Solved: Gone for 2 weeks now windows corrupted system 32?

I don't get it. Worked great before Christmas vacation. Come back tonight and won't start XP. Says corrupted windows system 32 file. Try to repair from install disk and just hangs. Type 1 and enter and won't access. Then try to do a fresh install and just keeps searching for previous install of windows and hangs again?

Thoughts please folks? Bad HD? Its 4 1/2 years old.

TIA

Dan

 

Insert the Windows XP installation CD
Then restart your system
Then Press the "R" key at the welcome screen this will let you enter the setup
Enter admin password on promoting you to do so
you will see that the recovery console will launch

then type the commands that I mention next and press enter after each command

md tmp

copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak

copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak


delete c:\windows\system32\config\system

delete c:\windows\system32\config\software

delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam

delete c:\windows\system32\config\security

delete c:\windows\system32\config\default



copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system

copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software

copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam

copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security

copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default


now you need to exit from the recovery console and restart the computer you will see that the problem is solved see if this helps, if due to corruption you have lost any of the data you can use the data recovery by stellar which will help you to make the system fine as it was before Christmas

 

Thank you much.

I don't understand why I can't just do a fresh install though? Is it because the "DOS" file is damaged and not windows itself.

 

I just tried your suggestion.............I can't even get to the welcome screen. I get the system 32 corrupt message before that. So I try again to do a repair or fresh install of windows and get stuck. I thought I could could use your suggestions from the repair section of windows install but it only allows me to type one thing into. It suggest I should type 1 which represents the C drive windows install but when I do that and hit enter nothing, just hangs.

Please help someone. I forgot how dependent I am on my computer.

 

INsert the CD restart the computer and when it boot press any key to boot from cd
wait for some time and you need to press F3(Repair) then try to follow the instructions there

 

Thank Tom, I had already tried that. A new HD fixed the problem.