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My computer crashed with the message:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE

I tried the "last known configuration" by pressing F8--to no avail.

So, I tried this in the recovery console:
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

But it did not work. First, it says that the file "md tmp" already exists. But it lets me continue anyway. Here is where it gets screwy, when I type
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
and hit ENTER
it gives me the blue screen of death and I cannot continue with recovery.

I get the message stop 0x000000024

Any good ideas on what I need to do?

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Member Avatar for DrWhitey

Actually, this worked.

Type cd system32\config , and then press ENTER.

Type copy c:\windows\repair\system , and then press ENTER

Thanks for your input!

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