up with the following error:

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 using the original setup cd-rom. Select 'r' at the first session to repair.

I have tried to start it using the recovery mode option but it just gives me a blank screen like it wants me type something?

I think that the problem might be because the battery has completely died and so i have to have the power lead on, which is plugged into the wall next to the heater and so on several occasions i accidentally turned the Laptop instead of the heater.

The windows is on a partitioned bit of my laptop hard drive and so i don't have a cd to put in.... I do however have an identical Laptop (my partners) so i could make a copy from this if needed but don't know how to do this.

As you can probably tell I'm not a Wiz when i comes to computers and would really appreciate your help to get mine fixed.

Thank you

Suzanna

esuhl

You probably need to check your hard disk for errors. If you can get to a command prompt (where you can see a prompt like C:\> or similar) type the following command and press enter:

chkdsk /f c:

You will probably see a message to say that the drive is in use and can't be checked right now, but would you like to do so when the PC reboots. Say yes, reboot the PC and wait while the drive is scanned (this may take an hour or more). Hopefully the error will be fixed.

Reluctant_spender

If the above does not help try ths from microsoft - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

suzanna

Thank you for responding,

It will not let me type anything into the blank screen when i try and use the recovery console option and does not seem to give me an option anywhere else?

Sorry i am being a complete pain, i don't really know anything about this stuff and it mostly goes over my head. Would it be better to make a copy of windows from my other lap top? or do something in the bios bit?

stov

I'm having the same problem. Used the PC last night no probs, turned on this morning and greeted with a blue screen saying Windows could not be opened due to corrupt files, given following message,

machine_check_exception

Says maybe due to newly installed software/hardware. I haven't installed anything!

Can get on to internet through safe mode but would appreciate advice on how to rectify problem.

Thanks

fwor

To the OP: Normally, when you enter the Recovery Console it will search for existing accounts and then prompt you to sign in on one of them. If the account/password data is corrupted then it will probably stop dead there.

One other thing to try is to use Windows Setup, but instead of the Recovery Console, choose "Set up Windows XP now". It will then try and find existing Windows installs, and offer the option to repair any it finds, without having to mess with the Recovery Console.

(Note: the above works with XP Pro - I don't have any other versions to try it on)

suzanna

i cant even get into safe mode... I have been using my partners laptop which has not been upgraded and is sooo slow! At least i can get onto the internet though :-)

suzanna

When i use the recovery it stops dead there, where would i find the option to choose window setup?

esuhl

Some BIOS programs have a hard disk checking program built-in, so it might be worth having a look there... Alternatively, if you have the Windows CD, you should be able to run chkdsk like this: http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=5097.

Stov, yours looks like a hardware failure of some kind. Might be worth having a look at this page - it sounds like it might be helpful:
http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t17514.html

fwor

Sorry, a misunderstanding on my part - when you wrote "using the recovery mode option" I thought you meant that you had access to the Recovery Console via Windows Setup. Seems I was wrong with that assumption.

Can you get hold of a Windows setup disk for the same version as you have (e.g Home or Pro)? Unfortunately it would prove very difficult to repair it with files from your partner's laptop, because of the complex way that all of the software components interact.

If not, you may have to resort to other (non-Microsoft) tools to test and repair any corruption of the hard disk.