auto update damaged system file - won't start up

XP Pro Srv Pk2 loaded. Original mach was XP Home. Updated awhile ago and
it has been fine. Dell machine
Last night I downloaded windows update and when it rebooted black screen
saying "Windows can not start because the Windows\System32\config\system
file is corrupt or missing. You can attempt to repair this file by starting
Windows Setup using the original Setup CD. Type "r" at the first menu.
I may be in over my head. I have 3 CDs. Original setting for Home XP
setup, the CD upgrade to Professional XP and the Serv Pack 2.
At the moment I can't get to a screen to type or do anything.
I can get into setup to change the order of booting to the CD Drive but I am
afraid to mix up the system file from the original disk with the upgraded XP
Pro.
Please help. I don't want to lose data on machine.

For whatever reason, the registry contains corrupted data and that's
what is causing this issue.

It doesn't matter which XP CD is used as long as you're just going to
install Recovery Console : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654

Here's how to recover from the registry corruption, if you haven't found
it yet: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2208]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



NoviceTech wrote:

> XP Pro Srv Pk2 loaded. Original mach was XP Home. Updated awhile ago and
> it has been fine. Dell machine
> Last night I downloaded windows update and when it rebooted black screen
> saying "Windows can not start because the Windows\System32\config\system
> file is corrupt or missing. You can attempt to repair this file by starting
> Windows Setup using the original Setup CD. Type "r" at the first menu.
> I may be in over my head. I have 3 CDs. Original setting for Home XP
> setup, the CD upgrade to Professional XP and the Serv Pack 2.
> At the moment I can't get to a screen to type or do anything.
> I can get into setup to change the order of booting to the CD Drive but I am
> afraid to mix up the system file from the original disk with the upgraded XP
> Pro.
> Please help. I don't want to lose data on machine.
>
>

Thanks so much. I will try this tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> For whatever reason, the registry contains corrupted data and that's
> what is causing this issue.
>
> It doesn't matter which XP CD is used as long as you're just going to
> install Recovery Console : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654
>
> Here's how to recover from the registry corruption, if you haven't found
> it yet: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
>
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2208]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
>
>
> NoviceTech wrote:
>
> > XP Pro Srv Pk2 loaded. Original mach was XP Home. Updated awhile ago and
> > it has been fine. Dell machine
> > Last night I downloaded windows update and when it rebooted black screen
> > saying "Windows can not start because the Windows\System32\config\system
> > file is corrupt or missing. You can attempt to repair this file by starting
> > Windows Setup using the original Setup CD. Type "r" at the first menu.
> > I may be in over my head. I have 3 CDs. Original setting for Home XP
> > setup, the CD upgrade to Professional XP and the Serv Pack 2.
> > At the moment I can't get to a screen to type or do anything.
> > I can get into setup to change the order of booting to the CD Drive but I am
> > afraid to mix up the system file from the original disk with the upgraded XP
> > Pro.
> > Please help. I don't want to lose data on machine.
> >
> >
>

I am in more trouble. I loaded the Recovery Console and once in tried to
make directory temp and was told access denied. Did a directory and no
files were there - An error occurred during directory enumeration. So I ran
checkdsk without any switch and it ended at 38% saying unrecoverable errors -
but all the files now show with dir. However still couldn't make a
directory - Access Denied. Cant copy or anything. Then I ran checkdsk /r -
it stopped this time at 28% and still no access. I give up.

"NoviceTech" wrote:

>
> Thanks so much. I will try this tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
> > For whatever reason, the registry contains corrupted data and that's
> > what is causing this issue.
> >
> > It doesn't matter which XP CD is used as long as you're just going to
> > install Recovery Console : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654
> >
> > Here's how to recover from the registry corruption, if you haven't found
> > it yet: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
> >
> >
> > MowGreen [MVP 2003-2208]
> > ===============
> > *-343-* FDNY
> > Never Forgotten
> > ===============
> >
> >
> >
> > NoviceTech wrote:
> >
> > > XP Pro Srv Pk2 loaded. Original mach was XP Home. Updated awhile ago and
> > > it has been fine. Dell machine
> > > Last night I downloaded windows update and when it rebooted black screen
> > > saying "Windows can not start because the Windows\System32\config\system
> > > file is corrupt or missing. You can attempt to repair this file by starting
> > > Windows Setup using the original Setup CD. Type "r" at the first menu.
> > > I may be in over my head. I have 3 CDs. Original setting for Home XP
> > > setup, the CD upgrade to Professional XP and the Serv Pack 2.
> > > At the moment I can't get to a screen to type or do anything.
> > > I can get into setup to change the order of booting to the CD Drive but I am
> > > afraid to mix up the system file from the original disk with the upgraded XP
> > > Pro.
> > > Please help. I don't want to lose data on machine.
> > >
> > >
> >