Computer Crash

[TippScallywag]

Hi there,

would appreciate any help on how to get my computer booting again.

Had hard drive full, ( less than 1GB of freespace ) and when my Compact flash card reader with a 1GB card was hooked to it my computer crashed. Have tried to get it re-booted several times and now it is showing a

"

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 original Setup CD-ROM
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair "

Problem : I do not have this disc, have looked but to no avail. Genuine copy of windows on computer , not sure if disc came with pack.

need to access files asap today and get back to life online

would appreciate anyone who has solution to this. May sound basic but not when it happens and I have very valuable data to me on computer i need to access today. I have another laptop to work online etc and an external hard drive to back up to once i get it rebooted and very good broadband connection.
Thanks to all who read this.

TippScallywag

[TimW]

Slave the drive and copy the files from the good drive to the system folder on the corrupt/slaved drive.

[TippScallywag]

cant get it to do that. very frustrated...:

[TimW]

You have slaved it and can't ...what ....find the files or it just won't copy them?

[TippScallywag]

wont let me start in safe mode , can get into BIOS what next. HPsupport very unhelpfull
need to get files and will be up all day/night until i do so.

[TippScallywag]

what way should i have boot order and then what.
In a pickle, big time

[TimW]

We know you can't get to safe mode and without a disc you cant do anything but what I suggested ...which was to pull the hard drive ...put it into another computer as a slave then go to start / explore and find the folders on both drive (good and bad) and copy from one to the other ...then put the drive back and see if it will boot.

[TippScallywag]

Tim Thanks for all your time and patience. i really do appreciate it

the computer that has crashed on me is a compaq Presario R3000

how do i hook up the hard drive on this to the other laptop which i am currently using. have tried to network them but maybe am doing something wrong. feel like throwing it out the window except i desperately need these files

Thanks again Tim

[TimW]

See if you can do this:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q307545

[TimW]

And if you can borrow an xp cd you could try this:
http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=313

[TippScallywag]

thanks tim will try the second option, as i am getting nowhere with first , just keeps coming back to same message.

sincere thanks.

[TippScallywag]

do i need to change the boot order in set up??? currently its set in the following order :
1. floppy ( dont have one )
2. atapi cd-rom
3. hard drive
4. network adapter

may have changed these from original settings,

what order should thry be in ??
Thanks

[TimW]

No ....let us know if you are having problems with the second suggestion ...how to repair in 8 steps...

[TippScallywag]

problem .i do not have a floppy drive and the 4.4mb boot disc i downloaded needs to be installed by floppy. ( can i get this boot onto disc and boot from cd-rom ?? )
basically i can get into BIOS, and when i do F8 and get "options" on safe mode it enevitably leads back to original error message.

could not do what you suggested but will try again after a good sleep and some valium.

found interesting website in my hunt for a cure :

http://www.schrockinnovations.com/pr...ys32config.php

will try again. Thanks TimW for all your help. I owe you one. when i get it sorted i will disscuss what i can do for you.

don't feel comfortable taking laptop to best buy or circuit city for tech support. hop it dosent come to that

QUESTION : May be simple but i can't seem to do it : How do i Get to the Windows Recovery Console???

Thanks again TimW

[TimW]

You'll need to borrow an xp disc ...then choose boot from disc and the first screen will be install or repair ...that one "R" gets you into the recovery console.
If you know your installation key ...and the borrowed disc is the same retail, or oem as yours ....you could choose install ...f8 to agreement then the next screen will be it looking for previous installations and when it finds your version, you can then hit "R" for an actual repair ....

[TippScallywag]

Thanks again,
will try get a disc tonight. if its downloadable i would love to know the link. not being lazy i have spent hours and hours trying to sort this out.
Why isnt it readily available for download in cd form ?? I suppose this would be logical and not microsoft policy.
Didnt realise how huge this problem is and has been for years. Shame on you microsoft.

Figure at this stage if i could get it to load from cd-rom i could manage the rest .. ( carefull thats tempting fate I know ) see it has me talking to mysellf now.

will update thread on any developments and Thank you TimW and majorgeeks.com. an invaluable service. straight thru the pearly gates for you dudes...

Later....Scally..

[TippScallywag]

took hard drive out of laptop and managed to get the drive "slaved" with a coolmax hd casing. can access all the users on the laptop except the most important one. I need to get around the password issue as it wont let me access these files.

Any Ideas.... only safe, foolproof ones please, do not want to lose this data.

Thanks.

[TippScallywag]

How do I bypass this password issue.
Just one of the user accounts had a password and this is the one i cannot access. Does anybody know how to bypass this .
Will download any program pay or freeware that will allow me access to the hard-drive. Its 60 GB and I have a a 250GB external hard drive ready to take a copy of lap top hard drive. Have lost the week due to this.
would be extremely gratefull to anyone who guides me out of this hell.:
Thanks.

[TimW]

Did you login as a user with admin rights and try to reset that user pasword?

[TippScallywag]

Have it slaved and I did log on with administrator account.
Eventually got filescavenger to recover all files and I got all my files, jpeg's and docs in 6 hour transfer. It looks like its all there, file sizes and dates and titles look like originally set and most files verified as good.

all now on external and important info also copied to DVD. Never again !!! Thanks TimW. talk to you later when i catch up.

Thanks again,

will verify this " episode " with win/sys/......aarrrggghhhhhhh!!!:
later...