I have read the other threads on this, but I have a little different issue.  
When booting up my PC I get the Windows could not start because the following 
file is missing or corrupt:  \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\system.  I restarted 
the computer with the Windows XP CD installed and started the Windows setup.  
I goes through its process and when I get to the Welcome to Setup screen I 
select "R" for the recovery console.  It then asks me "Which Windows 
installation would you like to log onto (To cancel, press ENTER) and I type 1 
for C:\WINDOWS and hit enter.  Then NOTHING HAPPENS.  It just sits on that 
screen and does nothing.  I have also tried re-installing WINDOWS XP from the 
CD and it also seems to freeze up when its "searching for previous versions 
of Microsoft Windows.  Can anyone offer me some kind of assistance.  Thanks

Leon wrote:
> I have read the other threads on this, but I have a little different issue.  
> When booting up my PC I get the Windows could not start because the following 
> file is missing or corrupt:  \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\system.  I restarted 
> the computer with the Windows XP CD installed and started the Windows setup.  
> I goes through its process and when I get to the Welcome to Setup screen I 
> select "R" for the recovery console.  It then asks me "Which Windows 
> installation would you like to log onto (To cancel, press ENTER) and I type 1 
> for C:\WINDOWS and hit enter.  Then NOTHING HAPPENS.  It just sits on that 
> screen and does nothing.  I have also tried re-installing WINDOWS XP from the 
> CD and it also seems to freeze up when its "searching for previous versions 
> of Microsoft Windows.  Can anyone offer me some kind of assistance.  Thanks



this gives instructions

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545


If you get your system to boot up

backup all your data at once

then run the manufacturer's diagnostic on your harddrive

"Leon" wrote...
>I have read the other threads on this, but I have a little different issue.
> When booting up my PC I get the Windows could not start because the following
> file is missing or corrupt:  \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\system.  I restarted
> the computer with the Windows XP CD installed and started the Windows setup.
> I goes through its process and when I get to the Welcome to Setup screen I
> select "R" for the recovery console.  It then asks me "Which Windows
> installation would you like to log onto (To cancel, press ENTER) and I type 1
> for C:\WINDOWS and hit enter.  Then NOTHING HAPPENS.  It just sits on that
> screen and does nothing.  I have also tried re-installing WINDOWS XP from the
> CD and it also seems to freeze up when its "searching for previous versions
> of Microsoft Windows.  Can anyone offer me some kind of assistance.  Thanks

I know that this is going to sound very strange, but it usually works.

Physically disconnect from the internet - remove the Ethernet connector and/or disable 
the WiFi radio. Unplug the computer - if it's a laptop, remove the battery, too. Then, 
get a screwdriver and remove the hard drive from the computer. (DO NOT TOUCH THE PINS ON 
THE HARD DRIVE or you can permanently kill it!!!)

Wait two full minutes, then put the hard drive back in the computer. Replace the laptop 
battery, plug it in, then boot. Your problem will probably be fixed. If the computer 
works, run CHKDISK on the hard drive, and also at boot. Only after successfully running 
CHKDISK should you reconnect to the internet. Just in case, do a full 
antivirus/spyware/crudware scan.

If this is a laptop, is the laptop battery completely dead? I've seen this problem 
happen to Lenovo laptops with dead batteries. If the laptop battery is dead, REPLACE THE 
BATTERY!!! For some laptops, and Lenovo laptops are notorious for this, running on AC 
power with a completely dead battery can sometimes crash the hard drive.

On Dec 20, 4:55=A0pm, Leon <L...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> I have read the other threads on this, but I have a little different issu=
e. =A0
> When booting up my PC I get the Windows could not start because the follo=
wing
> file is missing or corrupt: =A0\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\system. =A0I rest=
arted
> the computer with the Windows XP CD installed and started the Windows set=
up. =A0
> I goes through its process and when I get to the Welcome to Setup screen =
I
> select "R" for the recovery console. =A0It then asks me "Which Windows
> installation would you like to log onto (To cancel, press ENTER) and I ty=
pe 1
> for C:\WINDOWS and hit enter. =A0Then NOTHING HAPPENS. =A0It just sits on=
 that
> screen and does nothing. =A0I have also tried re-installing WINDOWS XP fr=
om the
> CD and it also seems to freeze up when its "searching for previous versio=
ns
> of Microsoft Windows. =A0Can anyone offer me some kind of assistance. =A0=
Thanks

You have some good options since you have a Windows XP installation
CD.

KB307545 will not help if you can't get past the Windows selection and
I wouldn't start there anyway (not taking any shots at philo).  It is
not the first place to start when you see this error and requires
booting RC which you can't do.

Did you have a power interruption, aborted restart or incomplete
shutdown prior to this message?

When you see this message, the first thing to do ALWAYS is to run
chkdsk from Recovery Console, but you can't get there using your XP
CD, but you can make a CD with just RC on it and that might work, but
if you had a power failure and your file system is corrupted it may be
of no help (it sounds like you are doing everything right so far).

Since you have an XP installation CD, make a BartPE CD on another
computer and you can TRY to use their tools to see if you can repair
your file system.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Or, you could physically move the drive to another computer to fix or
salvage your important files, but if it is a laptop that can be
complicated.

If you choose the BartPE route, when you get your afflicted machine
booted on the BartPE disk, return for further instructions.