\windows\system32\config\system missing

I've looked through several threads already and while some of the problems are similar I can't seem to get any of the suggested solutions to work for me :cry

I turn on the pc and all is well for about 20 seconds... Then it gets to the screen where it asks me how I would like to start windows (safe mode etc) so I can just choose any of them at this point and it makes no difference because then it pops up with an error message that \windows\system32\config\system is missing and that I can repair it by hitting r on the first screen (microsoft apparently not big on clear and precise instructions) then it restarts!! So I sit and I tap r until we're right back to where I choose how I would like to boot windows... No sign on a recovery console! confused So I obviously am unable to run chkdsk :cry

So then I think to myself, seeing as I'm planning on formatting this anyhow I will just boot from cd and all will be well... Apparently windows hates me and it's so not gonna boot from the cd, I don't even get an option to do so! So then I decide that seeing as I plan on putting windows 98 on this pc (Doesn't have a great deal of ram and it's only for my mum to play her stupid games on so who cares right? lol) I'll make a windows 98 boot disk and run that... I have no idea WHAT I was thinking.. I should have known that's just not gonna work if I can't xp to do as I want lol

First of all I would like to say that I've checked that my boot sequence is in the right order about 20 times now and it most definitely is!! I do have the alternative of switching the primary with the slave drive on the pc but I really don't want to. So I turn to you guys once again in the hopes that soneone can help me out without the use of a screwdriver (and possibly a hammer, it's really annoying me now lol)

Thank you in advance

 

I'd try again with the XP CD and see if you can boot to it. It should prompt you and say 'Press any key to boot to CD'. Hit any key when you see that (obviously) and it should take you into the setup. If the one drive doesn't recognize try the CD in the other drive. If it still doesn't work, try disabling the primary drive through the BIOS. Sometimes boot sequences only look at the primary first and then skip ahead to the next item in the boot sequence. If you disable the primary it should recognize the secondary as the main.

IF you can get that far, hit R on the first screen and it will take you to an DOS-like prompt. Try running 'chkdsk /r' without the question marks and see if that works.

Let me know how this works.

 

Still just the same... I don't get the option to boot from cd at all. The boot sequence is all ok, I've even tried disabling the floppy and hdd in the boot sequence to give it no other choice then cd and still nothing.

 

You've tried disabling the primary CD drive and having the CD in the secondary?

Hmmm, do you have another bootable CD you can try to boot to?

 

Yes... I've tried both xp pro and xp home edition, mainly because I wasn't sure which version is on the pc. It wont read either cd. I'm gonna remove the cd rom drive and replace with one that I know works just incase... I will let you know if that fixes the problem...

I'm not holding out much hopes though as it wouldn't even read the windows 98 boot floppy! The only thing it will even consider reading is an ms dos start up disk, which let's face it, isn't a great deal of use to me

Thanks for all your help, I'll get back to you soon

 

Good luck!