HP Mini "file missing or corrupt windows system 32 config"

[bsullivan1983]

I'm trying to fix a friend's HP Mini 1212. It boots into Windows, but when you try to click on the Windows button to access anything, the screen goes black and a message comes up saying "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \Windows\System32\Config\System. I created a MS-DOS bootable flash drive, rebooted the computer and tried to run chkdsk but it is saying bad or missing file. What am I doing wrong?

 

[scottiemedic]

Boot into Repair mode, let it find and replace the missing file(s), then run a virus/malware scan to find out WHY it left in the first place.

 

[bsullivan1983]

Boot into Repair mode, let it find and replace the missing file(s), then run a virus/malware scan to find out WHY it left in the first place.

How can I boot into repair mode without being able to access any menus? They don't ship with a copy of Windows because the computer has no optical drive. I got Hiren's Boot CD to load and ran chkdsk and nothing. Ran the includedantivurs software too and it didn't find anything. Tried to run run the windows repair and it says files are missing. Downloaded and added them and it still gives me errors. This is so frustrating . Spent 11 hours formatting/reformatting my flash drive to try different thongs. HP sells a USB recovery tool but I'm sure it costs an arm and a leg and I refuse to pay for it.

 

[scottiemedic]

HP usually only charges like $25 for recovery media. At least for CD (never needed USB). Might look into that, since you've tried the repair, and it didn't work. Might need a new fresh install.

Is there a recovery partition on the drive that contains the Windows image? My wife's dv6 has one. Might be something to look into, how to boot to recovery media or check the price of the USB or run the repair again and see if it finds anything else.

If you have an XP disc (the netbooks take XP don't they?), you could use a DVD to USB utility to make your own bootable USB drive with something like Rufus, or I know HP makes a tool for making bootable USB drives, might google for that.

 

[jimeddie]

I'm trying to fix a friend's HP Mini 1212. It boots into Windows, but when you try to click on the Windows button to access anything, the screen goes black and a message comes up saying "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \Windows\System32\Config\System. I created a MS-DOS bootable flash drive, rebooted the computer and tried to run chkdsk but it is saying bad or missing file. What am I doing wrong?