Windows System32 Config System Missing or Corrupt, How to Fix?

2 Solutions for \windows\system32\config\system is Corrupt or Missing Problem

• Solution 1: Reboot Windows with Windows Boot Genius (easier to use)
• Solution 2: Use Recovery Console and Safe Mode (a little complicated)

Solution 1: Reboot Windows with Windows Boot Genius

If you want a quicker and more efficient way to fix, here's a Windows boot-up assistant to help you. Windows Boot Genius is a bootable disk that can boot up computer from a bootable CD/DVD/USB when you are encountering booting issues, and fix them, repair corrupted Windows system.

• 1) Prepare a blank CD/DVD/USB which could be used to create a Windows boot CD/DVD/USB from a computer that could boot up normally. This bootable CD/DVD/USB could then be used to boot up the computer that displays the message "\windows\system32\config\system is corrupt or missing".
• 2) Boot the computer from CD/DVD/USB: Insert the boot disk to the computer. Start it and set the boot order to set the CD or USB as the first boot device in BIOS. Press "F10" to save the settings. Then your computer or laptop will reboot automatically, and attempt to login into the Windows which is burned on the boot CD/USB.
• 3) When your computer boots up and display you the interface of Windows Boot Genius, go to "Function Center" on the left of the interface and choose "Registry Recovery". Then follow the wizard on the right to finish the Windows registry repair.

Besides fixing "Windows System32 Config System is Corrupt or Missing" issue, Windows Boot Genius could fix a wide range of computer problems including Windows black screen of death, computer keeps restarting, BOOTMGR is missing error, etc.

Solution 2: Use Recovery Console and Safe Mode

When Windows displays you such message, you could fix the registry corruption by copying the missing and corrupted files from an OS disc using Recovery Console and Safe Mode.

• 1) Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive then restart the computer.
• 2) Click in order to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
• 3)When "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
• 4) If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
• 5) When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
• 6) In Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each of them:
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
• 7) Type exit to quit Recovery Console and your computer will restart.

Windows boot issues happens all the time. I think it would be a safe move to create a Windows start up disk in case you need to use this disk to boot up Windows.