[Clincher09]

So my brother's computer was working fine until today when he tried to turn it on. It failed to boot and we got this message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: WINNT/SYSTEM32/CONFIG/SYSTEM

I'm guessing that the hard drive failed. If we have to reinstall the OS, is there any way we can get the files off of the computer? I have a few gigs of music there and we have hundreds of family photos we would really not want to lose.

 

[Kirosia]

If you need to reinstall the OS (I'm not sure that you do), your files won't be deleted as long as you don't reformat the drive prior.

You can probably hook it up to another computer as an external drive, take control of all the contents, then copy the files off.

 

[Omega]

Try booting from a liveCD like Knoppix. Rescue your files to a USB drive or external hard drive or non-affected partition. Re-install or repair Windows. Either way, you'll need original Windows discs.

 

[Clincher09]

Where do I ge knoppix at?

 

[BigEat]

I would go ahead and install Windows. Windows thinks the configuration file is missing (or can't read it). Not really any shortcut here. Windows has to be repaired or replaced on the drive.

 

[SonicArmada]

Try Googling before wiping your drive?

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

Try following that, post back if you need more help.

 

[Clincher09]

My dad is saying that we need the disk that came with the computer to load the OS back up. The problem is that we don't have the disk.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Go download a copy of the OS from a torrent.

If you don't know what I meant, best you not start learning now. You're more likely to screw yourself over by downloading trojans and viruses then.

 

[Clincher09]

Ha, I've been using torrents for years, but I wouldn't know how to download an OS and then use it on another computer. We have a disk for Windows XP SP2, which is what came on the computer, but my dad says that we need the original disk because it will have all the drivers for the computer.

 

[XxATOLxX]

Go to the computer manufacturer's website and all the drivers should be available on their website.

 

[[zero]]

Isn't there a repair function on the Windows XP CD? Like when you boot from the CD it gives you an option to repair Windows or install it.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by [zero] /img/forum/go_quote.gif Isn't there a repair function on the Windows XP CD? Like when you boot from the CD it gives you an option to repair Windows or install it.

Yeah...but he needs to find the CD itself first.

 

[vegaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah...but he needs to find the CD itself first.

He said he has an XP SP2 disc, but not the OEM one...
You can just install that and install drivers after, the manufacturers site should have the drivers you need.