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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

By IT4ME ·
Home-built System:
~ MS WinXP Pro OS (OEM full version) w/ SP1
~ AMD Athlon XP 1800+ CPU
~ 512 MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM (Mushkin)
~ MSI KT3 Ultra2 MoBo
~ 2x20 GB Western Digital IDE HDD
~ Asus 50x CD-ROM
~ Iomega 250 MB Zip Drive

Problem:
~ Recently downloaded and installed Diskeeper (version 7.0.428.0) from Executive Software International, Inc.
~ Then ran "Max Disk Performance" defragmentation of [C:] Drive.
~ Rebooted PC and now get following error message during OS boot:

"Windowscould 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 screen to start repair."

Followed these instructions by booting from the WinXP Pro OEM CD-ROM, then selected 'r' for the repair console. This takes you to a command-line interface at [C:\WINDOWS&gt.

What is the next step to repair/replace the above file?

Also, pressed [F key during OS boot to enter [Windows Advanced Options Menu]. Then selected [Last Known Good Configuration], but this option reverts back to same error message as above.

Running out of ideas here.....

TIA

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by tduval In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

It seems that your kernel is broken.

Try to boot xp, and re-install in the same directory.
Small luck not to lose all your programs.
Datas won't be loose, until you format.

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by IT4ME In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

Thanks for your reply. If I did this, however, then all previous settings in various profiles would be lost when Windows overwrites during [Setup].

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by JustAnAdmin In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

Once you are back to the command prompt after going into repair, try running the chkdsk command.

Hopefully that will fix your problems.

Good luck!

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by IT4ME In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

Thanks for your reply. I had previously tried this, but it had no beneficial effect.

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by Ann777 In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

Boot to Recovery Console and run:

chkdsk /r

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by IT4ME In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

Thanks for your reply. I had previously tried this, but it had no beneficial effect.

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by sgt_shultz In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

there is an important system file called, er, system (no extension). hopefully, you'll have a copy of it in your repair folder. if chkdsk /r doesn't fix it, you can replace the missing/corrupt system file from your repair folder, located, probably, c:\windows\system\repair
copy it to the \windows\system32\config\system folder. good luck

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by IT4ME In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

Bingo!! You have jogged my memory from my A+ classes of many years ago. First I renamed the current (i.e. corrupt) SYSTEM file to SYSTEM.OLD, and then copied a good version of this file from the WinXP Pro CD-ROM to the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG directory.

Thanks again! You win the prize!!

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WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

by IT4ME In reply to WinXP Pro Will Not Boot

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