Hi!

I recently had a problem with my computer registry. Every time I would turn it on I would get the \windows\System32\Config\System corrup or missing. So I followed the guidelines in the microsoft help guide on how to solve it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

Problem is I deleted the bakup files created at the beginning of this procedure to recover my registry. The computer works fine but it went back to default so most the programs I had installed and the folders I had created are gone.

Is there a way to recover the following files?

\windows\system32\config\system
\windows\system32\config\software
\windows\system32\config\sam
\windows\system32\config\security
\windows\system32\config\default

I know the repair has the default ones which I used to recover but since I deleted these files I had previously to my defaults I don’t know if there is any folder where this files could also be copied.

Any idea as to what should I do to recover them? Thanx!

I try doing this:…..?

Windows could not start because the following files is missing or corrupt
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE

Insert and boot from your Windows XP CD.
At the first R=Repair option, press the R key
Press the number that corresponds to the correct location for the installation of Windows you want to repair.
Typically this will be #1
Enter in the administrator password when requested
cd \windows\system32\config
Depending on which section was corrupted:
ren software software.bad or ren system system.bad
Depending on which section was corrupted
copy \windows\repair\system
copy \windows\repair\software
Take out the CD ROM and type exit

How can I get administrator password when requested?…….thanks

I restarted my pc and got this error message "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt : \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup.
Select ‘r’ at the first screen to start repair."
Then I followed these steps :

Boot to the Recovery Console.
At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you type each line:
md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

My problem is after typing
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak then i press enter it says "the system cannot find the file specified" and so on the c:\windows\system32\config\default.
Please Help

As far as I can tell, the hard disk is ok (it still shows up in my RAID set), but Windows XP Pro won’t boot, and gives me a system error ("windows\system32\config\system is missing or corrupt.")

Unfortunately I don’t have the original OS disc, but i have a XP Media Edition CD, which came with a recent Dell system purchase. I attempted to repair my old comp from the CD, but the Windows Recovery console gave me a "cannot find hard disk" error. The console gives me the same error when I tried formatting a brand new hard disk with the CD, so I am thinking something is up with the Dell software. It’s understandable that Dell would prohibit the software being used on any system but the one your bought from them.

So, would a new XP Pro CD work to repair the registry, even if it’s not the original, or is there something else I’m missing?

Hi everyone, i am new here. I have a problem with mi windows Xp with a message of some unable to find register in:

systemroot\system32\config\DEFAULT

I searched in google in another computer and i found this instructions from microsoft website.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q307545

I needed a windows xp cd (i got it from a friend) and with the Recovery Console i had to type:

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

and then some other instructions for the safe mode in windows.
However, when i type
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

the console respond with “cannot copy file”

Fine, i searched google again and found this page:

http://forums.techarena.in/windows-xp-support/886894.htm

Someone wrote that in that case I should go direct to type

copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

cause there is no “default” file in the config directory. But when i do that, there is a message “Do you want to replace default file (Y/N)?”

I am confused, there is a default file, but i can not copy to a .bak file?
What do i do now? do replace the file? would there be a problem in the future for doing that?
I can not use windows Xp, not even with the safe mode.
Thanks for any help you can give me, and sorry for my bad english.