system32 corrupted or missing..

[aruwin]

OH NO!!!I'm having a major problem here.My computer was running and then it got too slow.It was working fine but it was just slow.I got really fed up and I just turn the switch off.The next few min,I turned my compter on again and I received a message.It says something like this:

system32 is missing or corrupted.To repair,insert the windows setup cd-rom.Click 'r' to start repair.

Is this is a big problem?Could I lose all my data in it?!Help me solve this please.Give me a solution that really works without affecting my PC data and content.

[cd090580]

Maybe filesystem corrupted.

Never cut the power (except in extreme cases). Use the shutdown function of Windows.

Now, you can try to repair.

Boot from the XP cd, then start the recovery console.

One the console, do a chkdsk /r

When finished type exit and cross your fingers.

[jman98]

cd090580's suggest is your only hope for this problem. If you are lucky the chkdsk will fix the problem. If you are unlucky you will have to reinstall XP and you will lose everything. Although it won't solve your problem, the hard drive is probably OK except for this problem with system32, so if you removed it and put it in another PC, someone could copy the stuff you need from your hard disk to DVD or CD for you. You could also maybe buy another hard drive for your PC and install XP to that and then boot that and access your corrupted hard drive to copy the data you need.

[deckard8]

http://www.partition-recovery.com/ (payware)
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk (freeware)

[free is better]

Just follow the instructions to use the windows repair console. System32 repairs the operational files for the computer without damaging stored content. In the future do not cut the power. Press and hold the power button until the unit shuts down.

[jman98]

Just follow the instructions to use the windows repair console.

Yes, but it may not work. I've had the exact same problem as the original poster and been unable to fix it via the repair console and had no choice but to reinstall XP. The repair console is better than nothing, but it may or may not work. I'm not criticizing you though, I'm just pointing out that the repair console is not a sure fire way to fix this problem, but perhaps the original poster will get lucky. I've had times when the repair console was able to fix problems and other times where it didn't work so I just want the original poster to understand that there is a chance it may not work and consider what to do next if it doesn't fix the problem.

[MJA]

how about taking the hard drive out and put it inside a external enclosure and hook it up to a 2ed pc for backup,or hook the hard drive to a 2ed PC as a salve using IDE cable

[highvolumeJP]

You better hope your registry is not corrupted and that you have a backup of your registry.

[aruwin]

After pressing no.1,there is a lod of options.I don't know which to enter.There is,fixboot,copy,delete,too many things!!!Which one should i enter??

and I just found this website.Will this really work?I dont want to get all my files deleted.

[redwudz]

Another option I have used is to boot from a Linux live disc or Windows PE disc. Then copy your files off to an external drive. Worst case, if you have to reformat, you will still have your files.

[guns1inger]

I have seen these symptoms quite ofetn. If you can get Windows started and get into event manager, I'll wager you find it full of disk errors, telling you that your disk is dying. Chkdisk may well get it up and running in the short term, but I would not trust it for longer than it takes to back it up. After that, replace it.

[MJA]

Another option I have used is to boot from a Linux live disc or Windows PE disc. Then copy your files off to an external drive. Worst case, if you have to reformat, you will still have your files.

excellent idea.

[guns1inger]

Another option I have used is to boot from a Linux live disc or Windows PE disc. Then copy your files off to an external drive. Worst case, if you have to reformat, you will still have your files.

Just make sure you use a version that supports writing to NTFS drives. Many don't, so unless you have you have your external drives formatted to FAT32, you can be screwed. Reading NTFS is a no-brainer. It is the writing that is the gotcha.

[misterbill]

It's been a couple of years since I did this, but I did save the information you need to recover from this error.
boot from XP cd into repair mode, 'till you see the blinking cursor. You can then type in the following pressing ENTER KEY at the end of each line. Then reboot your computer.

cd c\
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


Or you can copy and paste the info, save it as a batch file and let it do the work for you.

Like I said, it's been a while.
Good luck

[aruwin]

First of all,I'd like to say thank you to all the useful replies.Ok,so the recovery console worked for me I just typed in chkdsk in the command list and my PC automatically repiared it and when I exit from that page,windows could start again as usual.I used my PC for hours and nothing seemed to be problematic.

However,after shutting it down and switching it on again,there's this message appeared:

......"floppy diskette seek failure"

there are 2 options,F1 to continue and F2 to set up utility.I just pressed F1 and the PC run as usual.
Nothing seems wrong but it really annoys me that I keep getting that message whenever I swtich on my PC.How do I fix this and what does that message mean?