SEARCH

The How-To Geek Forums Have Migrated to Discourse



Join the Discussion at discuss.howtogeek.com

How-To Geek Forums / Windows XP

Help NO CD DRIVE windows/system32/config/system file is missing or corrupt

(15 posts)
  • Started 3 months ago by Bear7
  • Latest reply from whs
  • Topic Viewed 509 times

Bear7
Posts: 6

Hello everyone,

I have a big problem. I turned on my notebook yesterday and i had the following massage: ''windows/system32/config/system file is missing or corrupt.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''

The PROBLEM is that the CD drive doesn't work at all and unfortunately i can't find the original CD ROM. Is there anything i can do?

My laptop is 7 years old and i use Windows XP.

Thanks

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Pretty much out luck if the CDrom is broken and you don't have an original Windows XP Installation disk.

The 7 year old machine probably has see much use and its' better days.

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
Bear7
Posts: 6

Are there any options? Maybe i use a usb drive or something?

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Will it Boot from USB device in Bios setup screen ??

What is the exact model of the the machine ??

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
Bear7
Posts: 6

ASUS L4000H

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

There are no Windows 7 Machine Device Drivers for the computer and you don't have the original XP installation Disk so pretty much out of options except maybe load Linux through the USB if it is possible. Don't know.

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
Xhi
Xhi
Posts: 6298

Agree with raphoenix. You probably do not have a computer capable of booting from the USB drive. If it is not economical to repair/replace your CD drive, then you will not be able to repair your Windows installation and your computer will be worthless.

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
whs
whs
Posts: 17584

There seem to be some drivers here: http://drp.su/drivers/notebook.....8&l=en

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Those would be for XP.

OP does not have original copy of XP and CDrom doesn't work.

In these Bad, Hard economic times, it's hard to tell OPs that they need to purchase a new computer. :( :(

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
Bear7
Posts: 6

What are these drivers for? I guess for a format?

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
Bear7
Posts: 6

I do have the Windows XP genuine key though

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

Yes, if you could Clean Install the machine, the drivers would be needed to make the computer work correctly.

May be you could borrow a copy of XP then from a friend IF the CDrom worked properly.

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
Bear7
Posts: 6

Anybody knows why that happened?

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
raphoenix
raphoenix
Posts: 14920

The machine gets old, tired and worn out just like all machines do eventually.

Posted 3 months ago #
Top
 
whs
whs
Posts: 17584

Maybe there is still a recovery partition. Try this:

Turn on the notebook, Press F9 when you see the ASUS logo, and then choose the second item to recover OS to the first partition.
Press [F9] during bootup (requires a Recovery Partition)
Press [Enter] to select Windows Setup [EMS Enabled]
Read the “ASUS Preload Wizard” screen and click Next.
Select a partition option and click Next.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the recovery process

Posted 3 months ago #
Top