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Windows won't boot

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8 replies

by jeremy

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I downloaded the beta Microsoft Antispyware program to a Dell laptop running XP Pro. After scanning, it found a threat called RealVPN. I removed it and then restarted the computer. Upon restarting, a black screen came up that said "Windows could not start because the following is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM". I tried the recovery method recommended by Microsoft of going into the repair console and putting the files in from the repair directory; however, the "system" file would not copy (all the rest did). Is there any way to fix this? I can't reformat because I dont have access to the windows cd for this computer (as it is borrowed), only another copy of XP Pro that I can use for the repair console, copying single files, etc. Please help me, I REALLY need to fix this. Thanks.

8 replies

by sgt_shultz

well, it should have worked (sound of quarter dropping into the coffee can) so i suspect file/disk corruption. i would get into recovery console. check free hd space. check fragmentation. check for file system errors. think you can do all that from rc command line.
what do you mean precisely by: system file won't copy. what is your exact error message?
it is fixable. by now bet you have fixed it.
this is horrible design, imho. burn backup of the config folder when you get it back...

by sgt_shultz

by 'horrible design' i meant: 'boo, microsoft. how dare you make such a fragile, unself-repairing 'database' so unobvious how to backup. shame on them. btw, 2 cents it not directly caused by microsoft anti spyware but maybe. i don't know as i ditched it 20 minutes after i loaded it. just puff. stick with Ad-Aware or Eweido suite is my opinion. and pay for the real time protection feature...

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