My PC will not boot and i had the message "issing windows\system32\config\system". i checked this link http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545 and follwed the instructions. Part 1 was to use the following commands in the recovery console. md tmp copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak delete c:\windows\system32\config\system delete c:\windows\system32\config\software delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam delete c:\windows\system32\config\security delete c:\windows\system32\config\default copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default Type exit to quit Recovery Console. Your computer will restart. PC restarted . It is never the same anymore even thoughj i have not lost any files. Now i have the following problems: 1. Cannot use internet 2. Cannot use CD rewriter . 3. Cannot install any software.(it says windows installer is not configured properly) I wanted to back up my files on a cd and the do a complete formatting Is this because i have to go through the long step2 and step 3 of the repair?? How do i solve this? Thanks in advance Telemachus sbasti01

I do not know much about it, but it says--- When you finish this procedure, the system returns to a state very close to the state before the problem occurred. Also it says--- If you have ever run NTBackup and completed a system state backup, you do not have to follow the procedures in parts two and three. You can go to part four. Maybe this one is better to do: How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP

Also the article says--- This procedure does not guarantee full recovery of the system to a previous state; however, you should be able to recover data when you use this procedure.

I see nothing in your post that indicated that you have gone to the System Volume Information folder and copied any files from there. By doing what you did you have restored your system so it will boot but it is at a state that is before any apps etc were installed. Go back to yout original MS bulletin and do the second part. You may also need to read this bulletin. A lot of typing but it does work once you understand what it is you are doing.

I'm actually having the same problem. When I had rebooted, I can't access some folders and my desktop changed with many of the icons missing. My disk space is the same as it was before, but I can't access my folders. The settings and everything changed and my drivers were missing. I had gone through the same command prompts as you, so let me know if you've found a way to fix it. Thanks

Chuck 2 I painfully went through all the 4 steps Still the problem persists I cannot use the CD writer to copy files. No internet connection because of the error message "network adapters could not be retrieved" etc etc. Then i cannot install anything Please help sbasti01

Terri I went through the System Volume Information folder . All the 4 steps completed But could not do system restore as there were no restore points available As i cannot create network connection i went through the Microsoft article 329441. The network connection folder is still empty sbasti01