boot up problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alan Sizer
  • Start date Start date
A

Alan Sizer

Hello,

I have just experienced a problem in booting up my PC
with XP Home installed. It would not boot, giving the
message:

"Windows could not start because the following file is
missing or corrupt: c:\Windows\system32\config\system"

on advice from workmates, I found the article in the
microsoft support pages that tell you how to fix this
problem - effectively replacing the faulty file with an
uncorrupted version from a repair directory, using the XP
installation disk to get to a repair mode with a DOS-style
prompt - seems microsoft already expected the problem!

Anyway, I followed the procedure and sure enough, I got
past that point.

Enter problem two. I now get the following message in the
boot up process:

"When trying to update a password, this return status
indicates that the value provided as the current password
is not correct"

A bit of double-dutch there - I'm sure they could've
expressed it more simply.

at this point the msachine tries to start again... and
again... and again...

I tried to go back to the repair mode DOS prompt, but
couldn't - it's now password protected, presumably set in
the new system file. Of course Microsoft hasn't mentioned
that in the relevant article or offered to tell us what
the default password might be.

A search in the XP knowledge base indicated that with this
problem, a re-install followed by Service Pack 1 for XP (I
thought that would've come with the regular updates that I
keep getting.)

Anyone have any ideas? Can I unlock this machine without
having to reinstall the whole OS? Can anyone suggest what
the mystery password might be?

Muchas gracias

Alan
 
Alan:
Sorry, I have no solution to your problem. But maybe you
have the solution to mine.
I also get the message you got, and I also went to MS
knowledge base and got the article yuo got. But when I try
to enter the command they show, I get the message that the
system can't find the file.
I think my problem lies in MS's statement to press ENTER
after each command. I don't understand what they define a
command to be. I can only get as far as windows\system32.
Since you have successfully gotten past that point, perhaps
you'll be kind enough to tell me how you did it.
Please respond to my email address:
(e-mail address removed)
as I got to this discussion group through MS knowledge
base, and am not a subscriber.
Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
reply to the original thread.





[email protected] said:
Alan:
Sorry, I have no solution to your problem. But maybe you
have the solution to mine.
I also get the message you got, and I also went to MS
knowledge base and got the article yuo got. But when I try
to enter the command they show, I get the message that the
system can't find the file.
I think my problem lies in MS's statement to press ENTER
after each command. I don't understand what they define a
command to be. I can only get as far as windows\system32.
Since you have successfully gotten past that point, perhaps
you'll be kind enough to tell me how you did it.
Please respond to my email address:
(e-mail address removed)
as I got to this discussion group through MS knowledge
base, and am not a subscriber.
Thanks in advance,
Harry
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