WinXP not booting - corrupt file.... Help Please

Hi - Ive searched through previous threads but can't find an answer to a query I have.

Am attempting to sort out a pc which was running xp - Home Edition OEM

On booting dos screen states: unable to load windows windows\system32\config\system file corrupt or missing - standard error msg.

Have checked out Microsoft site for details on how to fix registry - but article Q307545 states 'Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system'

I will attempt to repair the system using recovery console but, does anyone know a better solution, or why the above article cannot be used on OEM systems?

thanks in advance.

FL

 

Many thanks for the info. and your response.
Plenty to read and digest.
Will let you know how I get on.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding, will be seeing the pc later today and will then confirm more details although I do know its a few years old - curious to know why?

 

So we can tell if you have an OEM install, I suppose.

 

Ah...yes tis an OEM install...


At the mo. Im thinking of two options to fix this:
1 - Use the Windows XP disk to repair
or
2 - Use a WindowsPE boot disk - save old files, reinstall XP then move over old files.

My concern is that the user wants to save settings such as O.Express, IE Favourites and configuration settings for a phone system.
If I use the repair disk, Im worried that XP may be damaged further and I wont be able to access the old files (which can be accessed at the mo. via the PEboot disk)
So Id prefer to use the boot disk and do a fresh install and copy the old files over which may not work anyway...

Has anyone successfully repaired using the recovery console and the XP disk? I cant seem to find anyone that has.
And as Ive never tried this sort of repair before, does anyone have any other advice?

Thanks

 

Please note edit to previous reply.