Hi, I'm trying to start up my Windows XP when I get this message at the boot up screen

'Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt

/windows/system32/config/system'

It then tells me I can run the help console using my original disk by pressing a key (i forget which) i can do this but have absolutely no idea how to fix this using the said console!

Please help me, because i'm completely stuck at this point.
Thanks alot
Neal

Hello Neal and welcome to PCHelpForum.

I have a fix but it is pritty complicated.

Or the simple option if there is no data to be saved is to reinstall the operating system.

Which would you like to do?

JB.

Hi and thankyou for the quick response, yeah I have quite alot of important data on there that I can't really afford to lose, so its gonna have to be the long option....

Thanks alot for your help

Neal

You are very welcome Neal.

Ok you have to restart the computer and enter BIOS/Setup.

On the black screen you will notice it will say "Press ? to enter setup"

? could be Del,F1,F2 or another.Press the key it tells you to.

Locate your boot tab in BIOS/Setup.

Using your arrow keys move items up and down.

List your CD rom drive as first boot device.

Then list your hard drive as second boot device.

Put in the operating install disk and save and exit or possibly F10 would also save and exit.

Your machine will reboot and on the black screen again you will see "Press any key to boot CD/DVD" press any key.

Now any other time you are prompted to press any key to boot CD/DVD rom do NOT press any key only ever do this the first time you are prompted.

Now before you do this please read the following link fully print out the instructions if needs be.

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

It appears a lot of hardwork but you should be ok if you read fully first.

JB.

Hello again, cheers for the help just finished writing all the commands out (don't have a printer) tried it and it keeps saying accessed is denied! It says something in the tutorial you linked me too that you have to type in your administrator password 'when prompted too' after 'press R to start the Recovery Console' but it never asks me to do this... I can access the recovery console no problem but everything is accessed denied! Is there something i'm missing, sorry i'm abit of an idiot when it comes to these things...

Again, thankyou
Neal

Do you get the error when you type a command?

Make sure you leave the correct spaces in the commands.

Type these commands in the Recovery Console:

SET AllowWildCards = TRUE
SET AllowAllPaths = TRUE
SET AllowRemovableMedia = TRUE

Just a thought?If you restart the computer and repeatedly tap F8 do you get an options menu?If you do are you able to choose last known good config?
Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console for advanced users

Here is another one to try:

From the C:\> prompt, type:

CD\Windows

This should give you

C:\Windows>