Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.

If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
"Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.

Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)

It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.

I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.

I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
the same problem arises!

Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?

Eddy.

No other types of restore utility installed correct? Is the PC part of a
domain? user logged in as Admin? have you tried using the admin signon? do
you have a registry repair utility, 30 day trial version tune-up utilities
2006, I was currious if it would see the registry when your problem occured.
create new user w/ admin rights, login as admin and copy (faulty) user
profile to newly created one, login as new user and try the process again.

I hope this helps,
Please post back with results, TY, this is interesting


"Eddy" wrote:

> Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.
>
> If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
> proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
> "Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.
>
> Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
> the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
> SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)
>
> It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
> failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.
>
> I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
> the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
> from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.
>
> I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
> rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
> restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
> the same problem arises!
>
> Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?
>
> Eddy.
>

No other types of restore utility installed correct? Is the PC part of a
domain? user logged in as Admin? have you tried using the admin signon? do
you have a registry repair utility, 30 day trial version tune-up utilities
2006, I was currious if it would see the registry when your problem occured.
create new user w/ admin rights, login as admin and copy (faulty) user
profile to newly created one, login as new user and try the process again.

I hope this helps,
Please post back with results, TY, this is interesting


"Eddy" wrote:

> Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.
>
> If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
> proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
> "Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.
>
> Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
> the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
> SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)
>
> It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
> failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.
>
> I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
> the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
> from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.
>
> I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
> rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
> restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
> the same problem arises!
>
> Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?
>
> Eddy.
>

Hi,
Maybe you try to reinstall System Restore with:
C:\WINDOWS\inf\sr.inf?

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 10:13 +0100 (BST), eddy@nowhere.uk (Eddy) wrote:

>Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.
>
>If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
>proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
>"Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.
>
>Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
>the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
>SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)
>
>It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
>failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.
>
>I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
>the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
>from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.
>
>I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
>rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
>restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
>the same problem arises!
>
>Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?
>
>Eddy.

Have a good day,
RScotti

remove "nospam" in order to email me.

My Specifications:
HP Windows XP MCE 2005
PentiumD 820 (S) DC 2.8 GHz
Socket 775 Chipset Intel 945P
Asus Motherboard Name: P5LP-LE
Memory Installed 2 GB (2 x 1 GB)
Hard drive 250 GB SATA 7200 rpm
Western Digital External HD 500 GB
16X DVD(+/-)R/RW (+/-)R DL LightScribe drive
Nvidia Video Graphics GeForce 7300LE 256 MB
Sound/Audio Integrated High Definition audio
Realtek ALC 882 chipset Supports up to 8 audio channels Dolby Pro Logic II compatible

Hi,
Maybe you try to reinstall System Restore with:
C:\WINDOWS\inf\sr.inf?

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 10:13 +0100 (BST), eddy@nowhere.uk (Eddy) wrote:

>Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.
>
>If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
>proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
>"Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.
>
>Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
>the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
>SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)
>
>It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
>failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.
>
>I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
>the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
>from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.
>
>I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
>rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
>restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
>the same problem arises!
>
>Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?
>
>Eddy.

Have a good day,
RScotti

remove "nospam" in order to email me.

My Specifications:
HP Windows XP MCE 2005
PentiumD 820 (S) DC 2.8 GHz
Socket 775 Chipset Intel 945P
Asus Motherboard Name: P5LP-LE
Memory Installed 2 GB (2 x 1 GB)
Hard drive 250 GB SATA 7200 rpm
Western Digital External HD 500 GB
16X DVD(+/-)R/RW (+/-)R DL LightScribe drive
Nvidia Video Graphics GeForce 7300LE 256 MB
Sound/Audio Integrated High Definition audio
Realtek ALC 882 chipset Supports up to 8 audio channels Dolby Pro Logic II compatible

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 05:40:02 -0700 =?Utf-8?B?U3RldmVM?=
<SteveL@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> No other types of restore utility installed correct?
No.

> Is the PC part of a domain?
No, just a local workgroup (2 PCs)

> user logged in as Admin?
Yes.

> have you tried using the admin signon?
Yes.

> do you have a registry repair utility, 30 day trial version
> tune-up utilities 2006, I was currious if it would see the registry
> when your problem occured. create new user w/ admin rights, login as
> admin and copy (faulty) user profile to newly created one, login as new
> user and try the process again.
Not tried that, but all the working registry files are definitely missing.
"C:\Windows/System32/Config/System" is just not there.

I am a bit reluctant to fiddle too much, as I am sure that sooner or later
it will all screw up totally and it will become impossible to restore the
registry at all. Backups only go so far...

> I hope this helps,
> Please post back with results, TY, this is interesting

Eddy.

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 08:58:42 -0400 RScotti <rscotti1@nospam.verizon.net>
wrote:

> Hi,
> Maybe you try to reinstall System Restore with:
> C:\WINDOWS\inf\sr.inf?

I will give that a try. System Restore works ok in all other respects
though.

Eddy.

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 05:40:02 -0700 =?Utf-8?B?U3RldmVM?=
<SteveL@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> No other types of restore utility installed correct?
No.

> Is the PC part of a domain?
No, just a local workgroup (2 PCs)

> user logged in as Admin?
Yes.

> have you tried using the admin signon?
Yes.

> do you have a registry repair utility, 30 day trial version
> tune-up utilities 2006, I was currious if it would see the registry
> when your problem occured. create new user w/ admin rights, login as
> admin and copy (faulty) user profile to newly created one, login as new
> user and try the process again.
Not tried that, but all the working registry files are definitely missing.
"C:\Windows/System32/Config/System" is just not there.

I am a bit reluctant to fiddle too much, as I am sure that sooner or later
it will all screw up totally and it will become impossible to restore the
registry at all. Backups only go so far...

> I hope this helps,
> Please post back with results, TY, this is interesting

Eddy.

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 08:58:42 -0400 RScotti <rscotti1@nospam.verizon.net>
wrote:

> Hi,
> Maybe you try to reinstall System Restore with:
> C:\WINDOWS\inf\sr.inf?

I will give that a try. System Restore works ok in all other respects
though.

Eddy.

Hi Eddy,
I just thought of something.
It might be better to uninstall SR first before reinstalling it but I don't know how to do that. Maybe someone here can
help?
On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:36 +0100 (BST), eddy@nowhere.uk (Eddy) wrote:

>On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 08:58:42 -0400 RScotti <rscotti1@nospam.verizon.net>
>wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> Maybe you try to reinstall System Restore with:
>> C:\WINDOWS\inf\sr.inf?
>
>I will give that a try. System Restore works ok in all other respects
>though.
>
>Eddy.

Have a good day,
RScotti

remove "nospam" in order to email me.

My Specifications:
HP Windows XP MCE 2005
PentiumD 820 (S) DC 2.8 GHz
Socket 775 Chipset Intel 945P
Asus Motherboard Name: P5LP-LE
Memory Installed 2 GB (2 x 1 GB)
Hard drive 250 GB SATA 7200 rpm
Western Digital External HD 500 GB
16X DVD(+/-)R/RW (+/-)R DL LightScribe drive
Nvidia Video Graphics GeForce 7300LE 256 MB
Sound/Audio Integrated High Definition audio
Realtek ALC 882 chipset Supports up to 8 audio channels Dolby Pro Logic II compatible

Hi Eddy,
I just thought of something.
It might be better to uninstall SR first before reinstalling it but I don't know how to do that. Maybe someone here can
help?
On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:36 +0100 (BST), eddy@nowhere.uk (Eddy) wrote:

>On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 08:58:42 -0400 RScotti <rscotti1@nospam.verizon.net>
>wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> Maybe you try to reinstall System Restore with:
>> C:\WINDOWS\inf\sr.inf?
>
>I will give that a try. System Restore works ok in all other respects
>though.
>
>Eddy.

Have a good day,
RScotti

remove "nospam" in order to email me.

My Specifications:
HP Windows XP MCE 2005
PentiumD 820 (S) DC 2.8 GHz
Socket 775 Chipset Intel 945P
Asus Motherboard Name: P5LP-LE
Memory Installed 2 GB (2 x 1 GB)
Hard drive 250 GB SATA 7200 rpm
Western Digital External HD 500 GB
16X DVD(+/-)R/RW (+/-)R DL LightScribe drive
Nvidia Video Graphics GeForce 7300LE 256 MB
Sound/Audio Integrated High Definition audio
Realtek ALC 882 chipset Supports up to 8 audio channels Dolby Pro Logic II compatible

Hi Eddy,

This is very odd, I have never heard of this happening before.

While troubleshooting this you may want to install Erunt to ease the pain of
restoring the registry.
ERUNT - Registry Backup and Restore for Windows NT/2000/2003/XP
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

I would expect something like this to happen if there were a power failure
during the restore process. But this does not seem to be the case.

You will want to make sure the system malware free also.
Virus and Spyware removal and prevention steps:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/spyware.html

You may want to create a HiJackThis and examine it.
If you need help with this go to the following AumHa Forum and read the
Announcement before posting.
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30

Has there been any new hardware or software installed recently?

Are there any Norton applications installed?

Will System Restore complete in Safe Mode?

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org


"Eddy" wrote
> Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.
>
> If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
> proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
> "Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.
>
> Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
> the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
> SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)
>
> It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
> failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.
>
> I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
> the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
> from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.
>
> I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
> rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
> restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
> the same problem arises!
>
> Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?
>
> Eddy.

Hi Eddy,

This is very odd, I have never heard of this happening before.

While troubleshooting this you may want to install Erunt to ease the pain of
restoring the registry.
ERUNT - Registry Backup and Restore for Windows NT/2000/2003/XP
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

I would expect something like this to happen if there were a power failure
during the restore process. But this does not seem to be the case.

You will want to make sure the system malware free also.
Virus and Spyware removal and prevention steps:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/spyware.html

You may want to create a HiJackThis and examine it.
If you need help with this go to the following AumHa Forum and read the
Announcement before posting.
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30

Has there been any new hardware or software installed recently?

Are there any Norton applications installed?

Will System Restore complete in Safe Mode?

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org


"Eddy" wrote
> Using XP Pro, fully updated. Scanned for Viruses, etc, by several scanners.
>
> If I use System Restore to restore to any restore point, it appears to
> proceed normally until the PC reboots, at which point I get a Blue Screen
> "Windows/System32/Config/System file missing or corrupt" error.
>
> Booting to a "Recovery Console" shows that System is indeed missing from
> the Windows/System32/Config/ folder (and also all the other registry hives
> SOFTWARE, SAM, SECURITY, and DEFAULT)
>
> It appears that System Restore has deleted the "old" registry but had
> failed to restore its saved copy of the registry.
>
> I can recover the situation by booting to a Recovery Console and following
> the instructions from the MS KB Q307545 to manually restore the registry
> from the Windows\repair\ backups. The PC then boots ok again.
>
> I have tried turning System Restore off (to flush out all restore points),
> rebooting, and then turning System Restore on again and making a new
> restore point, but if I try to restore to the newly-created restore point
> the same problem arises!
>
> Anyone got any ideas what might be causing this?
>
> Eddy.

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:12:04 -0400 Bert Kinney <bert@NSmvps.org> wrote:

> This is very odd, I have never heard of this happening before.
It certainly is. The first time it happened I assumed it must have been a
corrupted restore point, so chose another restore point (several in fact)
and the same thing happened every time. Flushing all restore points and
starting again with a newly created restore point failed as well.

What I don't really know is, is System restore failing to restore the
registry when a restore point is chosen, or is it failing to back it up
when a restore point is created.

> While troubleshooting this you may want to install Erunt to ease the
> pain of restoring the registry.

I have done that now!

> I would expect something like this to happen if there were a power
> failure during the restore process. But this does not seem to be the
> case.

No, no power failures, lockups, or anything like that. No programs that
might just interfere with SR were left running either.

> You will want to make sure the system malware free also.

Done that with several different scanners (Ad-aware, Spybot, XoftSpy, AVG,
AntiVir and the MS offerings).

> You may want to create a HiJackThis and examine it.
Tried that. Nothing untoward in the HiJackThis log.

> Has there been any new hardware or software installed recently?
No, apart from MS Windows updates, and on HP update (see below).

> Are there any Norton applications installed?
No, nothing, never!

> Will System Restore complete in Safe Mode?
Don't think I tried Safe Mode. Tried so many it's hard to remember...

I originally used System Restore to get rid of an un-installable
(HP/Compaq) update that I did not like. This is when I first found SR was
not working. The PC is now working fine, and I am now a bit reluctant to
attempt an unnecessary SR in case it screws the PC completely.

Eddy.

On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:12:04 -0400 Bert Kinney <bert@NSmvps.org> wrote:

> This is very odd, I have never heard of this happening before.
It certainly is. The first time it happened I assumed it must have been a
corrupted restore point, so chose another restore point (several in fact)
and the same thing happened every time. Flushing all restore points and
starting again with a newly created restore point failed as well.

What I don't really know is, is System restore failing to restore the
registry when a restore point is chosen, or is it failing to back it up
when a restore point is created.

> While troubleshooting this you may want to install Erunt to ease the
> pain of restoring the registry.

I have done that now!

> I would expect something like this to happen if there were a power
> failure during the restore process. But this does not seem to be the
> case.

No, no power failures, lockups, or anything like that. No programs that
might just interfere with SR were left running either.

> You will want to make sure the system malware free also.

Done that with several different scanners (Ad-aware, Spybot, XoftSpy, AVG,
AntiVir and the MS offerings).

> You may want to create a HiJackThis and examine it.
Tried that. Nothing untoward in the HiJackThis log.

> Has there been any new hardware or software installed recently?
No, apart from MS Windows updates, and on HP update (see below).

> Are there any Norton applications installed?
No, nothing, never!

> Will System Restore complete in Safe Mode?
Don't think I tried Safe Mode. Tried so many it's hard to remember...

I originally used System Restore to get rid of an un-installable
(HP/Compaq) update that I did not like. This is when I first found SR was
not working. The PC is now working fine, and I am now a bit reluctant to
attempt an unnecessary SR in case it screws the PC completely.

Eddy.