Hello, My PC stopped booting recently, it would get past the POST screen then just show a blank screen instead of the usual Win XP loading process. Attempting to boot in safe mode told me that "the following file is either missing or corrupt: c:\windows\system32 \config\system". I followed instructions from here to boot with the XP CD, rename the system folder, then copy a backup folder into its place. This allowed me to boot-up OK, but I had to reinstall most/all my hardware. My PC has been running with the same configuration for near 2 years. Some hardware/software has naturally been added and removed in that time, but ultimately nothing major has changed. So why did this happen? Is it a RAM problem, as other people have mentioned on threads - should I buy new RAM? Since it's recovery, my PC hasn't been doing too well - my antivirus (Panda) seems to be properly corrupted, every now and then if I'm doing a lot my mouse pointer will freeze for a few seconds, and InstallShield installers do not work at all (they tell that there's a problem with iKernel.exe, that the RPC server is unavailable). I have tried solutions to the InstallShield problem but none of the 5-6 I've tried work. This is another problem where I've seen people mention RAM issues and timing problems. Does my BIOS need flashing? Do I need to format? Do I need to replace my RAM (I am currently using two 512mb DDR sticks dual-channelled at 166mhz)? Is there anything I can do, any tests, to check what might be wrong?

Do not flash your bios!!! To check your RAM, download and run memtest86 overnight. Any failures at all are unacceptable. http://memtest86.com/ There is a version to create a bootable floppy diskette and/or an ISO for creating a CD. You could also run chkdsk /r This will check the disk for weak/bad sectors. Note that it takes quite a while to run. I doubt if that's the problem. but stranger things have happened.

Hi, If the below is not a typo my antivirus (Panda) seems to be properly corrupted, Use some of the free online virus scanners. every now and then if I'm doing a lot my mouse pointer will freeze for a few seconds, Could be memory but also something might be using all your computers resources....like a key logger. You might try... do Ctrl-Alt-Del, or right-click the taskbar at the bottom of the screen,(The clock) then Task Manager) and clicking the Processes tab will show all processes running on the system, even the ones that are part of the operating system.

You have two or more RAM sticks installed... reduce to a single (XP requires a min of 128Meg and you have 2 x 512Meg) - and see if things improve in terms of error messages. Try each stick in turn? RAM failures are not unknown... The chkdisk option is worth pursuing too... And if you can... go on-line with it; visit Trend and run their free on-line "full" scan... It will take a while... http://housecall.trendmicro.com/uk/ Also install SpyBot Search $ Destroy - a freebie malware util. And also Adaware. Incidentally the current M$ Windows Defender (malware util) is also a pretty good item to run as well - and it too is free. Adaware: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ SpyBot: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/... Windows Defender: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/smallbu... Also you can use a Ubuntu or Knoppix (Linux variants on a) CD to boot up and then go on-line and scan etc... These two variants can be downloaded each as an iso and then burned (each) to a CD; then boot with that CD. You can also buy the CD for a few pennies; but an iso download etc is quite easy to do (and saves one's pennies for treats.) Ubuntu is now gaining (popular) support by some of the big boys out there too.

OK, well I've used Adaware and Spybot S&D to sort out my PC a little, they found a problem by the name of "Win32.agent.trojan" but I removed that, re-installed the corrupted Panda AntiVirus and now all 3 (Adaware, S&D, Panda) all show a totally clean PC. I ran memtest, and my RAM completed 1 pass of the tests with 0 errors. I haven't tried the chkdsk option yet. My PC seems to be running more smoothly, but still succumbs to errors if I push it to much and some problems (RPC Server is Unavailable) are still lingering, with many solutions pointing to registry problems that I don't have the system restore points to fix... any ideas there? Thanks again!