Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
Hi there,
A friend of mine started to get problems with his XP-Home-installation
(OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD that should have been
shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
third or fourth time showed the famous message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
coincidence.
I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either. I
tried starting with
I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did an
update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
My questions:
1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
upgrading?
2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of XP-Pro?
3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
damaged?
4. If I follow Microsoft´s KB-article http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=k...7545&x=17&y=12
and replace all five registry hives; what will then happend with all
the installed programs?
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
Flower wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> A friend of mine started to get problems with his XP-Home-installation
> (OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD that should have been
> shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
>
> The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
> third or fourth time showed the famous message:
> Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
> corrupt:
> \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>
> Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
> feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
> powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
> coincidence.
>
> I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
> help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either. I
> tried starting with
>
> I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did an
> update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
Uhh, I don't know what he did, but he did not end up with XP Pro that way;
either nothing happened or he now has a corrupted operating system. I
suspect nothing was installed. Thus there would be no change/fix/anything
different.
Have him back up his data and install the XP Pro.
HTH
Pop`
>
> My questions:
> 1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
> upgrading?
> 2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of XP-Pro?
> 3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
> damaged?
> 4. If I follow Microsoft´s KB-article
> http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=k...7545&x=17&y=12
> and replace all five registry hives; what will then happend with all
> the installed programs?
>
> Greetings from Sweden
> / Jeppe
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
> Uhh, I don't know what he did, but he did not end up with XP Pro that way;
> either nothing happened or he now has a corrupted operating system. I
> suspect nothing was installed. Thus there would be no change/fix/anything
> different.
> Have him back up his data and install the XP Pro.
>
> HTH
> Pop`
When he inserted the XP-Pro CD running XP-Home, a question pop up if
he wanted to upgrade or do a fully installation. He chosed upgrade.
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
"Flower" wrote
" Hi there,
A friend of mine started to get problems with his XP-Home-installation
(OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD that should have been
shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
third or fourth time showed the famous message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
coincidence.
I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either. I
tried starting with
I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did an
update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
My questions:
1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
upgrading?
2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of XP-Pro?
3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
damaged?
4. If I follow Microsoft´s KB-article http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=k...7545&x=17&y=12
and replace all five registry hives; what will then happend with all
the installed programs?"
There are several possible causes for this registry problem including
hardware problems with the drive. See this article for tips on
troubleshooting registry corruption problems.
I suggest using ERUNT to make a backup of the registry when it boots
properly in case the problem get's worse restoring a backup might help in
the short to get the system booted so recent data can be backed up.
I would start by checking out the drive. Download a drive diagnostic
utility from the hard drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a
bootable floppy or CD. Boot from that and run the diagnostics.
Check the memory using at least two of these memory testing utilities. They
also run from a bootable CD. Let each one run for 24 hrs.
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
On 24 Maj, 20:34, "Rock" <R...@nospam.net> wrote:
> "Flower" wrote
> " Hi there,
>
> A friend of mine started to get problems with his XP-Home-installation
> (OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD that should have been
> shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
>
> The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
> third or fourth time showed the famous message:
> Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
> corrupt:
> \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>
> Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
> feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
> powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
> coincidence.
>
> I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
> help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either. I
> tried starting with
>
> I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did an
> update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
>
> My questions:
> 1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
> upgrading?
> 2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of XP-Pro?
> 3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
> damaged?
> 4. If I follow Microsoft´s KB-articlehttp://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B307545&x=17&y=12
> and replace all five registry hives; what will then happend with all
> the installed programs?"
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------*-------------------
>
> There are several possible causes for this registry problem including
> hardware problems with the drive. See this article for tips on
> troubleshooting registry corruption problems.
>
> How to Troubleshoot Registry Corruption Issueshttp://support.microsoft.com/?id=822705
>
> I suggest using ERUNT to make a backup of the registry when it boots
> properly in case the problem get's worse restoring a backup might help in
> the short to get the system booted so recent data can be backed up.
>
> ERUNThttp://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/erunt.txt
>
> Installing and Using ERUNThttp://www.silentrunners.org/sr_eruntuse.htmlhttp://www.winxptutor.com/regback.htm
>
> I would start by checking out the drive. Download a drive diagnostic
> utility from the hard drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a
> bootable floppy or CD. Boot from that and run the diagnostics.
>
> Check the memory using at least two of these memory testing utilities. They
> also run from a bootable CD. Let each one run for 24 hrs.
>
> Memtest86+http://www.memtest.org/
>
> Windows Memory Diagnostichttp://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
>
> DocMemory Memory Diagnostichttp://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/download.asp
>
> --
> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
Thanks for your reply. I will try your suggestions and get back to
this forum when completed.
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
On 24 Maj, 20:53, Flower <jepsov...@home.se> wrote:
> On 24 Maj, 20:34, "Rock" <R...@nospam.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Flower" wrote
> > " Hi there,
>
> > A friend of mine started to get problems with his XP-Home-installation
> > (OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD that should have been
> > shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
>
> > The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
> > third or fourth time showed the famous message:
> > Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
> > corrupt:
> > \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>
> > Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
> > feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
> > powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
> > coincidence.
>
> > I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
> > help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either. I
> > tried starting with
>
> > I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did an
> > update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
>
> > My questions:
> > 1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
> > upgrading?
> > 2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of XP-Pro?
> > 3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
> > damaged?
> > 4. If I follow Microsoft´s KB-articlehttp://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B307545&x=17&y=12
> > and replace all fiveregistryhives; what will then happend with all
> > the installed programs?"
>
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------**-------------------
>
> > There are several possible causes for thisregistryproblem including
> > hardware problems with the drive. See this article for tips on
> > troubleshootingregistrycorruption problems.
>
> > How to TroubleshootRegistryCorruption Issueshttp://support.microsoft.com/?id=822705
>
> > I suggest using ERUNT to make a backup of theregistrywhen it boots
> > properly in case the problem get's worse restoring a backup might help in
> > the short to get the system booted so recent data can be backed up.
>
> > ERUNThttp://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/http://www.larshede...
>
> > Installing and Using ERUNThttp://www.silentrunners.org/sr_eruntuse.htmlhttp://www.winxptutor.co...
>
> > I would start by checking out the drive. Download a drive diagnostic
> > utility from the hard drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a
> > bootable floppy or CD. Boot from that and run the diagnostics.
>
> > Check the memory using at least two of these memory testing utilities. They
> > also run from a bootable CD. Let each one run for 24 hrs.
>
> > Memtest86+http://www.memtest.org/
>
> > Windows Memory Diagnostichttp://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
>
> > DocMemory Memory Diagnostichttp://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/download.asp
>
> > --
> > Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
> Thanks for your reply. I will try your suggestions and get back to
> this forum when completed.
>
> / Jeppe- Dölj citerad text -
>
> - Visa citerad text -
Do not know where my reply on this thread did go. Perhaps direct to
"Rock"? I´ll try again. Wrote something like this:
Anyway; I have tried the Memtest86+ for approx 20h and the windows
memory program for about 10h and no errors where found.
I downloaded a test program from Seagate but it did not either found
anything suspicious.
I formatted/reinstalled XP-Pro from scratch and today when I booted
the computer the same old message showed up again.
Was not I patient enough with the tests?
I feel like throwing the computer away right now, but it belongs to my
neighbours and it´s not so old. Just a couple of years.
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
Flower wrote:
> On 24 Maj, 20:53, Flower <jepsov...@home.se> wrote:
>> On 24 Maj, 20:34, "Rock" <R...@nospam.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> "Flower" wrote
>>> " Hi there,
>>
>>> A friend of mine started to get problems with his
>>> XP-Home-installation (OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD
>>> that should have been
>>> shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
>>
>>> The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
>>> third or fourth time showed the famous message:
>>> Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
>>> corrupt:
>>> \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>>
>>> Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
>>> feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
>>> powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
>>> coincidence.
>>
>>> I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
>>> help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either.
>>> I
>>> tried starting with
>>
>>> I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did
>>> an
>>> update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
>>
>>> My questions:
>>> 1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
>>> upgrading?
>>> 2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of
>>> XP-Pro?
>>> 3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
>>> damaged?
>>> 4. If I follow Microsoft´s
>>> KB-articlehttp://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B307545&x=17&y=12
>>> and replace all fiveregistryhives; what will then happend with all
>>> the installed programs?"
>>
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------**-------------------
>>
>>> There are several possible causes for thisregistryproblem including
>>> hardware problems with the drive. See this article for tips on
>>> troubleshootingregistrycorruption problems.
>>
>>> How to TroubleshootRegistryCorruption
>>> Issueshttp://support.microsoft.com/?id=822705
>>
>>> I suggest using ERUNT to make a backup of theregistrywhen it boots
>>> properly in case the problem get's worse restoring a backup might
>>> help in
>>> the short to get the system booted so recent data can be backed up.
>>
>>> ERUNThttp://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/http://www.larshede...
>>
>>> Installing and Using
>>> ERUNThttp://www.silentrunners.org/sr_eruntuse.htmlhttp://www.winxptutor.co...
>>
>>> I would start by checking out the drive. Download a drive
>>> diagnostic
>>> utility from the hard drive manufacturer's web site. That will
>>> create a
>>> bootable floppy or CD. Boot from that and run the diagnostics.
>>
>>> Check the memory using at least two of these memory testing
>>> utilities. They
>>> also run from a bootable CD. Let each one run for 24 hrs.
>>
>>> Memtest86+http://www.memtest.org/
>>
>>> Windows Memory Diagnostichttp://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
>>
>>> DocMemory Memory
>>> Diagnostichttp://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/download.asp
>>
>>> --
>>> Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>>
>> Thanks for your reply. I will try your suggestions and get back to
>> this forum when completed.
>>
>> / Jeppe- Dölj citerad text -
>>
>> - Visa citerad text -
>
> Do not know where my reply on this thread did go. Perhaps direct to
> "Rock"? I´ll try again. Wrote something like this:
>
> Anyway; I have tried the Memtest86+ for approx 20h and the windows
> memory program for about 10h and no errors where found.
> I downloaded a test program from Seagate but it did not either found
> anything suspicious.
>
> I formatted/reinstalled XP-Pro from scratch and today when I booted
> the computer the same old message showed up again.
>
> Was not I patient enough with the tests?
>
> I feel like throwing the computer away right now, but it belongs to my
> neighbours and it´s not so old. Just a couple of years.
>
>
> / J
Memtest86+ will take more than all night, configured to all tests.
>>> Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
>>> corrupt:
>>> \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>>> XP-Home-installation (OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD
I see no way to repair this from the information supplied above.
The computer is probably not using a UPS.
Re: Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes
"Flower" <jepsovitz@home.se> wrote
On 24 Maj, 20:53, Flower <jepsov...@home.se> wrote:
> On 24 Maj, 20:34, "Rock" <R...@nospam.net> wrote:
>
> > "Flower" wrote
> > " Hi there,
>
> > A friend of mine started to get problems with his XP-Home-installation
> > (OEM). Unfortenately he doesn´t find the CD that should have been
> > shipped with the installation for reinstallation/repairing.
>
> > The problem was that the computer, not every time, but perhaps every
> > third or fourth time showed the famous message:
> > Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
> > corrupt:
> > \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
>
> > Pretty often Windows starts correctly without this error. I get a
> > feeling that this error occurs more often when the computer has been
> > powered off than rebooting. But this could be my imagination/
> > coincidence.
>
> > I tried reverting the OS to an earlier restore point but it does not
> > help. I tried repairing and scandisc but that does not help either. I
> > tried starting with
>
> > I recommended my friend to upgrade to XP-Pro and so he did. He did an
> > update and not a fully reinstallation. But the error is still there.
>
> > My questions:
> > 1. Do you think I can follow Microsofts instructions i KB now after
> > upgrading?
> > 2. Or do you think it´s better to do a fully reinstallation of XP-Pro?
> > 3. Could this error have something to do with RAM-memory that is
> > damaged?
> > 4. If I follow Microsoft´s
> > KB-articlehttp://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B307545&x=17&y=12
> > and replace all fiveregistryhives; what will then happend with all
> > the installed programs?"
>
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------**-------------------
>
> > There are several possible causes for thisregistryproblem including
> > hardware problems with the drive. See this article for tips on
> > troubleshootingregistrycorruption problems.
>
> > How to TroubleshootRegistryCorruption
> > Issueshttp://support.microsoft.com/?id=822705
>
> > I suggest using ERUNT to make a backup of theregistrywhen it boots
> > properly in case the problem get's worse restoring a backup might help
> > in
> > the short to get the system booted so recent data can be backed up.
>
> > ERUNThttp://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/http://www.larshede...
>
> > Installing and Using
> > ERUNThttp://www.silentrunners.org/sr_eruntuse.htmlhttp://www.winxptutor.co...
>
> > I would start by checking out the drive. Download a drive diagnostic
> > utility from the hard drive manufacturer's web site. That will create a
> > bootable floppy or CD. Boot from that and run the diagnostics.
>
> > Check the memory using at least two of these memory testing utilities.
> > They
> > also run from a bootable CD. Let each one run for 24 hrs.
>
> > Memtest86+http://www.memtest.org/
>
> > Windows Memory Diagnostichttp://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
>
> > DocMemory Memory
> > Diagnostichttp://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/download.asp
>
> > --
> > Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]
>
> Thanks for your reply. I will try your suggestions and get back to
> this forum when completed.
>
> / Jeppe- Dölj citerad text -
>
> - Visa citerad text -
Do not know where my reply on this thread did go. Perhaps direct to
"Rock"? I´ll try again. Wrote something like this:
Anyway; I have tried the Memtest86+ for approx 20h and the windows
memory program for about 10h and no errors where found.
I downloaded a test program from Seagate but it did not either found
anything suspicious.
I formatted/reinstalled XP-Pro from scratch and today when I booted
the computer the same old message showed up again.
Was not I patient enough with the tests?
I feel like throwing the computer away right now, but it belongs to my
neighbours and it´s not so old. Just a couple of years.
Did you try updating the BIOS? There are other troubleshooting steps in
that article. Besides testing memory you can swap it out with known good
memory. Swap out the drive. Change the drive cable. It could also be a
motherboard/controller problem.
Corrupted registry, Windows doesn´t start sometimes 
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