message: "windows could not start..."

my machine has been acting a bit "buggy" today (freezing, etc.) so i did a
restart. i then get a message (not in a window, but on a blank, black
screen) saying:

"windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt"
\windows\system32\config\system

i hit enter and the same message appeared. hit enter again and it started
up o.k. what's up with that? thanks.

MORE INFORMATION
When you try to start or restart your Windows XP-based computer, you may
receive one of the following error messages:
Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

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

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive
(file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate
The procedure that this article describes uses Recovery Console and System
Restore. This article also lists all the required steps in specific order to
make sure that the process is fully completed. When you finish this
procedure, the system returns to a state very close to the state before the
problem occurred. If you have ever run NTBackup and completed a system state
backup, you do not have to follow the procedures in parts two and three. You
can go to part four.
Part one
In part one, you start the Recovery Console, create a temporary folder, back
up the existing registry files to a new location, delete the registry files
at their existing location, and then copy the registry files from the repair
folder to the System32\Config folder. When you have finished this procedure,
a registry is created that you can use to start Windows XP. This registry was
created and saved during the initial setup of Windows XP. Therefore any
changes and settings that occurred after the Setup program was finished are
lost.

To complete part one, follow these steps:
1. Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert
the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the
CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
2. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery
Console.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the
installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
4. When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the
administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
5. At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines,
pressing ENTER after you type each line:
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
6. Type exit to quit Recovery Console. Your computer will restart.
Note This procedure assumes that Windows XP is installed to the C:\Windows
folder. Make sure to change C:\Windows to the appropriate windows_folder if
it is a different location.

If you have access to another computer, to save time, you can copy the text
in step two, and then create a text file called "Regcopy1.txt" (for example).
To create this file, run the following command when you start in Recovery
Console:
batch regcopy1.txt
With the batch command in Recovery Console, you can process all the commands
in a text file sequentially. When you use the batch command, you do not have
to manually type as many commands.
Part two
To complete the procedure described in this section, you must be logged on
as an administrator, or an administrative user (a user who has an account in
the Administrators group). If you are using Windows XP Home Edition, you can
log on as an administrative user. If you log on as an administrator, you must
first start Windows XP Home Edition in Safe mode. To start the Windows XP
Home Edition computer in Safe mode, follow these steps.

Note Print these instructions before you continue. You cannot view these
instructions after you restart the computer in Safe Mode. If you use the NTFS
file system, also print the instructions from Knowledge Base article
KB309531. Step 7 contains a reference to the article.
1. Click Start, click Shut Down (or click Turn Off Computer), click Restart,
and then click OK (or click Restart).
2. Press the F8 key.

On a computer that is configured to start to multiple operating systems, you
can press F8 when you see the Startup menu.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the appropriate Safe mode option, and then
press ENTER.
4. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, use the arrow keys to
select the installation that you want to access, and then press ENTER.
In part two, you copy the registry files from their backed up location by
using System Restore. This folder is not available in Recovery Console and is
generally not visible during typical usage. Before you start this procedure,
you must change several settings to make the folder visible:
1. Start Windows Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Under Hidden files and folders, click to select Show hidden files and
folders, and then click to clear the Hide protected operating system files
(Recommended) check box.
5. Click Yes when the dialog box that confirms that you want to display
these files appears.
6. Double-click the drive where you installed Windows XP to display a list
of the folders. If is important to click the correct drive.
7. Open the System Volume Information folder. This folder is unavailable and
appears dimmed because it is set as a super-hidden folder.

Note This folder contains one or more _restore {GUID} folders such as
"_restore{87BD3667-3246-476B-923F-F86E30B3E7F8}".

Note You may receive the following error message:
C:\System Volume Information is not accessible. Access is denied.
If you receive this message, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base
article to gain access to this folder and continue with the procedu
309531 How to gain access to the System Volume Information folder
8. Open a folder that was not created at the current time. You may have to
click Details on the View menu to see when these folders were created. There
may be one or more folders starting with "RPx under this folder. These are
restore points.
9. Open one of these folders to locate a Snapshot subfolder. The following
path is an example of a folder path to the Snapshot folder:
C:\System Volume
Information\_restore{D86480E3-73EF-47BC-A0EB-A81BE6EE3ED8}\RP1\Snapshot
10. From the Snapshot folder, copy the following files to the C:\Windows\Tmp
folder:
• _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
• _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
• _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
• _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
• _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
11. Rename the files in the C:\Windows\Tmp folder 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
These files are the backed up registry files from System Restore. Because
you used the registry file that the Setup program created, this registry does
not know that these restore points exist and are available. A new folder is
created with a new GUID under System Volume Information and a restore point
is created that includes a copy of the registry files that were copied during
part one. Therefore, it is important not to use the most current folder,
especially if the time stamp on the folder is the same as the current time.

The current system configuration is not aware of the previous restore
points. You must have a previous copy of the registry from a previous restore
point to make the previous restore points available again.

The registry files that were copied to the Tmp folder in the C:\Windows
folder are moved to make sure that the files are available under Recovery
Console. You must use these files to replace the registry files currently in
the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder. By default, Recovery Console has
limited folder access and cannot copy files from the System Volume folder.

Note The procedure described in this section assumes that you are running
your computer with the FAT32 file system.

For additional information about how to access the System Volume Information
Folder with the NTFS file system, click the following article number to view
the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
309531 How to gain access to the System Volume Information folder
Part Three
In part three, you delete the existing registry files, and then copy the
System Restore Registry files to the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder:
1. Start Recovery Console (or by using a Windows 98 Boot Disk).
2. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you
type 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

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
Note Some of these command lines may be wrapped for readability.
3. Type exit to quit Recovery Console. Your computer restarts.
Note This procedure assumes that Windows XP is installed to the C:\Windows
folder. Make sure to change C:\Windows to the appropriate windows_folder if
it is a different location.

If you have access to another computer, to save time, you can copy the text
in step two, and then create a text file called "Regcopy1.txt" (for example).
Part Four
1. Click Start, and then click All Programs.
2. Click Accessories, and then click System Tools.
3. Click System Restore, and then click Restore to a previous RestorePoint.
REFERENCES
For additional information about using Recovery Console, click the following
article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307654 How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
216417 How to install the Windows XP Recovery Console
240831 How to copy files from Recovery Console to removable media
314058 Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
For additional information about System Restore, click the following article
numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306084 How to restore the operating system to a previous state in Windows XP
261716 System Restore removes files during a Restore procedure


"phar77" wrote:

my machine has been acting a bit "buggy" today (freezing, etc.) so i did a
restart. i then get a message (not in a window, but on a blank, black
screen) saying:

"windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt"
\windows\system32\config\system

i hit enter and the same message appeared. hit enter again and it started
up o.k. what's up with that? thanks.