Am I screwed?

[ElfinLord]

Ok, I was playing around with my onboard network cards (I bridged them) to see if it would make any difference.

After the bridging of the 2 NICs was completed, my PC locked up. I did a hard reboot and when it came back online, it took FOREVER to load the apps on startup, then locked up when loading Norton Antivirus so I restarted again.

Now, when I startup I get the following message:

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.Now, I have tried the repair thing, but it just takes me to a command prompt.

That's fine, I run CHKDSK and it gives me this message:

The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems.I don't want to format my hard drive and start all over.

What can I do?

If I'm "up a creek", will someone hand me a paddle, please?

Thanks for your time.

[spongeb0b]

what version of windows are you running?

[Bugs Gunny]

That's an xp version right? :-)

When they lock up hard and files are corrupted, especialy system files, you can usualy copy that file from another xp onto the drive.

I've "fixed" mine several times this way, by using a utility called erd commander. (it's a bootable cdrom that let's you do some limited functions inside your xp installation)

Another option is to remove the drive and put it in another comp as salve and then copy the file.

[Xeno LARD]

"chkdisk /r /p" I think It is, it's been a while since i've needed to. My PC's been so so good to me :D.

Basically "chkdisk /?" And look for auto repair, indepth scan. Or words to those effect.

After that, reinstall!

[ElfinLord]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give it a try.

Yes, it's Win XP Pro.

Wish me luck.

[Asurmen Spec Op]

another is you can reinstall windows without a reformat.(I had kinda the same thing)
put in windows CD
dont click the repair on the first window and say install windows.
they you can click repair and it reinstalls windows

[Melkior]

lol, i had exactly the same problem this week, just reinstalled windows, all seems to be working ok now

[Dribble Joy]

Dude, you back in NC?

I need people in skulls dude. Badly.

[Obsidian X]

Hehe I've had this one happen so many times, this fix works every time....

Boot from the XP CD and select the recovery console thing. The cd to windows\.. (wherever the corrupt file is located - I forgot the path and I'm too lazy to recheck it from the post). System is actually a file with no extension (the corrupt one it refers to). Theres always a backup (think its called system.old or system.something), rename the corrupt one to system.something trivial and then the backup one (again I forget the backups file extension), rename this to system (with no extension). Works every time for me. :D

[ElfinLord]

Ok, well, it gets worse. :(

I tried the CHKDSK thing Xeno suggested. No joy.

I figure why I was getting the error message I got when using CHKDSK the first time. It was because I have a SATA hard drive and XP doesn't recognize it. Once I used the SATA drivers to get it see my hard drive I tried again.

Now when I try to do anything with it I get a BSOD.

It gives me a BAD_POOL_CALLER message and shows a memory address.

I tried using one stick of RAM, then the other and in different slots. Again, no joy.

I connected my hard drive to the second SATA port on my mobo, but again, nothing.

At this point, I'm thinking my hard drive is gone. I can't connect it to my other computer, because my second machine does not have a SATA port.

Any other suggestions?

I think I might just buy a new hard drive, and see if that helps my problem. I was planning on getting a new one soon anyway.

As always, thanks for the help.


Dude, you back in NC?

I need people in skulls dude. Badly.Were you asking me? If so. . .

I never left. ;)

I just stopped posting, for the most part.

[Xeno LARD]

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmd_stp_czgw.asp

hth.

[Melkior]

i still have an active account, havent played in months, dont see much point, and from what i've been reading my chars are borked at the mo, i may consider saying hi at some point, dunno tho

[Morpheous]

My advice would be boot to Knoppix (Bootable Linux that uses only CD to give you a nice GUI :)) and then to try copying the files over from a working box or something to that effect.

Just my 2p. Failing that, then try doing a Upgrade install of XP, or that kinda funky shit :p

Worst case, buy a 20GB drive and put Gentoo on it and then mount your other drive in /home and just run Linux ^_^ NC2 and HL2:DM are the only things keeping my main box in this world.

[Dribble Joy]

Were you asking me? If so. . .

I never left. ;)

I just stopped posting, for the most part.
I meant Melk, sorry. :)