Help! My computer won't start and it says something like:
"The System File C:WINDOWS\SYSTEM 32 is missing or Corrupt."
Here is what you can try- no guarantees, but sometimes we find it helpful.
(1) Locate the original Windows XP System CD that came with your computer. It might say "Recovery" or "Installation", or "Windows XP Professional."
(2) Start up from the CD, not the hard drive. (There are different ways to do this-- put in the CD and see if it starts up from the CD; otherwise, you may have to look at your computer's Owners Manual to find out how to start up from a CD. )
On a Dell, you usually tap the F12 key until you get to a startup menu that asks what device you want to use to start up the computer. Choose the CD/DVD drive.
(3) Once it starts from the CD, you will see a message that says "Press Any Key to Boot from CD...." Press any key.
(4) When the onscreen menu comes up (it usually takes a few minutes) choose to repair using the Recovery Console. You will get a screen that says:
Microsoft Windows XP (tm) Recovery Console
The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality.
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart the computer.
Which installation do you wish to log on to
(To cancel, press ENTER)?
-Type 1 to repair your version of Windows
- When it asks you to, type in your Administrator password (the master password for the entire computer, not your Cushing password.. . if you don't know it, unfortunately we cannot help you as we have no way of knowing what your administrator password is.)
If you are able to log in, you get a DOS prompt that looks like this.
C:\WINDOWS>
Type CHKDSK /R (that is CHKDSK space /R) at the prompt and hit Enter. It should start a long repair process.
The volume Serial number is ####-####
CHKDSK Is checking the volume.....
CHKDSK is performing additional checking or recovery....
CHKDSK is performing additional checking or recovery....
CHKDSK is performing additional checking or recovery....
Repair Complete..
CHKDSK found and fixed one or more problems on the volume.
(6) Remove the Windows CD from your CD drive.
-Type EXIT to restart your computer, or power it off and then on again.
-If it starts up now, Great!!--- make backup copies of your personal pictures, files, and documents in case this happens again (and it will!)
-If it does not start up, then unfortunately, your Windows Software has been damaged enough that you must completely reinstall your Windows XP Operating System, which pretty much wipes out/erases what is already on the hard drive. You should be able to reinstall Windows, but it will be as if your computer was new-- it will only have the original software on it, all of your personal files and installed programs will be gone. That is why it is important to make backup copies of your work before this happens...