Windows System32 Config System File Missing or Corrupt Solution
CBC's method:
navigate to Windows/system32/config
find and rename the file called
system it does not have a . (dot) anything after it
I like to rename it to
system.orig
now go to windows/repair and copy the system file that is there to the directory of
Windows/system32/config
then I boot into safe mode
after successful boot into safe mode, reboot into regular mode.
That often fixes it enough to run.
Then you have to find out what caused the problem in the first place. It is often due
to:bad memory, Trojans, viruses, and spy-ware. Some times caused by: a dieing hard
drive, wapa black outs, a dieing power supply, bios config changes, or newly added
software or hardware.
Methods suggested by the Google:
quick method
Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
Guided Help is available to help recover a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP
from starting. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you.
The actions that this Guided Help performs can be undone after Guided Help is
finished. To undo the actions that this Guided Help performs and to restore the
corrupted registry files, start Recovery Console, and then manually copy the
Windows\Tmp\*.bak files to the Windows\System32\Config folder. Make sure to rename the
files to remove the .bak extension.
_____________________________
longer method - sounds like it is for our problem:
Repair A Missing Or Corrupt Windows\System32\Conf\System File
Easy Method
1/ Restart your PC.
2/ Keep tapping the F8 Button until a menu appears.
3/ When the menu appears use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to select the 'Last known good
configuration' option.
4/ Once selected press Enter.
5/ Your PC should now reinstall the 'last known good configuration file'
6/ Restart your PC and see if the problem has been solved
7/ If it hasn't go on to the Harder Method below.
Harder Method
Step One
1/ Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM and restart your pc.
2/ At the 'Welcome to Setup' screen press R to start the recovery Console.
3/ The Recovery Console will now open and the list of Windows installations will
appear.
4/ As you only have one installation on your PC you need to press the number which is
relevant to your installations location. This, obviously will typically be 1 (one).
5/ When requested type in your Administrator password. If you haven't set an
administrator password, then simply press Enter.
6/ The Recovery Console command prompt window will now appear.
7/ At the Command prompt type the following, pressing Enter after you have typed each
line. It is assumed that your root directory will be C: However, if your root
directory isn't C:, for example, if you have other partitions/drives on your system
you may have installed XP to say the D: drive, the you will need to substitute each
reference to C: with the letter of your root directory.
* md tmp
* copy c:\windows\system32\config\system
* c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
* copy c:\windows\system32\config\software
* c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
* copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam
* c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
* copy c:\windows\system32\config\security
* c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
* copy c:\windows\system32\config\default
* c:\windows\tmp\default.bak
* delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
* delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
* delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
* delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
* delete c:\windows\system32\config\default
* copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
* copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
* copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
* copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
* copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
8/ Now type Exit to exit the recovery console.
9/ Finally restart your pc
Step Two
10/ When the PC restarts log on as Administrator. if you are using Windows XP Home you
can only log on as Administrator via Safe Mode.
11/ The next step is to copy the registry files from their backed up location using
system restore. However, before you can begin you need to set the folder options in
Windows Explorer to Show Hidden Files and Folders.
12/ Open Windows Explorer.
13/ Click the Tools option on the main toolbar.
14/ From the drop down menu click on Folder options.
15/ In the Folder options window click the View tab.
16/ Look down the file list until you come to a section marked Hidden Files and
Folders.
17/ Click on the Radio button on the left of the option Show hidden Files and Folders
to enable this option.
18/ Next move down two lines and remove the check mark next to the option Hide
Protected operating system files (Recommended).
19/ You will receive a message informing you that editing or deleting these files
could cause damage to your system. Click Yes to confirm that you want to display these
files.
20/ From the folder/directory list in Windows explorer click on the drive where you
installed Windows XP.
21/ Open the System Volume Information folder (The folder appears dimmed). If you
receive a System volume Information is not accessible. Access denied Error message,
see Microsoft Knowledgebase Article 309531.
22/ Inside you will find one or more folders that look something like this
"_restore{87BD3667-3246-476B-923F-F86E30B3E7F8}".
23/ If the folders are displayed as icons or thumbnails click the View option on the
main toolbar and click on Details to give a more detailed view of the files.
24/ Select a file that was not created at the current time and that starts with RPx
(these are Restore Points).
25/ Open one of these folders and look for a Snapshot folder - for example: C:\System
Volume Information\_restore{D86480E3-73EF-47BC-A0EB-A81BE6EE3ED8}\RP1\Snapshot.
26/ From this snapshot folder copy the following files to C:\Windows\tmp folder.
* _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
* _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
* _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
* _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
* _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
27/ Now rename the files as follows:
* Rename _REGISTRY_USER_DEFAULT to DEFAULT
* Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY to SECURITY
* Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE to SOFTWARE
* Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM
* Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM to SAM
Step Three
28/ You now have to delete the existing registry files and copy the system restore
registry files to the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder. You can do this either by
using Recovery Console or (if you file system is FAT32) by using a Windows 98 Start Up
Disk) Whichever method you use you will be presented with a command prompt. At the
command prompt type the following, remembering to press Enter after you have typed
each line.
* del c:\windows\system32\config\sam
* del c:\windows\system32\config\security
* del c:\windows\system32\config\software
* del c:\windows\system32\config\default
* del c:\windows\system32\config\system
29/ Now type the following, pressing Enter after you have typed each line:
* copy c:\windows\tmp\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
* copy c:\windows\tmp\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
* copy c:\windows\tmp\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
* copy c:\windows\tmp\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
* copy c:\windows\tmp\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
30/ Finally Exit Recovery Console and Restart your PC (If you are using the Windows 98
startup disk simply press CTRL-ALT-DEL to restart your pc.
Step Four
31/ After your PC has rebooted click the Start button followed by All Programs.
32/ From the All Programs menu click Accessories.
33/ From the Accessories drop down menu click on System Restore.
34/ From the System Restore window click on the Restore to a Previous Restore Point
option and restore your pc to a previous restore point.
Windows System32 Config System File Missing or Corrupt Solution
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/cbcstjohnvi/useful-information-1/repair-a-missing-or-corrupt-windows-system32-conf-system-file