I am having a similar problem as Assenad...I also have an apparent registry corruption (receiving the same message when I attempt to boot Windows XP Home Edition on my PC).

I had some time this weekend to mess with my old PC (attempt to fix it). I intended to "clean" some things up and run HiJack This before submitting questions to you folks, however in the middle of cleaning my C: it crashed and automatically restarted. Following the first "Dell splash screen" I get a black screen with gray text stating:

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.

I did so and found my way to the Recovery Console. There I got to the C:\WINDOWS> prompt where I attempted a series of things to resolve the issue (chkdsk /r, chkdsk /p, followed the Microsoft website suggestions at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3084/en-us), nothing has been resolved. After completing the Microsoft website stuff XP did start however when I started it in Safe Mode (as they suggested) and attempted to use administrator privileges, I was not allowed to open hidden folders and files as within My Computer (e.g. Windows Explorer, Folder Options, View Tab, etc.). I attempted the "recovery from a corrupted registry..." via the Microsoft website. That was not successful and now if I attempt to do the same thing, within the Recovery Console, I receive the following messages: A directory or file with the name tmp already exists...or...The system cannot find the file specified...or...The parameter is not valid. Try /? for help.I think I made things worse.

I can no longer start XP in Safe Mode and I am back to the part where the black screen appears with the above-mention "Windows could not start" message. And it appears I cannot even proceed to repair the registry. Is their anyway to get rid of the changes I have recently conducted in the Recovery Console?

I fear I have really F'd things up! Any help would be most appreciated.

Hello and welcome to PCHelpForum.

I have marked your thread as "Open" ready to receive help with this problem.

JB.

If you have a corrupted registry, that means you either had a power failure or you messed with it and accidentally messed up a file. Also, some viruses may corrupt your registry. If you have another computer available w/ internet, visit Fix Corrupt Registry - How To Fix The Windows Registry

Hope this fixes it...

If you can't boot it looks like a repair install.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ps/doug92.mspx


Please report back....

I reached the point of typing F8 to proceed with the license agreement, which I did so. The following setup screen shows the list of existing partitions (c: & d. This page is asking me to choose which partition I want to install XP. The 'R' for repair is not one of the choices here. I am very hesitant to choose Install because it was not what I expected to be the next page XP setup.

Shall go through with it? I don't want to loose all that exists on my hard drive (particularly, partition c.

Cheers.

This means the XP CD can't see an existing installation. So you need to get your data of the hard disk.
--------------------

The way I would do it....................

Assuming IDE/PATA hard disks

Okay in an ideal and easy world you take the hard disk(HD) from your PC.

From friend/family open a functioning PC, disconnect the CD/DVD drive and connect your HD to those connections.

Boot the functioning PC which will recognise your HD.

Goto Control Panel and in the "Folder Options" under the View Tab tick the "Show Hidden Files & Folders" option

Copy the folder "Document and Settings" to the functioning PC hard drive, and any other critical data

Replace everything.

Use the XP CD & get your PC working and then transfer your data back.

Hope that makes sense......
Do all that and report back.

Hello gr8odensravens,did you get your problem resolved? Would you please inform us of your status...