File is missing or corrupt C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM

Asked By anonymous 7060 points N/A Posted on - 01/26/2012

I have been getting the following message Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM

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Best Answer by Monaliza Lee

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Answered By Marie Chan 15 points N/A #82251

File is missing or corrupt C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM

I was answering a post a while ago and I posted there something about the registry going bad and its consequences. Well here's one of them :).

Whenever you get that error message, it means your registry is corrupted. The Windows registry holds all configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows platforms. So if your registry has somehow gone bad due to incorrect editing, or something has gone wrong with a removal of a program, then you're going to have these problems. Fortunately, there is a way to recover you data.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/307545/how-to-recover-from-a-corrupted-registry-that-prevents-windows-xp-from

The link above gives you a lengthy discussion on how to do a registry fix. This will not ensure, however, a complete system restore. It will just allow you to retrieve data so you can go ahead and do a re-installation of your Windows system.

There are also several other error messages with the workaround being the steps found on that site. Below are examples of these error messages:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSOFTWARE

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): SystemRootSystem32ConfigSOFTWARE or its log or alternate

System error: Lsass.exe
When trying to update a password the return status indicates that the value provided as the current password is not correct.

Whenever you see any of these messages, it is because of a corrupt registry.

Good luck!

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Answered By Monaliza Lee 0 points N/A #82253

File is missing or corrupt C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM

Follow the following steps. You will be able to restore the system to a state very close to the state before the problem occurred.

1. Insert Windows XP CD to the CD-ROM drive and restart the computer.  Your computer should boot from the CD-ROM.
2. When the welcome screen appears, select the recovery console.(If you are familiar with Windows XP this is easier)
3. When the Recovery Console command prompt appears, type the following lines. Press ENTER after each line

md tmp
copy c:windowssystem32configsystem c:windowstmpsystem.bak
copy c:windowssystem32configsoftware c:windowstmpsoftware.bak
copy c:windowssystem32configsam c:windowstmpsam.bak
copy c:windowssystem32configsecurity c:windowstmpsecurity.bak
copy c:windowssystem32configdefault c:windowstmpdefault.bak

delete c:windowssystem32configsystem
delete c:windowssystem32configsoftware
delete c:windowssystem32configsam
delete c:windowssystem32configsecurity
delete c:windowssystem32configdefault

copy c:windowsrepairsystem c:windowssystem32configsystem
copy c:windowsrepairsoftware c:windowssystem32configsoftware
copy c:windowsrepairsam c:windowssystem32configsam
copy c:windowsrepairsecurity c:windowssystem32configsecurity
copy c:windowsrepairdefault c:windowssystem32configdefault

1. After typing all these ‘exit’ to quit the Recovery console. Your computer will restart.

(Here the c:windows is the folder where the Windows is installed.)

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• Posted on - 01/26/2012
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