Windows could not start...

[RDL]

My new computer did something weird last night. I was playing WC3 (as you do) and it kept freezing in this game, just for a short time, and making this really weird loud "DIDIDIDIDIDI" sort of noise (through the speakers). Eventually it just completely froze, and the computer went into powersaving mode and wouldn't let me out of it. When I restarted I went into BIOS and upped the FSB (I was still testing how far I could push it) and it started to load, but hung on windows loading. So I restarted, and I think it hung once more, then I put it back to the settings I had before. Then it wouldn't let me boot. Everytime it got to the big list after it had said my RAID array was healthy, just before Windows loads, it said "No disk found(or something similar), press CTRL ALT DEL to restart". Everytime I restarted it would say the same. Eventually I shoved a floppy into the floppy drive, and it went past that stage (even though I had it set to boot from HDD first) but then it got to the part that says "Windows didn't start properly" etc. etc. And When I tried pressing "start normally", or whatever the option is, it came up with something along these lines...
"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt
Windows/system32/config/system.

(then something along the lines of)"You can attempt to fix this by running the original setup CD and using the repair console. To access the repair console press 'r'."

So I loaded the windows CD, and got into the repair console, but it is fairly weird, and I don't really know what I'm supposed to do. There is a list of commands you can use (I found out by typing help) but I'm not sure which one I'm meant to use.

Basically, what seems to be the problem? What should I do?

Thanks,
Ross

[darrensen]

People can get very confused on how to repair windows xp. Dont hit r on the 1st screen, if i remember that takes you through a dos promt screen. Press enter on reinstall windows and then press R on the windows directory that shows.

If you need more help on this PM me and i'll give you a detailed guide.

[RDL]

Right, I need more help. I can't find what you mean. I know there is the option to press F2 to start automated recovery, and the repair console, but I can't find any other repairs, and I have taken the instillation right up to when you have to say you want to overwrite your current directory, or create a new one, but nothing else.

[Ferral]

What you could try is booting into XP in safe mode (press F5 a few times after the bios has posted before you get the windows boot screen) Once you have booted up and logged in you get a message onscreen asking if you want to use system restore, select yes then select the date you want to restore to from the calendar layout. I would try this first off to see if it rectifies the problem.

You wont lose any recent saved data, it just restores Windows to a previous state before the error without having to format.

[Agent]

Ive always used F8, can F5 do it or is it a typo ?

[Ferral]

Yeah, F5 is a direct boot into safemode, F8 gives you the boot command menu.

[Agent]

Ah nice, wasnt aware of that
Cheers

[RDL]

I'l try that Ferral, although I'm not sure it will work as that file wasn't found in a normal startup, or when I tried to go to last start that worked. Will let you know.

[RDL]

It didn't work. Same thing as before...

[RDL]

Right XP wouldn't repair. Must have been some files deleted it needed. I got it up and running again though, by some weird method. I said create windows on the opposite partition of my Raptor, and it did a disk check and then restarted (as normal). However instead of going back to the CD I decided to let it run and see what happened. It did a windows disk check, and then all was back to normal. Very strange.