What to try next?

[0Helen]

    I have problems starting windows XP.  I have tried many things and have ended up using PC Angel to reinstall.  However, there is a problem with this file - windows/system/config/system .I have reinstalled 3 times and I still get the message that this file is corrupt and the computer will not boot up.  It gets to the beginning of windows first screen, then there is a brief glimpse of the blue screen of death, then boot failure message.  Can I try copying the file from my son's copy of windows or is this file tied to his operating system only.  Both our copies of windows are manufacturers preloaded with rescue discs.  Please help before I throw my computer out of the window...............!

0Helen

[Bob T]

Call in an expert?

[Baz]

I think Bob is right you need an expert. I  had the same problem this week and fortunately my computer was under guarantee, as it was caused  by the failure of my power switch. However, as temporary solution you may like to try turning off your computer,  pull out the power supply lead and then press your power switch three or four times. Reconnect your power supply lead and switch on. I understand this removes all power to your computer and then it may boot up properly.

Baz

[fulcrum]

Copy and paste the following piece of text from your post into Google.

windows/system/config/system

You will find quite a few posts about how to recover this situation. There is even something from Microsoft in one of the forums. I had a look at the first Google item but there are lots.

Hope this helps.

[0Helen]

Thankyou for the helpful replies. I have already printed out some stuff from the microsoft web site but none of it helped.  I just thought that as I have read some very savvy stuff on here, from the friendly LF forum posters, that if I had missed  something obvious and simple, you might be able to help.  As a last resort I shall remove my hard disks and dump the contents into storage through my son's computer and do a clean install of windows . I was hoping that I would not have to do this as I have read that there can be problems with re-registering my copy of windows.  Any further advice would be very welcome.

Many thanks to all who replied - I shall go and cry now..........

0Helen

[ChezShells]

As its a rescue disc if its not for that machine it might be installing drivers for the wrong machine hence the blue screen
but if its for that particular machine it -

could be graphics, memory, hdrive or mboard

trial and error, if you have access to spare bits replace them and in that order but usually if gfx or mem they bleep on bootup.

remove any installed cards you can do without for an install - modem, soundcard, tvcard etc if it it still dont work try someones gfx card
could then be memory, if you try memory try another XP, if no luck, get a motherboard, if no luck buy a completely new machine

 

Lee

[Pancake]

Not sure how you stand with this as there may be no early system restore files because you have done a number of reinstalls.See how you go with this.....

 

To do a Restore.

click on the Start button
select Programs
select Accessories
select System Tools
select System Restore

Start the System restore program.
Click the button next to "Restore my computer to an earlier time" and click the "Next" button.
A calendar will appear. Click on the date that you wish to restore Windows to. The box next to the calendar will show you the available restore points from that day. The ones marked "System Checkpoint" are the automatic ones that Windows XP created.
Choose the one you want, then click "Next". Don't pick a point too far back in the past,just one just before you started having problems -- remember, any programs you installed since your restoration point may not work anymore,so you may have to reinstall them.
Reboot your PC.

[Kalyn Computers]

If I was doing this for you, first I would copy all your data to another hard disk as you suggest. Then I would try a 'repair install' of XP. Do this by booting up from the CD with a XP disk and wairing until it finds the previous install of XP, do NOT slect the REPAIR option until it finds the previos Windows installation. Use the serial number that is on the sticker on your computer. This may well solve the problem. If it doesn't, then a clean install should solve the problem.

If it 'blue screens' during the install, then I would suspect memory first, the only way to check is change the memory and if it isn't memory, then the power supply would be my next suspect.

You won't have any problems re-registering if that is the only computer using that serial number.

If you are within 100K of  Bressuire, then I could help you with this, please pm me for more info.

Tim

[0Helen]

Thanks for replying ChezSchells. My rescue disc is legit for my machine. I will strip the machine back to its original configuration before I try any thing else

0Helen

[0Helen]

Thanks to you also Pancake. I cannot follow your suggestion as I cannot get the machine to even boot up to the start menu.

I did try system restore from the rescue disc but the machine just crashed, hence the need to do a non destructive reinstall, which has not worked either.

0Helen

[0Helen]

Thanks Tim for taking the time to reply.

I could not do a repair install either as the machine would not boot up from the cd drive even though I had chosen it as the first boot up option in the bios and saved on exit.  I have recently added another  memory stick so  I  shall remove it when I strip the machine back to the original configuration.  When I have stripped  the machine down and saved my data on another hard drive I will try to boot up and perform a repair.  If that doesnt work I will go for the clean install. I could kick myself as I have a 31/2 in. floppy but did not make the old fashioned back up disks that I always used to as I thought that system restore and booting from the cd would solve any boot up issues. I know better now.

One further question now  that you have reassured me that I am on the right track.  Is it possible to copy the windows file 'windows/system32/config/system' from my son's xp disc or is that file specific to his system? That is the file that is corrupted, the non destructive reinstall has not repaired it and I still cannot boot up beyond  a brief glimpse of the first windows screen.

0Helen

Just to add, I have thought of sticking my boot up hard drive in my son's machine and copying the windows/system32/config/system file into the correct folder does this sound feasable or would it cause other problems?

[Kalyn Computers]

If the machine won't boot up from the CD drive then either the CD you are using is not a bootable CD or there is something fundamentally wrong with the computer and it needs a competent engineer to look at it.

Unfortunately the 'windows/system32/config/system' file is machine specific, in fact it is changed everytime you boot up.

You say that you have recently added another stick of memory, was this before the problems started or after?

I presume you have tried to boot into Safe Mode?

Making floppy boot disks for XP is an option but it is a)painful to do and b) painful to boot from! Far better is to use 'Bart's PE Builder ro make and XP bootable CD, here is the website: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/. However, in order to make the disk, you need to have a working computer! you could use your son's machine to do it. But I suspect that your problems are deeper than one corrupted file and I still think that memory or power supply are the most likely suspects.

 

Tim

 

[0Helen]

Wow! What a quick response Tim.

I suspect that you may be right . This machine is fairly new but other issues with the supplier were never resolved despite pounds worth of phone calls and registered letters. I have given up as it was making me ill . I tried googling the name of the supplier ,which I am not allowed to name and shame on here, and was aghast at the bad press they were getting.  If I had known then what I know now!!!!!!

 I do have a spare power supply and I can try swapping that. Adding the memory stick did solve other problems I was having running some programs. It was added before this big problem. In the end I shall probably need an engineer if all else fails. It is a pity that you are so far away from where I live.

I am really grateful for all the help that you and every body else have given me. I shall let you all know how I get on in a few days time. Some of this stuff may be useful to others struggling with their machines out there.

Thanks again to everybody

0Helen