Error message WINDOWS/SYSTEM32/CONFIG/SYSTEM on Windows startup

I had this problem a few times now. The first time I had to reinstall. My operating system came preinstalled on my computer so I didn't have a reinstall disk to to the repair functions. I borrowed a disk and even call Microsoft tech support. They had me boot from the disk and hit r from the screen that you would perform an install or repair. I then got just a C: and not C:/windows so they said they couldnt perform the manual reinstall. I went to bed last night thinking I had to reinstall but I found this on the net and it worked. It looks like it worked for a bunch of other people also. I would spread this link so others won't have to go through this major process. this was pretty simple and no repair disk needed. Hopes this helps a few people. If this wokrs for you I would spread it to other forums. Mr lucky

PS I cant post a link becuase I didnt have enough post so if someopne needs the link contact me at mrlucky200abc at yahoo dot com

Help!

i have the same problem of
Windows/system32/config/system
however, after I hit 'r' there is only a blinking underscore left and I can't seem to type or do anything. I've got he windows cd... what is the problem?
btw im using a macbook pro.
Please help me asap. Thanks a million.

huh? If you have the hardware,
then your running OS X and that requires a VM like Vmware or Parallel's Desktop to
run Windows.

Please create your own topic for follow-up

Hello i have the same problem such as fellow members. but the only problem i face is when i put in my rev cd to repair the corrupted file the cd loads up and then it tells me that a file is corrupted and to press any key to restart the computer. as it seems it is probably the cd right? if so should i purchase a new one? Please help i hav a inspiron 1501 using the xp home edition rev cd

windows\system32\config\system

after not haveing my puter for almost a week due to this.. it was accually a barrowed one from a friend... there was one very important thing that i did not see in any online forums that i read... when the computer is starting up you have to press F12 to get into the boot menu... this helps alot....esp. in my case when the puter origanally came with xp but vista had been installed to it over a year ago...

so start your puter when it first starts it should say press F12 to get to boot menu.. click on from CD and insert what ever you have for a recovery disk or in my case the vista disk and it was fixed in less than a min.... i was soooooooooooooo very glad to tell my friend i fixed it cause i cant afford to take it to a shop....

i have the same issue but mine wont let me run any cd it wont recognize the cd rom so i cannot access the boot menue or the recovery console,or comand prompt it just wont let me allowe to access the hard drive any ideas what i can do here? i tried to boot fronm a boot cd nothing ,tried to restore with original xp cd or format the set up screen will not come up instead the message comes up
system32 error config system file corrupt or missing ,i dont know what to do anymore thanks for any help

Please help!

I have a problem about the file C:\windows\system32\config\system

I tried copying the file from the repair folder using recovery console...

after restarting... I can startup and use the computer...

but when I turn off the computer and turn it on again... the said thing comes back...

and I'll have to do it all over againg... and this event just happens all over again...

I don't wanna do that .... is there a way to fix it without formatting or erasing personal

files in the system??? PLEASE HELP!!!


"Information About the file system32\config\system"

system is a process which shows up on the tasks on mainly
Windows XP, Windows 2003 server and later version of Windows.
This is a default system counter and cannot be removed.
You must not modify this file or else your system will be damaged.

Author: Microsoft Corp.
Part of: Microsoft Windows Operating System
Location: %winroot%\system32\config\

I've addressed this problem before. Please read this thread http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic136038.html

What we tackled on that thread is a system folder not a file named system. I've see one (system folder containing virus) once on a PC infected with virut.

*

I am also having this exact same problem since this morning, but when I put the Windows XP disc in and began setup, it tells me something like "Setup could not be done because there are no hard disk drives." Now that same computer was working perfectly fine yesterday, and all I did was install a few updates before turning it off. How do I fix it?

now I can't boot!

I followed this step by step and the good news is that it got to the windows XP screen, but nothing happened after that.. just black... help please!

This works!!!

this worked so well for me that i just had to create an account and say so! Thank you soooo much (i was about to hunt through the disk, and backup my files - over 300 gb worth!) it saved me hours of reinstalling!! Thank you!!!!!

\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM error

i have a problem too:
when i start my computer up it says:

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

You can attempt to repair the file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM
Select ‘r’ at the first screen to start repair.

-my computer does not have a cd-rom. how do i fix this? i need to fix it today!!! i pressed r when this came up because i did not know what to do and it goes to the loading page but goes back to the error message. i have a dell netbook. one of the small ones. it wont let me even go unto the log on page. wat do i doo??

- need an answer today! 3/24/10

beccah, this is an old thread and in addition many people will think you are answering the original poster never knowing you are actually in need of serious help.

My best suggestion to you is to make a brand new post in the Mobile Computing forum and explain there what you wrote here. Good luck.

oh ok thanks

i HAVE same problem today...
did this

6. Depending on which section was corrupted:
ren software software.bad or ren system system.bad
7. Depending on which section was corrupted
copy \windows\repair\system
copy \windows\repair\software

but now this file is smaller...



on left 1tb disk with renamed system and system bad, on right 640gb disk i used before with good system file (using this disk now).

Is it possiblle to copy from 640gb to 1tb?

What i did 2 weeks ago that i cloned 640gb to 1tb, till today worked fine........ANY IDEAS?