Windows Will Not Start: Corrupt \Windows\System32\Confi

Once again, I get to straighten out a computer mess of my daughter's making. Her laptop is a HP dv5130us running Windows XP Media Center SP3 with all the latest updates. Apparently, Windows suddenly decided not to start and shows the following error message: "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\config\system". Before posting here, I did a Google and Bing search and found the instructions for using the recovery/repair console to repair the problem. I used the installation CD and opened the recovery console. Following the listed recovery instructions, I entered the command "md tmp" and after about 30 seconds, which seemed like a very long wait, I got the following response; "access denied". I did another Google search and the suggested fix was to try a directory change to Windows. I did so in every possible listed manner and in each case I received the following response: "The path or file specified is not valid." Before throwing in the towel I tried to check the directory using the "dir" command and got back "an error occurred during directory enumeration". I should note that there is over a thirty second wait from the time I enter the command until a I get a response, which seems to be an excessively long time. I am now at a dead end because there does not appear to be any consensus as to the next step I should take either by way of a Google search or Bing search. Assuming this is not a hardware problem, what do I try next or am I hosed and need to do a reformat and re-installation? Any assistance would greatly be appreciated, especially before I see how far an HP laptop will fly on its own power. Much obliged; Gerry

Hi 1excop36, welcome to WhatTheTech.

Try booting to the Recovery Console again, type chkdsk /r and press Enter.

This will check the hard drive for file system problems and correct them if possible. Let it run undisturbed. It can take an hour or more depending on the size of the hard drive. When it completes, reboot and see what happens.

Rich; Thanks for the very fast response. I will do as you suggested and let you know what happens. Gerry

Rich; When I typed in the command you instructed, chkdsk/r, I got back "That command is not recognized." I went ahead and ran "chkdsk". It took almost 2 minutes from the time I entered the command before the computer showed that it was executing it, which in my limited experience, does not seem right. Also, I'm having difficulty getting the it to read the DVD/RW drive. The drives does appear to be functional but the system seems to be having problems recognizing that there is a CD in the drive and reading it. I suppose along with everything else that drive is failing. For what it's worth, in querying my daughter about the status of the DVD drive, it seems she neglected to mention to me that it has been giving her problems such as occasional failures to read both CDs and DVDs. I will post the results of the "chkdsk" when it's done. I have a hunch that this does not bode well. When chkdsk reached 13%, it froze and a few seconds later the screen went blank. I tried this 4 times with the same result. What next?

When I typed in the command you instructed, chkdsk/r, I got back "That command is not recognized."

"just in case you are making a typo mistake"

chkdsk /r <– "must" include a space between "k /"

When you ran chkdsk without any qualifier, Windows was able to run at least a partial polling of your HD, and can do so in Normal boot.
However, chkdsk without /r does not attempt to make any changes.

In order to use the /r, your machine will warn you that it has to re-boot.
This is so that chkdsk /r can be run while the HD files are still inactive before Windows is engaged.

Try again with chkdsk /r <– this time be sure you use the proper one space between k /

Then let us know what happens.

Best Regards

When I typed in the command you instructed, chkdsk/r, I got back "That command is not recognized

Try that again, but this time put a space between the k and the /r ,

Cheers,
Lee

Sorry Doug, We posted the same idea at the same time

You are going to need a working CD or DVD to boot the Recovery Console or possibly a memory test or hard drive diagnostic program.

You could try to create a bootable USB flash drive with the Recovery Console on it if the computer will boot from a USB device. Google returns quite a few hits: recovery console on flash drive

One of them is this: How to create a bootable USB drive with Windows XP Recovery Console

If the link in that article to the iso file for the RC is not working, you can download and run ARCDC by Artellos. It will download the required files from the Microsoft Web site and create a .iso file. It will also offer to burn the iso image to a CD for you. If you don't do it then, there is a good freeware burner called ImgBurn which will do it at a later time. If you're unsure how to do this, you can follow the tutorial here: How to Burn an ISO File

Sorry for the delay but I had a touch of the flu. Per the chkdsk, I did use a space between the k and /r. As part of the problem arout booting from the DVD drive, I would say that it's almost an even proposition if the system will boot or throw me to the instruction screen for restarting Windows in the Safe Mode or normally. When that happens, Windows starts to load until it gets to the file "\windows\system32\config\system" and then I get the error message and Windows attempts to restart. If I power down and restart, sometimes I can get it to boot from the DVD drive. I tried running the ARCDC but the drive would not read the disk. I tried the disk in another computer and that one read it fine, so I know the problem wasn't with the disk. I'll look up the instructions for running the recovery console from a flash drive and will let you know what, if anything transpires. I'm beginning to think it might just be easier to replace both the DVD and HD and start fresh. As for her data, I gave her a 4GB flash drive to back it up and she chose to procrastinate. Fortunately, there is nothing of a critical nature to be lost. Again, I appreciate everyone's interest and assistance. Gerry

Gerry, if there is any data you want to save, you could boot a Live Linux CD like Puppy Linux and copy the data from the hard drive to the flash drive that way.

Download the bootable Puppy Linux iso image. Get the latest version available, currently pup-431.iso. If you don't have a burning program that will burn .iso files get burncdcc, a small FAST no frills iso burning program or ImgBurn, another small, fast and simple burner.

NOTE…do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you.

1. Start BurnCDCC
2. Browse to the .iso file you want to burn on cd/dvd ……in this case its puppy linux
3. Select the .iso file
4. Suggestion…. Check the option "Fix close"
5. Click on "Start"

Make sure in the BIOS Setup, the CD/DVD drive is the first boot device. Put the Puppy Linux CD in the drive, then reboot your computer. Puppy will boot and run totally in ram. After you get it running and you're at the Puppy Desktop, take the CD out and then you can use the burner software to save all your data to CD/DVD. You can also use it to backup your data to a external USB harddrive or Flash drive, just have it hooked to the computer when you boot up with Puppy.

Rich; Thanks for the quick reply and all your help. I've downloaded everything you suggested and will see what I can accomplish tomorrow. Meantime, in the absence of any other information, would I be correcting in assuming that there is, at the very least, a mechanical problem with her notebook's DVD drive? I've yet tried to remove and reinstall it on the off chance just the connection is degraded. I realize this is guesswork at this point but could a problem with the DVD drive be the cause of the corrupt files on the HD? Taking things one step further, am I looking at a HD failure as well? Again, I appreciate the patience and assistance. Gerry

I'd like you to try chkdsk /r one more time, see if it still fails. Make sure there is a space between chkdsk and /r.

chkdsk.exe is in the C:\Windows\system32 folder so there is no way it should give you a Command not recognized, especially since you said running chkdsk by itself without the /r seemed to work.

Could the hard drive be failing: yes

To find out, download and run the HD manufacturers diagnostic utility. It should be available as a .iso file you can download and use to create a bootable CD.

This site has a lot of good info on hard drive diagnostic software: http://www.carrona.org/hddiag.html

Rich; I redid it 3 times prior to your request, double and triple checking to no avail. When I tried to use Puppy Linux to see if I could recover her data it was no joy with that as well. I tried 3 different version and all hung up during the boot process at the point where it was checking the drives. I believe I solved the DVD drive problem. When I took it out to try reseating it, I discovered some spilled cola in the drive bay. I cleaned the bay and all the connections and it appears to be functioning normally, as best as I can tell under the circumstances. The HD bay escaped the cola disaster so that's not the problem. Our local Best Buy is having a sale on Hard Drives and I decided to check them out as I've reached the limit of my patience in trying to resolve this. I appreciate your assistance. Gerry

Its funny. I have hardly seen these laptops at all. Yet in the last couple of days have seen three of them. They must all be crapping out at once. Anyways. I'm pretty sure this laptop has a hard drive diagnostic test in the BIOS. Enter the BIOS with I believe the F10 key during power on. Look for the hard drive diagnostic option. It will test the drive and give a pass or fail for you.

On the short test it came up snake eyes (fail). I didn't see much point in running the longer version. I don't blame the laptop. My daughter, as probably most adult children, listens to me with one ear and lets it flow through and out the other. When they go belly up, it's Dad to the rescue. What can I say? I'm a sucker for my daughter and only child. I appreciate everyone's help. Now I'm told our 9 y/o Dell Dimension 8200 is running very slow and exhibiting "weird" behavior. Who said retirement is is a time to kick back??