|windows\system32\config\system error on xp home

My daughter has asked me to help her get her Dell Dimension 8400 back in service. It has xp home on it. She has neither the o/s nor the recovery Cd's. I have done much research on the web to seek solutions for the message she gets early in the start-up boot process which is "\windows\system32\config\system " error message. I have windows xp pro on disc and my wife has xp media recovery on disc. I believe that neither of them are applicable to this problem on my daughter's computer. At start-up the dos window displays the 1st 6 of the items listed and stops. The 7th i presume is the beginning of the missing or corrupt files.
    I have been to this page which seems to offer a solution and have downloaded and burned to a CD the suggested program (file) http://www.schrockinnovations.com/makeboot1.php . I can get into the "windows advanced options window" however none of the options will alter the outcome. Nor does starting the computer with the created CD change anything either. Suggestions would be appreciated. truenorth
P.S. Her computer does not have a floppy drive but we do have an external usb connectable floppy drive. Plus a multitude of flash drives.
PPS. I changed the boot order from sata hdd #1 to Cd #1 .

[Moderator]

Boot to the XP CD and select R (Recovery Console)

At the command prompt type:

ren c:\windows\system32\config\system system.old
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config

Reboot

Allan,thank you for the input. May i draw your attention to this portion of my original post"She has neither the o/s nor the recovery Cd's" truenorth

[Moderator]

http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showtopic=150212

Again Allan thank you. I have read the web site and it does sound encouraging. I will certainly create the ISO it offers. However looking ahead. It seems from my research so far (and appears to be confirmed by the page as well) that at some point a password is going to be required. My impression from other articles that unless the computer has had an "administrator" password installed (which i sincerely doubt) typing in "administrator when asked will suffice. Do you have a comment on that? Will it ask for something else i may not have? truenorth

A blank password (just press enter) may work.

[Moderator]

You know, I recall from previous attempts to assist you with problems that you have a tendency to complicate things. Just boot to the recovery console and enter the commands in my first post above.

Allan, I will do that and keep the forum advised,thanks again,truenorth

[Moderator]

You're welcome.

The results are as follows:
1. ISO disc successfully created (shows a great deal of file content)
2.With ISO disc in Dell Dimension great changes in what had happened previously.
3.When i am given the option to press "enter" to enter setup or press "R" to enter recovery i pressed R.
4.Never asked for any password
5.Window indicated the program was analysing the computer for problems (or something to that effect)
6.Much activity occurred at the bottom of the window (i think) indicating things either being installed or checked
7.A small window opened indicating no hdd was found (actually it is a SATA hdd) and it was obviously present as i was able to change the boot order and it was not stated (as were other things like a floppy drive) as "not detected"
8. My only remaining option at this point was to press "F3" which in effect rebooted and brought me back to the start again.
truenorth

[Moderator]

You may have to install the sata drivers when you boot to the RC. Was there a message on the screen when you booted to the RC disc that said something like: Press F6 to install SATA drivers?

If so, have the sata drivers on a floppy and when you see that message press F6 and the system will find the drivers, then continue to the RC. I'm getting ready to log off but if you have additional problems someone else will jump in.

It is not specifying SATA drivers specifically but there is the brief presence at the bottom of the screen which states "if you need to load 3rd party SCSI or Raid drivers press F6". If F6 is not pressed it automatically advances to where it starts the installation of things(setup is loading files).
  As stated earlier this computer does not have a floppy. If i have to find some SATA drivers will the computer recognize the presence of an external floppy in a USB port at this stage? I too am drawing near the end of my computer time for today so an immediate answer is not essential. truenorth

[Moderator]

It wont specify...at the point you see the F6 message hit Enter...then it will ask for the location of the drivers...it doesn't have to be on a floppy...it can be on the HDD a thumb drive...wherever...just make sure to point it to the correct spot.

Patio, Thank you for coming on board.Your instructions are clear. Will i need to find specific SATA drivers relevant to the HDD which is installed? If so i will have to remove it from it's bay to try and find it's make and model. Or is there such a thing as a "generic" SATA driver? truenorth
P.S. These weary eyes are packing it in for today--will return again sometime tomorrow.

[Moderator]

The SATA drivers should come from the MBoard manuf. website....or they would be on the Driver CD that shipped with the machine if you still have it.