No Windows

[Guest Skye]

I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't load

at all, I get the following message:-

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

C\Windows\system32\config\System

It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't have

it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in safe

mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have prepared

for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of the

installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

 

 

--

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: No Windows

 

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

starting

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

 

How to obtain Windows XP Setup disks for a floppy boot installation

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

 

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

(Look for "How To Create a bootable CD to access the Recovery Console")

 

John

 

Skye wrote:

> I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't load

> at all, I get the following message:-

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

> C\Windows\system32\config\System

> It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't have

> it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

> Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in safe

> mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have prepared

> for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of the

> installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

> I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

>

>

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

 

--

Lots of help there, thanks. Before I start, can you please tell me if the

boot disk that I already have will act as the initial springboard to recovery

instead of downloading the full set-up disks. Also, when I press F8, the

screen I get isn't the same as on the help page, it's blue with a list of

different boot choices, not safe mode, last good config etc etc.

 

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

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

> starting

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

>

> How to obtain Windows XP Setup disks for a floppy boot installation

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

>

> http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

> (Look for "How To Create a bootable CD to access the Recovery Console")

>

> John

>

> Skye wrote:

>

> > I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't load

> > at all, I get the following message:-

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

> > C\Windows\system32\config\System

> > It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't have

> > it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

> > Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in safe

> > mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have prepared

> > for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of the

> > installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

> > I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

> >

> >

>

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: No Windows

 

I don't think so, Skye. You say that this is a recovery/backup disk

that you created when you got your computer, usually these disks can

only be used to restore the computer to factory conditions, you can try

it and see but be careful with these disks, most of the time they

completely erase everything on the disk during the restore process.

 

If you have another Windows 2000/XP computer, and if you are a bit handy

with hardware, you can also mount the drive in the other computer or in

a USB enclosure and attempt to copy the registry hives directly from the

C:\System Volume Information\ folder to the c:\windows\system32\config

folder and then put the drive back in its place and then boot the

computer and do a system restore. As for the F8 options I'm not sure

why you aren't getting the usual boot options, what boot choices are you

seeing when you get to that screen?

 

John

 

Skye wrote:

 

Lots of help there, thanks. Before I start, can you please tell me if

the boot disk that I already have will act as the initial springboard to

recovery instead of downloading the full set-up disks. Also, when I

press F8, the screen I get isn't the same as on the help page, it's blue

with a list of different boot choices, not safe mode, last good config

etc etc.

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

The choices I have when I press F8 are

1st Floppy Drive

PM_NEC DVD_RW

PS-SONY DVD-ROM

4M -SAMSUNG

ST352 etc etc

 

it just send me round in circles, back to the screen with the missing file

problem.

 

Yes, I have this additional XP PC which I'm now using instead. I also have a

mass storage device attached to the broken PC with a full hard disk back-up

on it but it won't restore, gets 37% and then fails. I also have a small 40GB

USB portable drive but I don't know how to copy the files onto the broken PC

if I can't get past the missing/currupt screen.

--

 

 

 

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> I don't think so, Skye. You say that this is a recovery/backup disk

> that you created when you got your computer, usually these disks can

> only be used to restore the computer to factory conditions, you can try

> it and see but be careful with these disks, most of the time they

> completely erase everything on the disk during the restore process.

>

> If you have another Windows 2000/XP computer, and if you are a bit handy

> with hardware, you can also mount the drive in the other computer or in

> a USB enclosure and attempt to copy the registry hives directly from the

> C:\System Volume Information\ folder to the c:\windows\system32\config

> folder and then put the drive back in its place and then boot the

> computer and do a system restore. As for the F8 options I'm not sure

> why you aren't getting the usual boot options, what boot choices are you

> seeing when you get to that screen?

>

> John

>

> Skye wrote:

>

> Lots of help there, thanks. Before I start, can you please tell me if

> the boot disk that I already have will act as the initial springboard to

> recovery instead of downloading the full set-up disks. Also, when I

> press F8, the screen I get isn't the same as on the help page, it's blue

> with a list of different boot choices, not safe mode, last good config

> etc etc.

>

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: No Windows

 

You are pressing a bit too soon when the computer boots, let it get a

bit farther past the BIOS/POST screens and repeatedly tap the the F8 key

just before Windows starts to boot.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by:

 

"I also have a mass storage device attached to the broken PC with a full

hard disk back-up on it but it won't restore, gets 37% and then fails."

 

Are you saying that you tried to restore the broken installation with a

backup? If you have tried to restore the drive by copying a backup over

the failed Windows installation and it fails at 37% of the copy/restore

operation you can forget about recovering the installation by means of

the instructions provided earlier, the installation is destroyed. You

should now handle your problem as a data recovery operation. Mount the

failed Windows disk in your USB enclosure/other computer and recover

your private files then reinstall/restore Windows from scratch.

 

If you did not try to write to the broken Windows disk then you can

still try the procedure mentioned earlier. Please let us know where you

are at, I don't mind helping you further along with the recovery but I

don't want to post possible fixes that might not be of any help if the

disk was overwritten with a backup.

 

If you did not overwrite the disk and if you do want to try to recover

the installation then you will either have to use the Recovery Console

or you will have to remove the disk from the broken computer and mount

it in your other desktop or in the USB enclosure so that you can examine

the disk and copy files by using the working computer.

 

John

 

Skye wrote:

> The choices I have when I press F8 are

> 1st Floppy Drive

> PM_NEC DVD_RW

> PS-SONY DVD-ROM

> 4M -SAMSUNG

> ST352 etc etc

>

> it just send me round in circles, back to the screen with the missing file

> problem.

>

> Yes, I have this additional XP PC which I'm now using instead. I also have a

> mass storage device attached to the broken PC with a full hard disk back-up

> on it but it won't restore, gets 37% and then fails. I also have a small 40GB

> USB portable drive but I don't know how to copy the files onto the broken PC

> if I can't get past the missing/currupt screen.

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

Thanks for your time!!

Yes, I was pressing F8 too soon, however, whichever method I choose I still

get the missing file screen.

 

Yes, I tried to restore the broken installation with a backup and it failed

but I used the programme to repair bad sectors and file system errors but I'm

still at the same stage. I might add that I have several different CD's with

full hard disk back-ups on at various times throughout the year but none of

them will work, inserting the disks (including the boot disk) and nothing

happens, no cursor or anything.

 

I am not unduly bothered about recovering private files as they are already

backed up elsewhere but I have no idea how to reinstall/restore Windows from

scratch so maybe that should be the issue right now. Will the set of

downloaded floppies mentioned earlier do it?

--

 

 

 

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> You are pressing a bit too soon when the computer boots, let it get a

> bit farther past the BIOS/POST screens and repeatedly tap the the F8 key

> just before Windows starts to boot.

>

> I'm not sure what you mean by:

>

> "I also have a mass storage device attached to the broken PC with a full

> hard disk back-up on it but it won't restore, gets 37% and then fails."

>

> Are you saying that you tried to restore the broken installation with a

> backup? If you have tried to restore the drive by copying a backup over

> the failed Windows installation and it fails at 37% of the copy/restore

> operation you can forget about recovering the installation by means of

> the instructions provided earlier, the installation is destroyed. You

> should now handle your problem as a data recovery operation. Mount the

> failed Windows disk in your USB enclosure/other computer and recover

> your private files then reinstall/restore Windows from scratch.

>

> If you did not try to write to the broken Windows disk then you can

> still try the procedure mentioned earlier. Please let us know where you

> are at, I don't mind helping you further along with the recovery but I

> don't want to post possible fixes that might not be of any help if the

> disk was overwritten with a backup.

>

> If you did not overwrite the disk and if you do want to try to recover

> the installation then you will either have to use the Recovery Console

> or you will have to remove the disk from the broken computer and mount

> it in your other desktop or in the USB enclosure so that you can examine

> the disk and copy files by using the working computer.

>

> John

>

> Skye wrote:

>

> > The choices I have when I press F8 are

> > 1st Floppy Drive

> > PM_NEC DVD_RW

> > PS-SONY DVD-ROM

> > 4M -SAMSUNG

> > ST352 etc etc

> >

> > it just send me round in circles, back to the screen with the missing file

> > problem.

> >

> > Yes, I have this additional XP PC which I'm now using instead. I also have a

> > mass storage device attached to the broken PC with a full hard disk back-up

> > on it but it won't restore, gets 37% and then fails. I also have a small 40GB

> > USB portable drive but I don't know how to copy the files onto the broken PC

> > if I can't get past the missing/currupt screen.

>

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: No Windows

 

Which program did you use to repair bad sectors? Is the hard disk still

in the broken computer or are you accessing it from the working computer?

 

How did you create those backup CD's that you speak of? Which backup

program did you use to create those backups, was it a cloning program?

 

Do you have restoration CD's for the computer, when you got the computer

did you create a set of restore disks?

 

Sorry for all the questions but I need the information before I can make

recovery suggestions.

 

John

 

Skye wrote:

> Thanks for your time!!

> Yes, I was pressing F8 too soon, however, whichever method I choose I still

> get the missing file screen.

>

> Yes, I tried to restore the broken installation with a backup and it failed

> but I used the programme to repair bad sectors and file system errors but I'm

> still at the same stage. I might add that I have several different CD's with

> full hard disk back-ups on at various times throughout the year but none of

> them will work, inserting the disks (including the boot disk) and nothing

> happens, no cursor or anything.

>

> I am not unduly bothered about recovering private files as they are already

> backed up elsewhere but I have no idea how to reinstall/restore Windows from

> scratch so maybe that should be the issue right now. Will the set of

> downloaded floppies mentioned earlier do it?

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

The hard disk is still in the broken PC, I am not tech enough to remove it.

The first set of imaging disks I used after XP was installed with all the

updates etc and the complete hard drive was Norton Ghost 2003, so was the 2nd

set. Then I got Norton Ghost 12 and backed up the complete hard

drive/operating system and saved it to the external mass storage drive

instead which I do every week. I have done restores using this in the past

with no problem by inserting the boot disk and then accessing the recovery

point on the mass storage device. Also in Ghost 12 you can repair the bad

sectors and system errors which I have now done and it completed

successfully. It also has a multitude of other features which I am not

experienced enough to use but it is possible to view files/folders on the

operating system although it appears you can do nothing else with them.

All this wouldn't be a problem if the original disks were supplied when you

purchased the system but alas, that is no longer the case.

--

 

 

 

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> Which program did you use to repair bad sectors? Is the hard disk still

> in the broken computer or are you accessing it from the working computer?

>

> How did you create those backup CD's that you speak of? Which backup

> program did you use to create those backups, was it a cloning program?

>

> Do you have restoration CD's for the computer, when you got the computer

> did you create a set of restore disks?

>

> Sorry for all the questions but I need the information before I can make

> recovery suggestions.

>

> John

>

> Skye wrote:

>

> > Thanks for your time!!

> > Yes, I was pressing F8 too soon, however, whichever method I choose I still

> > get the missing file screen.

> >

> > Yes, I tried to restore the broken installation with a backup and it failed

> > but I used the programme to repair bad sectors and file system errors but I'm

> > still at the same stage. I might add that I have several different CD's with

> > full hard disk back-ups on at various times throughout the year but none of

> > them will work, inserting the disks (including the boot disk) and nothing

> > happens, no cursor or anything.

> >

> > I am not unduly bothered about recovering private files as they are already

> > backed up elsewhere but I have no idea how to reinstall/restore Windows from

> > scratch so maybe that should be the issue right now. Will the set of

> > downloaded floppies mentioned earlier do it?

>

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: No Windows

 

In that case your images and restore process should still be good and

you should be able to do another restore. I think you should go to your

hard disk manufacturer's web site and download a diagnostic utility for

your hard drive. The utility will tell you if your drive is in good

health. If the drive is found to be healthy have the diagnostic utility

zero write the drive and try to restore your Ghost image again.

 

John

 

Skye wrote:

> The hard disk is still in the broken PC, I am not tech enough to remove it.

> The first set of imaging disks I used after XP was installed with all the

> updates etc and the complete hard drive was Norton Ghost 2003, so was the 2nd

> set. Then I got Norton Ghost 12 and backed up the complete hard

> drive/operating system and saved it to the external mass storage drive

> instead which I do every week. I have done restores using this in the past

> with no problem by inserting the boot disk and then accessing the recovery

> point on the mass storage device. Also in Ghost 12 you can repair the bad

> sectors and system errors which I have now done and it completed

> successfully. It also has a multitude of other features which I am not

> experienced enough to use but it is possible to view files/folders on the

> operating system although it appears you can do nothing else with them.

> All this wouldn't be a problem if the original disks were supplied when you

> purchased the system but alas, that is no longer the case.

[Guest Patrick Keenan]

Re: No Windows

 

 

"Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:9197D882-8FB8-4C91-A557-A1F904189530@microsoft.com...

>I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't

>load

> at all, I get the following message:-

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

> C\Windows\system32\config\System

> It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't have

> it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

> Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in

> safe

> mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have

> prepared

> for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of the

> installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

> I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

>

>

> --

Having read through this thread, you need to use the procedures, perhaps

adapted, at

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

 

as John John mentions.

 

These procedures do work, and are pretty straightforward, but it isn't

really a beginner-level task.

 

Now, those directions require you to have a bootable XP CD, not a "system

restore" version that replaces an image on the system, OR, having had the

Recovery Console installed on the system. If your system didn't come with

a bootable XP CD or have the Recovery Console installed, you have basically

three choices:

 

1) Borrow any bootable XP CD, Home or Pro, OEM or retail, for this. Any

will work; you aren't installing.

2) Use a bootable Linux CD.

3) Host (attach) the drive on another system and perform the file operations

that way.

 

If you use options 2 or 3, the directions in the Knowledgebase article

naturally have to be adapted.

 

You may find that this is just a bit beyond your abilities, and that you

need help from someone with more skills (and the CD or other system).

 

HTH

-pk

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

Thanks to you both for your help. I tried to do a restore from my back up CD

just one more time and it worked for some reason so now I am up and running

again. In the meantime I have managed to borrow a bootable XP CD which

fortunately I no longer need.

However, a new problem has occured which I have no idea about. A box comes

up saying the computer will close in 30 seconds, something about NT Authority

System and it then shuts down and restarts which is an absolute pain, any

idea about this issue?

--

 

 

 

"Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>

> "Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:9197D882-8FB8-4C91-A557-A1F904189530@microsoft.com...

> >I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't

> >load

> > at all, I get the following message:-

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

> > C\Windows\system32\config\System

> > It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't have

> > it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

> > Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in

> > safe

> > mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have

> > prepared

> > for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of the

> > installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

> > I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

> >

> >

> > --

> Having read through this thread, you need to use the procedures, perhaps

> adapted, at

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

>

> as John John mentions.

>

> These procedures do work, and are pretty straightforward, but it isn't

> really a beginner-level task.

>

> Now, those directions require you to have a bootable XP CD, not a "system

> restore" version that replaces an image on the system, OR, having had the

> Recovery Console installed on the system. If your system didn't come with

> a bootable XP CD or have the Recovery Console installed, you have basically

> three choices:

>

> 1) Borrow any bootable XP CD, Home or Pro, OEM or retail, for this. Any

> will work; you aren't installing.

> 2) Use a bootable Linux CD.

> 3) Host (attach) the drive on another system and perform the file operations

> that way.

>

> If you use options 2 or 3, the directions in the Knowledgebase article

> naturally have to be adapted.

>

> You may find that this is just a bit beyond your abilities, and that you

> need help from someone with more skills (and the CD or other system).

>

> HTH

> -pk

>

>

[Guest Alan]

Re: No Windows

 

Hello Skye,

 

That NT Authority System shutdown message sounds like your PC might be

infected by the sasser or mydoom worms (or some of their friends).

 

To temporarily keep the machine from shutting down, as soon as you see the

shutdown notice click Start | Run. In the window, type ""shutdown -a"

without the quotes.

 

This will keep your PC on, but then I suggest you do some checking for

malware.

 

Alan

 

"Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:B37D0DED-AC3C-4A0D-82E1-A9BCC643F077@microsoft.com...

> Thanks to you both for your help. I tried to do a restore from my back up

> CD

> just one more time and it worked for some reason so now I am up and

> running

> again. In the meantime I have managed to borrow a bootable XP CD which

> fortunately I no longer need.

> However, a new problem has occured which I have no idea about. A box comes

> up saying the computer will close in 30 seconds, something about NT

> Authority

> System and it then shuts down and restarts which is an absolute pain, any

> idea about this issue?

> --

>

>

>

> "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

>

>>

>> "Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:9197D882-8FB8-4C91-A557-A1F904189530@microsoft.com...

>> >I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't

>> >load

>> > at all, I get the following message:-

>> > Windows could not start because the following file is missing or

>> > corrupt

>> > C\Windows\system32\config\System

>> > It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't

>> > have

>> > it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

>> > Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in

>> > safe

>> > mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have

>> > prepared

>> > for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of

>> > the

>> > installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

>> > I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

>> >

>> >

>> > --

>> Having read through this thread, you need to use the procedures, perhaps

>> adapted, at

>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

>>

>> as John John mentions.

>>

>> These procedures do work, and are pretty straightforward, but it isn't

>> really a beginner-level task.

>>

>> Now, those directions require you to have a bootable XP CD, not a "system

>> restore" version that replaces an image on the system, OR, having had the

>> Recovery Console installed on the system. If your system didn't come

>> with

>> a bootable XP CD or have the Recovery Console installed, you have

>> basically

>> three choices:

>>

>> 1) Borrow any bootable XP CD, Home or Pro, OEM or retail, for this. Any

>> will work; you aren't installing.

>> 2) Use a bootable Linux CD.

>> 3) Host (attach) the drive on another system and perform the file

>> operations

>> that way.

>>

>> If you use options 2 or 3, the directions in the Knowledgebase article

>> naturally have to be adapted.

>>

>> You may find that this is just a bit beyond your abilities, and that you

>> need help from someone with more skills (and the CD or other system).

>>

>> HTH

>> -pk

>>

>>

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

Thanks for letting me know, I've run Norton/Trojan Hunter and Spysweeper and

they found nothing so I'll have to investigate further.

--

 

"Alan" wrote:

> Hello Skye,

>

> That NT Authority System shutdown message sounds like your PC might be

> infected by the sasser or mydoom worms (or some of their friends).

>

> To temporarily keep the machine from shutting down, as soon as you see the

> shutdown notice click Start | Run. In the window, type ""shutdown -a"

> without the quotes.

>

> This will keep your PC on, but then I suggest you do some checking for

> malware.

>

> Alan

>

> "Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:B37D0DED-AC3C-4A0D-82E1-A9BCC643F077@microsoft.com...

> > Thanks to you both for your help. I tried to do a restore from my back up

> > CD

> > just one more time and it worked for some reason so now I am up and

> > running

> > again. In the meantime I have managed to borrow a bootable XP CD which

> > fortunately I no longer need.

> > However, a new problem has occured which I have no idea about. A box comes

> > up saying the computer will close in 30 seconds, something about NT

> > Authority

> > System and it then shuts down and restarts which is an absolute pain, any

> > idea about this issue?

> > --

> >

> >

> >

> > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> >

> >>

> >> "Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> >> news:9197D882-8FB8-4C91-A557-A1F904189530@microsoft.com...

> >> >I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't

> >> >load

> >> > at all, I get the following message:-

> >> > Windows could not start because the following file is missing or

> >> > corrupt

> >> > C\Windows\system32\config\System

> >> > It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't

> >> > have

> >> > it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

> >> > Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in

> >> > safe

> >> > mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have

> >> > prepared

> >> > for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of

> >> > the

> >> > installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

> >> > I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

> >> >

> >> >

> >> > --

> >> Having read through this thread, you need to use the procedures, perhaps

> >> adapted, at

> >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

> >>

> >> as John John mentions.

> >>

> >> These procedures do work, and are pretty straightforward, but it isn't

> >> really a beginner-level task.

> >>

> >> Now, those directions require you to have a bootable XP CD, not a "system

> >> restore" version that replaces an image on the system, OR, having had the

> >> Recovery Console installed on the system. If your system didn't come

> >> with

> >> a bootable XP CD or have the Recovery Console installed, you have

> >> basically

> >> three choices:

> >>

> >> 1) Borrow any bootable XP CD, Home or Pro, OEM or retail, for this. Any

> >> will work; you aren't installing.

> >> 2) Use a bootable Linux CD.

> >> 3) Host (attach) the drive on another system and perform the file

> >> operations

> >> that way.

> >>

> >> If you use options 2 or 3, the directions in the Knowledgebase article

> >> naturally have to be adapted.

> >>

> >> You may find that this is just a bit beyond your abilities, and that you

> >> need help from someone with more skills (and the CD or other system).

> >>

> >> HTH

> >> -pk

> >>

> >>

>

>

>

[Guest Skye]

Re: No Windows

 

The only programme to find the trouble was NOD 32 free online scanner.

Trojan-Downloader Java Openstream was detected and deleted in Java files.

--

 

 

 

"Skye" wrote:

> Thanks for letting me know, I've run Norton/Trojan Hunter and Spysweeper and

> they found nothing so I'll have to investigate further.

> --

>

> "Alan" wrote:

>

> > Hello Skye,

> >

> > That NT Authority System shutdown message sounds like your PC might be

> > infected by the sasser or mydoom worms (or some of their friends).

> >

> > To temporarily keep the machine from shutting down, as soon as you see the

> > shutdown notice click Start | Run. In the window, type ""shutdown -a"

> > without the quotes.

> >

> > This will keep your PC on, but then I suggest you do some checking for

> > malware.

> >

> > Alan

> >

> > "Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> > news:B37D0DED-AC3C-4A0D-82E1-A9BCC643F077@microsoft.com...

> > > Thanks to you both for your help. I tried to do a restore from my back up

> > > CD

> > > just one more time and it worked for some reason so now I am up and

> > > running

> > > again. In the meantime I have managed to borrow a bootable XP CD which

> > > fortunately I no longer need.

> > > However, a new problem has occured which I have no idea about. A box comes

> > > up saying the computer will close in 30 seconds, something about NT

> > > Authority

> > > System and it then shuts down and restarts which is an absolute pain, any

> > > idea about this issue?

> > > --

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > "Patrick Keenan" wrote:

> > >

> > >>

> > >> "Skye" <Skye@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> > >> news:9197D882-8FB8-4C91-A557-A1F904189530@microsoft.com...

> > >> >I am running Windows XP SP3 and have reached a stage where Windows won't

> > >> >load

> > >> > at all, I get the following message:-

> > >> > Windows could not start because the following file is missing or

> > >> > corrupt

> > >> > C\Windows\system32\config\System

> > >> > It then goes on to say use the CD Rom, but like most people, I don't

> > >> > have

> > >> > it, my PC came with XP preinstalled.

> > >> > Can anyone advise how to resolve this issue. I can't get it to boot in

> > >> > safe

> > >> > mode or anything else. I have tried various back-up CD's that I have

> > >> > prepared

> > >> > for such an emergency but they don't work either. Can I get a copy of

> > >> > the

> > >> > installation CD anywhere or download it and burn it to CD?

> > >> > I'm no tech wizard so any help please make it simple.Thanks in advance.

> > >> >

> > >> >

> > >> > --

> > >> Having read through this thread, you need to use the procedures, perhaps

> > >> adapted, at

> > >> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

> > >>

> > >> as John John mentions.

> > >>

> > >> These procedures do work, and are pretty straightforward, but it isn't

> > >> really a beginner-level task.

> > >>

> > >> Now, those directions require you to have a bootable XP CD, not a "system

> > >> restore" version that replaces an image on the system, OR, having had the

> > >> Recovery Console installed on the system. If your system didn't come

> > >> with

> > >> a bootable XP CD or have the Recovery Console installed, you have

> > >> basically

> > >> three choices:

> > >>

> > >> 1) Borrow any bootable XP CD, Home or Pro, OEM or retail, for this. Any

> > >> will work; you aren't installing.

> > >> 2) Use a bootable Linux CD.

> > >> 3) Host (attach) the drive on another system and perform the file

> > >> operations

> > >> that way.

> > >>

> > >> If you use options 2 or 3, the directions in the Knowledgebase article

> > >> naturally have to be adapted.

> > >>

> > >> You may find that this is just a bit beyond your abilities, and that you

> > >> need help from someone with more skills (and the CD or other system).

> > >>

> > >> HTH

> > >> -pk

> > >>

> > >>

> >

> >

> >