Windows XP Cookbook (Cookbooks)

Recipe 20.10. Fixing Corrupted or Missing \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG Errors

Problem

You receive an error message indicating that either \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE is missing or corrupt.

Solution

Using a command-line interface

  1. Boot from your Windows XP CD-ROM.

  2. At the first R=Repair option, press the R key.

  3. Press the number that corresponds to the installation of Windows you want to repair. Typically this will be number 1.

  4. When prompted, type in the administrator password.

  5. At the command prompt type:

    > cd \windows\system32\config > ren software software.bad > ren system system.bad > copy \windows\repair\system > copy \windows\repair\software

  6. Remove the XP CD-ROM, type exit at the command prompt, and then press the Enter key to restart the PC normally.

Discussion

The system and software files are records of the initial or latest Windows install. Overclocking your system or disk corruption can cause these files to become useless. Much like using System Restore and Last Known Good Configuration, using the original copies of the SYSTEM and SOFTWARE files will take your PC back to a previous point in time, without altering the Registry, then Windows updates these files according to the current configuration.

See Also

MS KB 307545, "How to recover from a corrupted Registry that prevents Windows XP from starting"

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