missing or corrupt \Config\System file Help!

Trying to help with a computer that can't get to
Windows. When you startup, get a message : "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
screen to start repair."
She had made some boot floppies for XP; I tried putting
in the first one and it only cycled from the startup
screens to searching for Boot record from floppy (1st
bootable device) to new screen with "Setup is inspecting
your computer's hardware configuration." and then back
again to startup screens. I'm not sure if she has good
boot floppies or not, but wouldn't it ask to put in 2nd
floppy, 3rd etc.?
I found no place that I could type in the 'r" to
repair. Please help.

Your system may not be looking at the floppy drive before it tries to boot from the hard drive. The boot order can be changed or configured by using the CMOS menu. When you first start your computer, while your computer is spinning the numbers for the me
mory count, there is often a message at the bottom of the screen that tells you "press ESC to enter setup" or to press some other key to enter setup or options or settings or some variation on that. Go into the settings menu (screen will probably be blue
or cyan and text will probably be cyan or yellow or white) and look at the boot order. You'll need to make sure the floppy comes before the hard drive in the boot order. Another option is to boot from your XP install CD.

You can find a list of keyboard commands sorted according to system BIOS he
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm


"Barbara Z" wrote:

Trying to help with a computer that can't get to
Windows. When you startup, get a message : "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
screen to start repair."
She had made some boot floppies for XP; I tried putting
in the first one and it only cycled from the startup
screens to searching for Boot record from floppy (1st
bootable device) to new screen with "Setup is inspecting
your computer's hardware configuration." and then back
again to startup screens. I'm not sure if she has good
boot floppies or not, but wouldn't it ask to put in 2nd
floppy, 3rd etc.?
I found no place that I could type in the 'r" to
repair. Please help.