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New WinXP repair advice needed
A friend's computer (a Dell running Windows XP) is not booting with this message:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\CONFIG\\SYSTEM

It looks like this is a registry problem, and I need a simple solution (not something like this [link|http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545|lengthy procedure]).

The best solution seems to be to use the WinXP CD-ROM and repair (like this [link|http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx|procedure]) except that the friend does not see a current version of Windows XP.

Any suggetions or tools that could help?

TIA
--Tony
New With a Dell, you must have a Dell XP disk . . .
. . or you're screwed. The license number on the computer is phony and it won't work (you need to enter the license number on a repair install) - you'll be told you have to activate but activation will be refused. Dell sells the disk for about $98 if you don't have one.

Even if the machine were bootable and you were able to recover the real license number with a program that can do that, you still have to do the repair from a Dell XP disk or it won't work.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New Nice. :-/
New I'm pretty sure she's got a Dell disk
and I'm glad I made my bro-in-law pay the extra $10 for one for his Dell.

I'm going to do screen caps of the recovery process and see if that helps. Ultimate possibility is to take out HDD and pull all the data off, but I'd rather not get too involved.

--Tony
New That number's phony?
Care to post a cite?

I used the one on my (work) Dell laptop to successfully register and activate a Windows install inside a QEMU virtual machine (the laptop runs Linux for normal work). So it's legit for some value of 'legit'.

Wade.
"Don't give up!"
New Re: That number's phony?
Did you use a Dell CD?
Do you have a corp license? They're different.
Was it XP Pro? Also often different.

I can tell you for certain that number will work fine with a non-Dell XP Home CD for the install but you won't be able to authenticate. If you install from a Dell CD it doesn't even ask for the license number. Take a Dell with XP Home and run a program that recoveres the license number. It won't match the one on the case - but that number won't work either with a non-Dell disk.

Since my clients never have the disk I tell them, here it is, it runs, you have 30 days go get a CD from Dell or is stops working.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
Expand Edited by Andrew Grygus Nov. 8, 2006, 09:02:36 PM EST
New My scenario doesn't fit your list.
But then you're talking about XP Home and I'm talking about XP Pro. :-)

It was a Dell disc. It asked for the number. The one off the bottom of the laptop worked and authenticated. And survived WGA.

I made sure my sister got XP Pro; I'll check tonight that she got the CD.

Wade.
"Don't give up!"
New Yup, XP Pro is a different story . . .
. . and it was on my little list of exceptions. XP Pro they're supposed to be able to give you the disk under the same conditions as Microsoft forbids them to give you the disk for XP Home. None of this is Dell's fault, nor HP's nor anyone else's, it's Microsoft's contract conditions to keep OEM CDs from being separated from computers - as happened in Germany. No real Windows disk, no separation.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New Concur (oh, Pro/Home dichotomy. Ignore)


Peter
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Expand Edited by pwhysall Nov. 8, 2006, 11:39:54 PM EST
New OK, Windows XP Setup does not recognize it's already there
any suggestions on how to get Windows XP setup to realise it's already installed so it can do a repair?

TIA,
Tony
New That's the point where I tell the client . . .
. . it's a full reinstall. I don't know if it can be recovered from but I encounter it now and then. If a repair install fails during install you'll often get that situation.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
New Have you tried..
using the FIXBOOT command in the recovery console? (need an XP disk for this).
Too much of today's music is fashionable crap dressed as artistry.Adrian Belew
New Trying bootcfg right now; fixboot will be next
New Looks like a problem with file system, but
chkdsk at repair console appears to have limits - only allows /p and /r options (not /f).

Running chkdsk /p (and bootcfg /scan) says there are problems with the file system. chkdsk /r is being run right now.

I'm not out of ideas yet, but any good advice is appreciated.

--Tony
New You're doing everything I could suggest. Luck!
New Reinstall.
I've seen this one with several of my end users (I do support for Dell/Windows in a corp environment) and it makes more sense for us to have the system rebuilt then try to fix this boot error. Save time. Rebuild.
-----------------------------------------
Draft Obama [link|http://www.draftobama.org/|now].
     WinXP repair advice needed - (tonytib) - (15)
         With a Dell, you must have a Dell XP disk . . . - (Andrew Grygus) - (7)
             Nice. :-/ -NT - (Another Scott)
             I'm pretty sure she's got a Dell disk - (tonytib)
             That number's phony? - (static) - (4)
                 Re: That number's phony? - (Andrew Grygus) - (2)
                     My scenario doesn't fit your list. - (static) - (1)
                         Yup, XP Pro is a different story . . . - (Andrew Grygus)
                 Concur (oh, Pro/Home dichotomy. Ignore) -NT - (pwhysall)
         OK, Windows XP Setup does not recognize it's already there - (tonytib) - (1)
             That's the point where I tell the client . . . - (Andrew Grygus)
         Have you tried.. - (bepatient) - (1)
             Trying bootcfg right now; fixboot will be next -NT - (tonytib)
         Looks like a problem with file system, but - (tonytib) - (1)
             You're doing everything I could suggest. Luck! -NT - (Another Scott)
         Reinstall. - (Silverlock)

I may have trouble bruising, but the above mentioned injuries left red areas.
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