help!! my when i turn my computer on i get an error message telling me there is a problem with my system etc. i have been told by technical support to run the windows software and install it again. When i go to do this it then tells me that it cannot detect a harddrive and that it may not be connected properly or else is not turned on. i have checked my harddrive and everything is working properly, (well there is obviously something wrong).

I have now been advised to delete any partitions but i do not now how to do this. Could anyone help me delete a partition or have any other advice? i would really appreciate it!! thanks !!

Hi Waldo,

If you delete your patitions, you will lose any data you have on the disk. If you have problems accessing the disk in the first place, then this will not be possible.

Please can you let us know the exact error messages you receive when you first switch your PC on? Also, what PC do you have?

hey madmonkey,
i dont mind losing any data, i just want it fixed!!!
the computer i have is a 'Mesh' computer with a 'Maxtor plus 9' hard drive.
The message i recieve is;

'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'

Despite this, when i follow these instructions, and boot from the CD i get this error message,

'setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer. make sure any hard disk drives are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and that any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacture-supplied daignostic or setup program. Setup can not continue'

I am completely lost on what to do and would really appreciate you advice!! thanks!

Hey Waldo, it sounds like you were following the instructions on restoring the CONFIG/SYSTEM from backup, which was what I was going to supply you as I was first reading this message. But the error message "setup did not find any hard disk drives installed" suggest that the HDD is corrupt, normally caused by physical hardware problems, anywhere from the HDD itself, motherboard or even RAM.

Your right, the only option (if you don't plan to recover any data) would be to delete and then re-create the partition. This can also be done during the full install of XP instead of a recovery. You will come to a point, where it will ask you to D - Delete Partition:



..followed by C - To Create, and finally to format before the XP install. If you recieve a another message to indicate that the HDD is not installed, we will move on to identify where the hardware problem exists.

Thanks for that advice, but unfortunately it did not work. When i press enter to choose to set up windows XP, i do not recieve a message about partitions, instead it goes straight to the window about not detecting the hard drives! it doesnt sound to good, are ther any other ways in which you can help ?? Thanks!

Hi Waldo,


Is there any way you could get ahold ofanother hard drive to try installing windows on? It doesn't need to be a premium drive, just as long as the data on it is expendable and the drive works...anything around 8 GB or higher should do fine.

hmm..im not sure, would you reccomend me going out to buy one? other than that i have no other way to get a hard drive.