Solve : Windows XP recovery problem?

1.	Solve : Windows XP recovery problem?
Answer» My friend's computer wont boot up theres a error message thats says something like: Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM" and tells him to insert his Windows XP startup cd and hit "R" But he doesnt have one! He doesnt have any of the windows cds. He's running windows xp pro. Is there anything he can do at all!?? before trying to connect microsoft and send him a new cd if they even canHe got XP Pro on a computer with no restore CD? What maker is that? Microsoft will not help if that is an OEM product. They provide no support for those. He will have to contact the computer maker. He will need to have a CD to do this repair. He did try to contact the computer maker, but the guy said hes "out of that business" he was working at a toll booth, werid story. Anyways theres NOTHING he can do with out cd. If he bought one of the update cds, that have like SP2 on it, will that work, or will it do nothing?In the end he is going to need a legitimate version of Windows, and that probably wasn't if "some guy" sold it to him. Does he have a COA STICKER on the machine? That is a good tipoff. If he gets the cheaper "upgrade" version he will have to have proof of a prior qualifying version of Windows to install. He could get an OEM copy for $100+, but there are limitations on that as well - no support, an interesting EULA, etc. You might try someone else's "real" one to see if that gets you over the immediate crisis. If you can get into Safe Mode (F8 at boot) you could try a System Restore, but no guarantees on that. Good luck! Quote You might try someone else's "real" one to see if that gets you over the immediate crisis. If you can get into Safe Mode (F8 at boot) you could try a System Restore, but no guarantees on that. I dont understand what "try someone else's real one" means? I'm running LEGAL windows xp home, not pro though. Is there anything i can do to help, like make a boot cd? If say i updated to xp pro? and i guess he tried to get into safe mode but it didnt workTry someone else's real XP Pro CD. I don't know if home will work, or if you really want to, and there is some discussion about incompatible versions (home vs. pro) and this generating many more problems. Have a read here: http://forums.winforums.org/showthread.php?t=8294 http://www.techiegroups.com/showthread.php?t=14437 http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-52096-Can-you-use-the-XP-Pro-CD-to-repair-XP-Home.html Generally you CANNOT repair home with a pro CD, because the FILES they contain are different. Activation issues seem to be common as well. I suspect the opposite is true as well. thanks, so if he cant get a hold of a xp pro cd, theres nothing he can do then? i mean, even if it involves dumping his memory and have a clean slate with everything gone, he still wants to use his computerYou can always buy a real XP CD and load that on. No problems there except the CAVEATS as listed above. If you want to save any data files before formatting (as you should prior to this install) let me know for some tips, and provide the specs of the machine.okIf you do manage to get you're hands on an XP CD what you want to do is boot into the recovery console and then follow these instructions. It'll take care of the problem and there won't be any data LOSS.

Answer»

My friend's computer wont boot up theres a error message thats says something like: Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM"

and tells him to insert his Windows XP startup cd and hit "R"

But he doesnt have one! He doesnt have any of the windows cds. He's running windows xp pro. Is there anything he can do at all!?? before trying to connect microsoft and send him a new cd if they even canHe got XP Pro on a computer with no restore CD? What maker is that? Microsoft will not help if that is an OEM product. They provide no support for those. He will have to contact the computer maker.

He will need to have a CD to do this repair. He did try to contact the computer maker, but the guy said hes "out of that business" he was working at a toll booth, werid story. Anyways theres NOTHING he can do with out cd.

If he bought one of the update cds, that have like SP2 on it, will that work, or will it do nothing?In the end he is going to need a legitimate version of Windows, and that probably wasn't if "some guy" sold it to him. Does he have a COA STICKER on the machine? That is a good tipoff.

If he gets the cheaper "upgrade" version he will have to have proof of a prior qualifying version of Windows to install. He could get an OEM copy for $100+, but there are limitations on that as well - no support, an interesting EULA, etc.

You might try someone else's "real" one to see if that gets you over the immediate crisis. If you can get into Safe Mode (F8 at boot) you could try a System Restore, but no guarantees on that.

Good luck! Quote

You might try someone else's "real" one to see if that gets you over the immediate crisis. If you can get into Safe Mode (F8 at boot) you could try a System Restore, but no guarantees on that.

I dont understand what "try someone else's real one" means? I'm running LEGAL windows xp home, not pro though. Is there anything i can do to help, like make a boot cd? If say i updated to xp pro? and i guess he tried to get into safe mode but it didnt workTry someone else's real XP Pro CD. I don't know if home will work, or if you really want to, and there is some discussion about incompatible versions (home vs. pro) and this generating many more problems.

Have a read here:

http://forums.winforums.org/showthread.php?t=8294

http://www.techiegroups.com/showthread.php?t=14437

http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-52096-Can-you-use-the-XP-Pro-CD-to-repair-XP-Home.html

Generally you CANNOT repair home with a pro CD, because the FILES they contain are different. Activation issues seem to be common as well. I suspect the opposite is true as well.

thanks, so if he cant get a hold of a xp pro cd, theres nothing he can do then?

i mean, even if it involves dumping his memory and have a clean slate with everything gone, he still wants to use his computerYou can always buy a real XP CD and load that on. No problems there except the CAVEATS as listed above.

If you want to save any data files before formatting (as you should prior to this install) let me know for some tips, and provide the specs of the machine.okIf you do manage to get you're hands on an XP CD what you want to do is boot into the recovery console and then follow these instructions. It'll take care of the problem and there won't be any data LOSS.

Solve : Windows XP recovery problem?

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