System Files Missing

Hello. I have some type of problem with my Windows Xp Os. My computer was working fine for a few months now. No spyware problems, No adware, No Viruses, I followed all the specific steps and made sure to get rid of all those problems a long time ago. Then suddenly I shut down my computer, and the next day when i turn it on, it tells me a system file is missing CONFIG.SYS and I should put in the recovery disk and repair the file. All repair does is take me to MS-DOS and I have no clue what to do there. So i reformat my PC. I get rid of all my spyware, adware problems again, and when i shut down my computer, the next day the same thing happens, and a new system file is missing. This time it was something like C_1245.nls And basically I CANT get XP to work. So i reformat again. R-einstall all my drivers, do the whole spyware thing again. And yet again when i restart. It eventually happens again. It doesnt always happen but eventually it does. I dont want to repair my OS everytime it happens, and I dont want to reformat every single day. So can you help me get to the bottom of this? I mean XP installs fine, I never had this problem before, so something is seriously wrong, I dont even know if its a hardware problem, and it seems it would take alot of work to fix this.. Please let me know if you can do anything, thanks.

 

IMO, it sounds like a ram problem.

Try this tester:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4226

 

I tried the RAM tester, and everything turned out okay. I didnt have any errors and it passed the tests. At the same time I had to restart my computer to run that test and none of my files went missing. I restarted at least five times and it works.

However, my computer has NOTHING installed. There is no Adobe photoshop, No Office XP, No Nortan Antivirus, No Firewall installed, No MSN messanger, No CCcleaner, or Adware SE, No spybot. And there are no drivers installed, not the graphics driver, sound driver, nothing. All my computer has installed right now is AIM, My internet, and the OS.

It could be i just got lucky and none of my files went missing. Or something with my drivers, or the programs i use seem to crash or corrupt system files? Is that possible? I do notice before when i was installing norton, a norton system process crashed. MVS ? MVB? or M something. Then the computer said that that specific file was missing, and i had to reformat again. But again that stopped happening and it still loses system files.

I also noticed TWO processes in msconfig under services where listed as UNKNOWN. Also before I was running AVG free virus scanner, and it detected a Trojan that kept appearing. But then again after awhile that problem disapeared, it deleted and cleaned the files also, and my system files still go mssing.

I also seem to have a driver problem, somethig with USB ports, I cant seem to find the driver file so i just let the driver not work because it doesnt really bother me, as long as i have the graphics and my sound, i dont really care if a USB driver doesnt work.

Just providing more information no idea if it helps, is it possible that CCcleaner removes system files? Or spybot? or Adware SE?

 

Also my computer usually waited until i installed all the drivers and NORTON, and all the spyware removers, and programs, before it decided to LOSE system files on its restart. Thats why im pretty sure even though its not loseing system files now, that it eventually will, and the problem is still here. Especially since its happned 10 times in a row 10 reformats later.

I checked MSconfig under services, and those two processes are still there, Listed as unknown, MsHS64 and navp.exe, I stopped them when i discovered them because they where in my task manager takeing up too much CPU usage or whatever, and they would always restart unless i killed them in services, Not to mention I never saw them before so i figured if my computer ran 6 months without problems and without these processes ever being seen, that they are something new that i dont need. MSconfig under startup shows Command- Navp.exe Location- SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

 

Will anyone PLEASE help me? I still have this problem, My computer just Lost a system file on restart, This time it was the same file CONFIG.SYS but sometimes its a diffrent file. I just reformated my PC AGAIN. Please can someone take the time to work this problem out with me? Maybe do some trial and error? Or get to the bottom of whats causing this problem? If No one can help me I might as well buy a new computer, and i dont have the money for that and i need my computer, so please help. Turns out this time around I didnt install Norton, Adware SE, spybot, or CCcleaner, so they are not responsible for my system files going missing/deleted/corrupted. Someone HELP.

 

Well, I still think its ram, or possibly the hard drive.

config.sys did not corrupt. It was the the system file, which happens to be a registry hive.

C:\windows\system32\config\system.

config.sys is a non-critical legacy file that can be deleted, Windows XP could care less for the most part.

Think about it. The registry gets written to the hard drive on shut down, or restart. If you are constantly having registry corruption problems on the hard drive, then its either corrupting while in ram, then being written to disk that way, or the disk is bad, and the file is corrupting upon being written.

 

Well I did the RAM check, and it said I had no errors? The ram isnt suppose to corrupt on restart or shutdown, and since it is why is that happening? Is there a way to prevent this from happening when i restart or shutdown my computer? Or a way to prevent the registry from corrupting? I dont even thing CONFIG.SYS goes missing, it probably does get corrupted. But basically I turn on my computer and it goes to a black screen, and says CONFIG.SYS is missing, and to insert the windows XP disc and go to Recovery..

 

You are infected...again. What websites do you go to? It seems like you re-infect immediately after reloading. I suspect you might have an infected program on CD that you downloaded & burned at some point & you're re-installing the viruses everytime, or have an infected keygen or similar. What are you using for anti-virus? Any program out there should be picking these two up with no problems.

Your navp.exe problem: http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32agobotmb.html

Your MsHS64 problem: http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32tilebotbu.html

I think you have to take a look at your media & what you're installing to figure out where these infections keep coming from. They could even be on your bootable DOS floppy, if you have one.

 

I think they are gone, because I keep reformating my PC. That was exactly the Virus AVG kept picking up, the IRC backdoor, MSHS64 one. All the viruses and adware appeared after my problem started, because i havent been cleaning or maintaining my computer in that regard since it will just crash again and ill lose files.

Also if CONFIG.SYS isnt a required windows file why wont my computer enter windows XP? Why does it say the file is missing and to run XP recovery console. I mean why would it care if the file is missing or corrupted? Since its not a required windows file? And just to note its only happned twice that it was CONFIG.SYS, before it was some other files. I ran the RAM test and it came back with no errors, does that mean my harddisk or hardrive might have problems? And is there a test for that?

Thanks for takeing the time to offer suggestions,

 

You aren't listening. The file corrupting is the system hive. The path is

C:\windows\system32\config\system

Config.sys is nothing more than a text file, used by legacy applications that have absolutely nothing to do with Windows XP. Its common for people to confuse the files due to how they sound.

config.sys
vs
config\system

 

Read this:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

Note the error:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

 

It appears I keep getting Trojan Horses and Worms. I dont think its from a CD I use, because they come back even when i dont use CDs. AVG found the following.. A0001243.exe (Many of these differnt numbers at end) msinit.exe, ntx32.exe, eraseme_84030.exe (etc), MsLS32.exe, fwnet64.exe, 8p[1].exe. Is there a way to make sure that they are gone? Or make sure they dont come back? Or find out where they come from?

Also my computer restarts and uses the settings from a folder in Documents and Settings named after me, Mike. The Mike folder contains my desktop shortcuts, bookmarks, cookies, my documents, and startmenu settings etc. The problem is, when my computer restarted it created a TEMP folder for all that, and now it doesnt use my MIKE folder anymore, So if i make any changes to my desktop, startmenu, bookmarks, or even passwords i type, it doesnt save any of it and reverts to the TEMP folder on every restart. Is there a way to make it use the MIKE folder again, or to remove the TEMP folder?

As for the System restore, thanks for all that info, but i basically already lost everything i didnt want to lose, so if the registry crashes again, id rather just reformat then go through all those steps? Unless those steps will keep it from happening again..?

 

Well, first of all, you shouldn't be installing XP while connected to the network via ethernet, or wireless. If you have broadband, disconnect it.

Then install XP.

Then get the XP firewall up before hooking it back up.

 

As both Adrynalyne and Wavetar have both given excellent advice on this, I have a couple of questions. What are your system specs and what type of motherboard are you using?

You mentioned USB ports not working due to a driver issue. Are you installing the motherboard chipset drivers? I find it strange that Windows Update wouldn't offer a driver of some sort for this, although for the most part they are to be avoided. Which file system are you using FAT32 or NTFS?

You could also download the hard drive manufacturers utilities to check the health of your hard drive. Most manufacturers also have a utility that will write 0's to every sector on the hard drive, and this will return it to an as shipped condition minus the wear. A regular format does not overwrite the MBR. Hope this helps.

 

Well it happned again, I reformated my computer yet again, Id apperciate it if someone can tell me how to STOP this from happening or how to fix it. Like an actual solution not just an explination or a temporary fix which doesnt get rid of the problem. So whats a solution buy a new harddrive?

Message
(This is the exact message I get when I turn on my computer)

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.

So its a Registry problem thats GREAT! Good to know! How do I fix it? Dont get me wrong im greatful for all the help you guys are giving me, and I REALLY really appreciate it, but its like 2 weeks later, and its driving me crazy.. Anyways thanks for the help, but tell me what to do to fix this. Do i buy a new harddrive? I dont want to fix it when it happens, I want to fix it so it never happens again..

I connect to the Internet useing a 56k Dial up Modem. In order to be on the internet I need to install the internet program to connect to the internet. Once I connect to the Internet I need to download a Firewall, and all the spyware removal and antivirus programs. Does Windows Xp come with a firewall?

My System specs are

Pentium 4, FSB800 RAID SATA LAN AUD Mainboard
Pentium 4, 3.06 Ghz Processor
Maxtor LG 160GB 7,200rpm 8MB Hard Drive
8x LG DVD+RW/-RW IDE
Floppy
Radeon ATI 9800 128Mb DDR Graphics Card
512DDR 400Mhz Ram (Intel)

Im useing a NTFS file system..
What do you mean a regular format doesnt overwrite the MBR? How do i format to overwite the MBR? And if I do that will it stop my registry from corrupting? Usually I go into Recovery in MS dos mode I guess and I type,

FORMAT C: /FS:NTFS
When thats done I go into the windows Setup Cdrom the blue screen, and i select to install Windows XP on a current partition and then It asks me if i want to format again and then install XP so I say YES, and it formats again.

Should I Delete My partition and install it again also?

 

My computer Just crashed its happned once before, where my mouse and keyboard wont work and everything just Freezes, the Windows error report came up on restart and said that Windows just recovered from a serious error. The error report said..

BCCode : 1000008e BCP1 : C0000005 BCP2 : 8055FAC3 BCP3 : B84EC7D0
BCP4 : 00000000 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 0_0 Product : 256_1

C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini123005-01.dmp
C:\DOCUME~1\Michael\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER1.tmp.dir00\sysdata.xml

No idea what that means.. Also something called, mmsvc32.exe keeps appearing and crashing.. its in C:\WINDOWS\System32\mmsvc32.exe
Location HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, Is that another Trojan/worm/virus?

 

We simply can't help you if you don't listen to us.

If you install XP without a network connection, you will not be infected.

If you are, then either your backed up data is infected, or you are using a burned copy of XP, thats infected.

Thats the first step.

 

Then, enable the XP firewall, get a good antivirus, like Avast, and a decent firewall, like Zone Alarm.

Then get all security updates and service packs for XP.

You may have other problems, but until you get and keep your system clean, we have no way of knowing if virus/spyware is causing this.

 

Avast
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download1968.html

Zone Alarm
http://www.majorgeeks.com/ZoneAlarm_Free_d388.html

 

In answer to your last reply, mmsvc32.exe is listed as being a virus.

The reason that I asked about what file system that you were using is because FAT32 is more easily corrupted than NTFS and Windows XP will install with either system.

Windows XP SP2 does include a firewall although it only detects incoming queries and not outgoing.

Regular formatting does not overwrite the MBR and leaves the structure intact. That is why I mentioned it. Although the problems that you are experiencing doesn't seem to point toward a boot sector virus.

Formatting the drive that Windows is on while running Windows isn't a recommended procedure, and that is what you are doing unless I read your post wrong! If I did so, please accept my apology.

You mention a recovery CD and that Windows XP loads fine, but I didn't see any mention of service pack levels. Is the Norton AntiVirus included on the recovery CD? If so, this could be part of your problem. Most bundled Norton programs are only good for 90 days, sort of a free trial. You might be better off downloading one of the free antivirus apps off MG, if that is the case, and deleting Norton before getting on the internet.

As for fixing your problem permanentally, the cause has to be determined first. As Adrynalyne pointed out, it is your registry that is being corrupted, and Wavetar pointed out that you seem to be reinfecting yourself. A corrupted registry is usually caused by bad memory, a defective hard drive, or malware, and not necessarily in that order.

The reason that I recommended downloading the hard drive manufacturers diagnostic tools was to write 0's to all the sectors on the hard drive taking care of the MBR issue and returning the drive to a new condition minus the wear already incurred.

I think that this covers everything that you asked and hope that it helps!

 

Sorry Adrynalyne,

As I was typing a long winded reply and you posted before I finished!

 

Okay so My hard drive is a Maxtor LG 160GB 7,200rpm 8MB HD. So i went to maxtor.com, their website, and i downloaded a HD tester utility from their download section called PowerMax, It copied everything i needed to a bootable floppy disk, and i ran the full test on my hard drive and it failed the test. It gave me the following error code. de686871 and said the drive is failing, to contact maxtor and give them that code to replace my hard drive with a new one. Does this mean that my hard drive is the sole problem of my

WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM registry problem

If i get a new hard drive does this mean I will stop haveing registry problems? Or will it continue? And if I get a new harddrive all I have to do to prevent it from happening again is have the latest Service packs? A firewall? and Anti Virus program?

 

Oh and so you know, my windows installation doesnt come with any firewalls, or service packs, Its a burned version of windows XP professional and i dont think it has any viruses on it because id have had these problems a long time ago, but ill scan the disk to make sure. Since i dont have a valid windows cd key, I cant download any service packs.

I do have Norton Antivirus 2005, I have a crack for Norton 2005 that allows me to register completley and the registration doesnt expire until 2006 of December. So basically the program works and i can get all the updates.

And I have no clue how to install windows XP while staying off a network or whatever you where saying Adrynalyne. Im really not to smart or up to date with computers or anything because i stopped keeping track of everything back in 1998 heh Thats why it appears im not listening, but actually i really dont know what im doing.

 

Sorry Jagged Fel, this is where the support stops from me. Burned copies of XP are illegal, and now that I know you are using an illegal copy, cannot assist you any further. No offense, but you really need to do the right thing and buy a LEGAL copy of Windows. On top of that, get a LEGAL anitivirus too. I linked you to a perfectly good, free solution. Stop stealing!

It sounds like your hard drive might be bad, but you might want to use another program to get a second opinion.

All the answers you need are in this thread, you just need to sit down, and read them carefully.

 

Believe me if I could have afforded Windows XP for 200$ then I would have got a legal copy, and im sure the Billion dollar corporation can do without my 200$s because I have to work to pay the other billion dollar corporation called my government and pay them taxes, and since im doing all that I can barley afford to buy food. And its great how you go to university and get all these degrees only to come out and work a crappy job, because no one hires people who have no experiece or connections. For that matter if I could afford to buy computer games I would to, since the computer gameing industry is bigger than the Movie industry. Sometimes DOING the RIGHT thing, isnt all BLACK and WHITE like you might think. I appreciate the help though, and I figure your just covering your back so thanks again and have a great New years.