\windows\system32\comfig\system file is missing or corrupt

chigger_ns · Jun 13, 2004, 01:09 PM

OH Crap, I think My windows may be borked. I have xp with all the updates.
I get an error when booting...
Your \windows\system32\comfig\system file is missing or corrupt run recovery from your xp cd

I need help! how do I fix this With out a reinstall???

thanks !

MythicaL · Jun 13, 2004, 01:23 PM

Hmmm... well you don't have to reformat... you could just run the recovery program from the XP cd. That way you can keep all the stuff you had and it would fix the problem.

I don't really see anything else you can do...

malkor · Jun 13, 2004, 01:29 PM

Did you make any changes just before this started to happen? Overclocking? Driver changes? If overclcoking, set it back to stock, and try again.

If that doesn't work, boot the system and press F8 while booting. An options screen will come up. Choose Use Last Known Good Configuration. Hopefully that will work. Doesn't always.

If not, you may need to try a recovery. For detailed instructions see this MSKB Article . If you try the recovery, make sure you set your CD Rom to boot before your hard drive in the BIOS.

Good luck and post back with any problems/results.

Edit- If this all seems too much, you can try as JJohnson suggested and boot using your XP CD and choose the Repair Installation option.

chigger_ns · Jun 13, 2004, 08:25 PM

Ok I had to do a reformat, my system restore files were missing too.
Oh well, formatting was faster!!!!
I did what the artical said, and thets when I noticed that the registry files in snapshot were missing.
It was re written by system restore on my other computer.

Which ment that there was np use in going any further.
BUT it was a great help and thank you!!!!
Now I know how to do that!!!

malkor · Jun 13, 2004, 08:44 PM

Glad you're back up and running. Never hurts to know how to do things, even if you may never need to.

Once you have Windows set up nice and stable the way you like it, think about making an image of your C drive. Then next time, all you have to do is format C and reinstate the image file, instead of loading Windows and drivers all over again.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jun 14, 2004, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chigger_ns
Ok I had to do a reformat, my system restore files were missing too.
Oh well, formatting was faster!!!!
I did what the artical said, and thets when I noticed that the registry files in snapshot were missing.
It was re written by system restore on my other computer.
Which ment that there was np use in going any further.
BUT it was a great help and thank you!!!!
Now I know how to do that!!!

Good you have it running.....

But for future reference you could of just put your windows cd in, booted to it choose to install windows, chose to repair windows, it would of installed over and everything should of been fine again.

or tried to use a sfc /scannow with your windows cd in the drive.

crlorentzen · Jun 14, 2004, 05:10 PM

yeah that system error has happended to 4 people I know and the only solution has been to reinstall, you cannot get into any mode of windows, nore does an sfc do anything....usually occurs if you crashed during a driver install, or powered off you system during power down to early, when it is writing data to this file.

chigger_ns · Jun 14, 2004, 09:46 PM

With the files that were lost, my registry was also messed up. It was like having new installed windows with old progams on it that would not run because there registry files were not there.
So hell I just Backed up some stuff on another partition and formatted.

Jun 13, 2004, 01:09 PM	#1
chigger_ns DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 14 Rep Power: 0	\windows\system32\comfig\system file is missing or corrupt OH Crap, I think My windows may be borked. I have xp with all the updates. I get an error when booting... Your \windows\system32\comfig\system file is missing or corrupt run recovery from your xp cd I need help! how do I fix this With out a reinstall??? thanks ! __________________ Xp2500+ , Tt volcano 9 MSI KT3 Ultra2 mb,512, 2700ddr ram, sblive,12xdvd, 48/16/48crw burner ATI9800 pro 128meg, Enermax 3051 dancy lite case Thermaltake 420 watt psu I've got a chevy 454 runing my cpu fan... ...AWEEE-YeahhhHH!

Jun 13, 2004, 01:23 PM	#2
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Hmmm... well you don't have to reformat... you could just run the recovery program from the XP cd. That way you can keep all the stuff you had and it would fix the problem. I don't really see anything else you can do... __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Jun 13, 2004, 01:29 PM	#3
malkor DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 123 Rep Power: 0	Did you make any changes just before this started to happen? Overclocking? Driver changes? If overclcoking, set it back to stock, and try again. If that doesn't work, boot the system and press F8 while booting. An options screen will come up. Choose Use Last Known Good Configuration. Hopefully that will work. Doesn't always. If not, you may need to try a recovery. For detailed instructions see this MSKB Article . If you try the recovery, make sure you set your CD Rom to boot before your hard drive in the BIOS. Good luck and post back with any problems/results. Edit- If this all seems too much, you can try as JJohnson suggested and boot using your XP CD and choose the Repair Installation option. Last edited by malkor; Jun 13, 2004 at 01:57 PM.

Jun 13, 2004, 08:25 PM	Thread Starter #4
chigger_ns DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 14 Rep Power: 0	Ok I had to do a reformat, my system restore files were missing too. Oh well, formatting was faster!!!! I did what the artical said, and thets when I noticed that the registry files in snapshot were missing. It was re written by system restore on my other computer. Which ment that there was np use in going any further. BUT it was a great help and thank you!!!! Now I know how to do that!!! __________________ Xp2500+ , Tt volcano 9 MSI KT3 Ultra2 mb,512, 2700ddr ram, sblive,12xdvd, 48/16/48crw burner ATI9800 pro 128meg, Enermax 3051 dancy lite case Thermaltake 420 watt psu I've got a chevy 454 runing my cpu fan... ...AWEEE-YeahhhHH!

Jun 14, 2004, 05:10 PM	#7
crlorentzen DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	yeah that system error has happended to 4 people I know and the only solution has been to reinstall, you cannot get into any mode of windows, nore does an sfc do anything....usually occurs if you crashed during a driver install, or powered off you system during power down to early, when it is writing data to this file. __________________

Jun 13, 2004, 08:44 PM	#5
malkor DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 123 Rep Power: 0	Glad you're back up and running. Never hurts to know how to do things, even if you may never need to. Once you have Windows set up nice and stable the way you like it, think about making an image of your C drive. Then next time, all you have to do is format C and reinstate the image file, instead of loading Windows and drivers all over again.

Jun 14, 2004, 09:46 PM	Thread Starter #8
chigger_ns DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 14 Rep Power: 0	With the files that were lost, my registry was also messed up. It was like having new installed windows with old progams on it that would not run because there registry files were not there. So hell I just Backed up some stuff on another partition and formatted. __________________ Xp2500+ , Tt volcano 9 MSI KT3 Ultra2 mb,512, 2700ddr ram, sblive,12xdvd, 48/16/48crw burner ATI9800 pro 128meg, Enermax 3051 dancy lite case Thermaltake 420 watt psu I've got a chevy 454 runing my cpu fan... ...AWEEE-YeahhhHH!