"File Missing or Corrupt"

My system info.: MS WinXP, Home Ed., Ver. 2002, Service Pack 2.

I had this 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 using the orginal Setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair."

It would not read the disc and would only load 5 or 6 programs. Another friend did use 'F2' to at least get back to where he could reset the computer, but it would only go back to the 'out-of-the-box' status. I lost all docs, pics and music, but the computer works.

If anyway possible, I would like to retrieve these files.

What program does Maj. Geeks offer that may recover my lost info.??

Thanks, mcc

 

Try PCInspector. It's free and does a good job, but it can take some time. If you have a 2nd hard drive laying around (at least 2 or 4gb in size), install XP on it and slave your orginal drive to it after the XP install is finished. Then boot into XP and your drive will be D: or E:.... then simply burn your pics/docs/whatever to CD or DVD or put 'em on a thumb drive if you have one (I recently got 1 gb thumb and I can't believe I lived this long without one! ). There's also EasyRecovery Pro v6, but I don't think it's available here and I'm pretty sure it's not free.... visit the Data Recovery section right here at 'The Geeks' for your software needs....

hopperdave2000

 

Thank you, thank you! I don't know if this will work, but it gives me something to try. I'm not very comp. literate, but I know there are many things that can be done w/a comp. for the person who has the knowledge, thus the reason for the this post.
I do have a portable harddrive, 60gb, a Western Digital, that I got just for this reason, but you need to use it on a daily basis. I had not backed up my docs, pics and music in the past few weeks, so this is what I lost.
I agree about the thumb drive, got one about 3 years ago and then this past year the portable hd, I highly recommend the port. hd, in-expensive and very, very nice to have.
Thanks again,
mcc