NEED HELP! - Computer Crashed

[wxmann_91]

Can someone help me? I tried to start my computer but it couldn't start. This is what it said:

Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced startup options for Windows 2000, press F8.

You can repair this file by starting Windows 2000
Setup using the original setup floppy disk or CD-ROM
Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair.

It would suck if the computer couldn't be restarted (I've thousands of pics of weather stuff inside it). As far as I know I don't know where the boot disk is (I'd hate to ask my parents for it and I don't think that they have it anyway), and I haven't backed it up.

Thanks.

[wxmann_91]

Over an hour and only 5 views (one of them by me), gosh is this forum that unpopular?

Anybody???

I've had to use my parent's computer to go to this forum and it is quite awkward, I know they are suspicious.

[chadtm80]

here are some things I found doing a google search..

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Wi ... C+press+F8

if the computer you are on now is windows 2000 as well you can make a boot up disk off of that puter

[arkess7]

man sorry i would love to help but dont have the info?

[O Town]

The link Chad gave seems to have all the info you need to figure this out. Did you try pressing the F8 key like the on screen message said? If it will reboot by doing that then you can find a restore point to go to. A point your computer saves before it was messed up. I don't know. I know why there hasn't been many responses. People hate to give you the wrong info. and have something worse happen. I feel like thats why I don't want to say to much either. But it seems like if you go to that link above you should be able to figure this out. Good luck!

[wxmann_91]

The link Chad gave seems to have all the info you need to figure this out. Did you try pressing the F8 key like the on screen message said? If it will reboot by doing that then you can find a restore point to go to. A point your computer saves before it was messed up. I don't know. I know why there hasn't been many responses. People hate to give you the wrong info. and have something worse happen. I feel like thats why I don't want to say to much either. But it seems like if you go to that link above you should be able to figure this out. Good luck!

I tried but it doesn't work.

BTW thanks for the link Chad. But man is that a lot of steps. Oh well I'll just ask for help from parents.

[wxmann_91]

Just one question - if the system hive is reinstalled, will all the previous files get deleted?

Any computer-savvy people here?

Thanks again.

[kevin]

If everything else fails...

http://www.redhat.com/

[wxmann_91]

I also want to add in the twist that I heard something like tapping sounds (loud) or something in my computer and then right as I heard it it froze and crashed. And then I had to reboot it, and then it went back to normal until the sounds came back. These sounds have been plaguing me since a few months ago, coming back every few days and to the point where I couldn't even finish starting without hearing the sound. These sounds were present this morning up to the point at the sentence above. What are these sounds? I've listened and it comes from the floppy drive.

???

[chadtm80]

well first make sure you do not have a floppy in the drive.. Second if you heard clicking sounds it may mean you have a bad Hard Drive

[kevin]

Yes and if you can get windows opened up, immediately save all you can in the way of data.

[wxmann_91]

Yes and if you can get windows opened up, immediately save all you can in the way of data.

I definately agree with that.

well first make sure you do not have a floppy in the drive.. Second if you heard clicking sounds it may mean you have a bad Hard Drive

Well my dad built my computer up from scratch so maybe he did it wrong.

Does anybody here know a member who is really computer-savvy and knows how to do this stuff? I've gone through pages of Google and every link tells me something different. One tells me that you can just start up using a registry thing and not have to do any fix. Another says that you can just replace the System hive. Others say there's a hotfix for it. Got no idea.

[HurriCat]

This is one of those times to "call the man", meaning take your machine to a pro. A good shop or "tech guy" can still save stuff off of even a "bad" hard drive. Of course this is will cost a few bucks, but what's the choice? If you mess around too much on your own, you might make the data beyond retrieval. Also, if the drive is shot, you're just wasting time, anyways. The clicking/tapping does sound like a drive getting ready to roll-over.

I've gotten into the habit of constantly burning stuff onto CDRs. I keep all of my pictures and text files (My Documents) backed up about every two weeks or so.

This way, at least if you suddenly lose your system, at least you'll have the bulk of your "keepers" saved.

[wxmann_91]

This is the method I'm using:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3BEN-US%3B306038

1. Start the computer by using the Windows Setup floppy disks or the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press R to repair, and then press C to start the Recovery Console.
2. Type the number for the appropriate Windows installation, and then type the Administrator account password.
3. To copy the SYSTEM file from the WINNT\Repair folder to the WINNT\System32\Config folder, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
copy c:\winnt\repair\system c:\winnt\system32\config\SYSTEM
. If you receive a prompt to overwrite the file, press Y, and then press ENTER.
4. Restart the computer.

But when I get to Step 3 and type the command, it says that "the command is not recognized". Does anybody know why? Is it because I don't have a repair folder?

As always thanks.

[TexasSam]

It sounds like the hard drive crashed, and that sound you hear is the heads inside hitting a crack in the hard drive. If that is the case then it, and everything on it is toast.
Easy to find out take the cover off, put your finger on the drive, and turn it on. If you feel it then bad news.

[WindRunner]

This is the method I'm using:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3BEN-US%3B306038

1. Start the computer by using the Windows Setup floppy disks or the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press R to repair, and then press C to start the Recovery Console.
2. Type the number for the appropriate Windows installation, and then type the Administrator account password.
3. To copy the SYSTEM file from the WINNT\Repair folder to the WINNT\System32\Config folder, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
copy c:\winnt\repair\system c:\winnt\system32\config\SYSTEM
. If you receive a prompt to overwrite the file, press Y, and then press ENTER.
4. Restart the computer.

But when I get to Step 3 and type the command, it says that "the command is not recognized". Does anybody know why? Is it because I don't have a repair folder?

As always thanks.

Be sure you are using the backslahes when you do that. I know that could be one reason why it won't take that.

[wxmann_91]

Yes, and two days later, it still won't work.

[hack]

Never dealt with this exact problem before but i'm pretty good at troubleshooting these types of things.

You can reinstall the operating system without losing any files, as long as you don't format the hard drive in the process.

Try reading: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=269075

Either way, you're going to need the Windows 2000 cd (either to repair the OS or reinstall it). So I'd advise you to find that cd

[wxmann_91]

Right now I've given up, I'm reinstalling everything, I am currently copying all my files.

[angelwing]

wxmann_91, after you reinstall your system and it still clicks then it's the hard drive, this had happened to me and I lost 100 gigs. Needless to say I back up everything now!