Windows could not start...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bert
  • Start date Start date
B

Bert

I just installed a program called Kodak EasyShare on my PC that was
running Win2K and a Promise RAID controller configured with RAID 1
(mirroring).

Immediately afterwards, I rebooted and received the following error
message:

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

The message then suggests that I run a repair using the Windows setup
CD. When I begin that process, the PC generates a message that says:

"Setup has determined that your computer's startup hard disk is now or
has been erased, or that your computer is now running an operating
system that is incompatible with Windows 2000.

If the hard disk is now or has been erased, or if you want to discard
its current contents, you can choose to continue Setup. If your
computer is running an operating system that is incompatible with
Windows 2000, continuing setup may damage or destroy the existing
operating system."

What has happened, and what is the best way to proceed? Thanks in
advance for any assistance.

Bert
 
Bert said:
I just installed a program called Kodak EasyShare on my PC that was
running Win2K and a Promise RAID controller configured with RAID 1
(mirroring).

Immediately afterwards, I rebooted and received the following error
message:

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

The message then suggests that I run a repair using the Windows setup
CD. When I begin that process, the PC generates a message that says:

"Setup has determined that your computer's startup hard disk is now or
has been erased, or that your computer is now running an operating
system that is incompatible with Windows 2000.

If the hard disk is now or has been erased, or if you want to discard
its current contents, you can choose to continue Setup. If your
computer is running an operating system that is incompatible with
Windows 2000, continuing setup may damage or destroy the existing
operating system."

What has happened, and what is the best way to proceed? Thanks in
advance for any assistance.

Bert
Click to expand...

In such cases the first step is to press F8 early during the boot
phase, then select "Last known good configuration".
 
I already tried that and it didn't solve the issue.
Any other suggestions?

I suspect that the Kodak software may have corrupted the RAID card
drivers, but am not certain.
Thanks.
 
# Boot your system to the recovery console using the Windows 2000
installation CD-ROM, selecting R for Repair and C for the Console.
# Select the installation to repair and enter its associated
recovery/administrator password.
# Navigate to the System32\Config folder by typing the command

cd system32\config

# Rename the current system files by typing the commands

ren system system.old
ren system.alt systemalt.old

# Run the Emergency Repair Disk Wizard from Win2K Backup and Recovery tools,
and copy the backup System registry hive from the %systemroot%\repair folder
or the %systemroot%\repair\regback folder to the current folder by typing the
command

copy %systemroot%\repair\system %systemroot%\system32\config

# Exit the recovery console by typing the command

exit

After you replace the System registry hive, any extra services or drivers
that you installed since you created the backup hive might not work
correctly, so you might need to reinstall them. . . .



I dont know if you've tried doing the registry repair from the repair
console but figured it wouldnt hurt
 
So, you're saying it's OK to continue Setup and press C - even with
the error messages that were listed in my original post.

I'm in unfamiliar territory and want to make sure I get this right.

Thank you.
 
You did F6 to load raid drivers did'nt you?

Bert said:
So, you're saying it's OK to continue Setup and press C - even with
the error messages that were listed in my original post.

I'm in unfamiliar territory and want to make sure I get this right.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
I followed these instructions and all went well until the fifth step
(# Run the Emergency Repair Disk Wizard...)

The PC then generated this error message:
"The system cannot file the file specified."

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
If the system hive is corrupt, and assuming you already tried LKG (F8 and
choose Last Known Good), It may be possible to rename the system hive found
in
%windir%\system32\config\system
to system.old
then rename
%windir%\system32\config\system.alt
to
%windir%\system32\config\system

You can also try using the most recent backup found in
%windir%\repair\regback

If that fails you haven't much choice but to copy/ use the
original-as-installed system hive from
%windir%\repair\system
to
%windir%\system32\config\system
You'll need to reinstall the device drivers for any hardware added since the
original OS install.

To start the Recovery Console, start the computer from the Windows 2000
Setup CD or the Windows 2000 Setup floppy disks. (F6 and load controller
driver if required) If you do not have Setup floppy disks and your computer
cannot start from the Windows 2000 Setup CD, use another Windows 2000-based
computer to create the Setup floppy disks. At the "Welcome to Setup" screen.
Press F10 or R to repair a Windows 2000 installation, and then press C to
use the Recovery Console. The Recovery Console then prompts you for the
administrator password. If you do not have the correct password, Recovery
Console does not allow access to the computer. If an incorrect password is
entered three times, the Recovery Console quits and restarts the computer.
Note If the registry is corrupted or missing or no valid installations are
found, the Recovery Console starts in the root of the startup volume without
requiring a password. You cannot access any folders, but you can carry out
commands such as chkdsk, fixboot, and fixmbr for limited disk repairs. Once
the password has been validated, you have full access to the Recovery
Console, but limited access to the hard disk. You can only access the
following folders on your computer: drive root, %systemroot% or %windir%


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I just installed a program called Kodak EasyShare on my PC that was
| running Win2K and a Promise RAID controller configured with RAID 1
| (mirroring).
|
| Immediately afterwards, I rebooted and received the following error
| message:
|
| "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
| corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM"
|
| The message then suggests that I run a repair using the Windows setup
| CD. When I begin that process, the PC generates a message that says:
|
| "Setup has determined that your computer's startup hard disk is now or
| has been erased, or that your computer is now running an operating
| system that is incompatible with Windows 2000.
|
| If the hard disk is now or has been erased, or if you want to discard
| its current contents, you can choose to continue Setup. If your
| computer is running an operating system that is incompatible with
| Windows 2000, continuing setup may damage or destroy the existing
| operating system."
|
| What has happened, and what is the best way to proceed? Thanks in
| advance for any assistance.
|
| Bert
 
Dave,

I vaguely understand the concepts in your post, but don't know enough
about this to actually implement them. Where can I find more detailed
step-by-step instructions?

Thank you.

Bert Langdon
 
You're welcome.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I finally resolved this issue. Thanks to all who provided help and
| advice.
|
| On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 10:51:40 GMT, Bert <[email protected]>
| wrote:
|
| >I just installed a program called Kodak EasyShare on my PC that was
| >running Win2K and a Promise RAID controller configured with RAID 1
| >(mirroring).
| >
| >Immediately afterwards, I rebooted and received the following error
| >message:
| >
| >"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or
| >corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM"
| >
| >The message then suggests that I run a repair using the Windows setup
| >CD. When I begin that process, the PC generates a message that says:
| >
| >"Setup has determined that your computer's startup hard disk is now or
| >has been erased, or that your computer is now running an operating
| >system that is incompatible with Windows 2000.
| >
| >If the hard disk is now or has been erased, or if you want to discard
| >its current contents, you can choose to continue Setup. If your
| >computer is running an operating system that is incompatible with
| >Windows 2000, continuing setup may damage or destroy the existing
| >operating system."
| >
| >What has happened, and what is the best way to proceed? Thanks in
| >advance for any assistance.
| >
| >Bert
 
To assist other posters who might be in the same situation,
it would be helpful if you stated how you solved your
problem. If you remain silent then the effort made by
several respondents on your behalf will be lost.
 
OK, here's how the issue was resolved in my situation:

Use the Repair Console tool to replace the backup copy of the System
hive from the repair folder.

1.. Use the Windows 2000 CD-ROM to start the computer. Press F6 when
prompted to load RAID drivers and follow the onscreen instructions.
2.. When you see the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R for "repair."
3.. Press C to run the Recovery Console tool.
4.. Select the installation that you want to repair.
5.. Type the administrator password.
6.. At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following
commands, pressing ENTER after you type each command:

cd system32\config
ren system system.old
ren system.alt systemalt.old

7.. To copy the System hive that was backed up the last time that you
ran the Emergency Repair Disk Wizard, type the following command, and
then press ENTER:

copy c:\winnt\repair\regback\system c:\winnt\system32\config

8.. Type "EXIT" and press ENTER to exit and re-boot.

Worked like a charm.

FYI, the instructions contained in step 7 were either missing or
unclear to me in the previous posts in this thread. Thanks to Google
Groups and all responders for helping me get clear on this.
 
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