What the....

[Phoenix]

f*** has someone done to my laptop. It won't start up windows but instead I get a message saying

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt

windowssystem32configsystem
You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows setup using the original setup cd-rom.
select 'r' at the first screen to start repair"

Now I don't know anything about computers other that I switch it on and it starts everything itself so what do I do now? Any cd that came with the laptop is about 100 miles away so I am not able to get it.

Is there anything else I can do? I really, really needed it for work tomorrow.
Obviously I have used my neighbours pc for this so any help would be very, very much appreciated.

In the meantime I will go and find the lazy layabout who has probably done this whilst I have been away.

Lesson learnt, don't every lend anyone my laptop again.

[arcturus]

Basically you have a corrupt registry. This can happen for a number of reasons and may not be the fault of the person who borrowed the laptop.

Full instructions on how to repair it are given here: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

The procedure works - I have done it many times. You will just need to borrow a startup cd for the same flavour of windows from somewhere.

>> Edited by arcturus on Thursday 12th August 20:01

[Phoenix]

reading through the procedures this is starting to get a bit too complicated for me so is there anyone in the Nottingham area available who has a disk and can do this for me?

Would much rather pay someone who knows what they are doing rather than me getting in a mess.

[Phoenix]

Looks like I am totally buggered.

I have searched everywhere and cannot find any disks for the laptop, including a 260 mile round trip to check at the other property as that's where I thought they would be. Although I cannot remember having got them in the first place, but at least it gave me a few hours of fun in the new car.

My partners pc and my neighbours pc didn't come with any disks, and thier manuals state that you must make your own recovery disks.

Maybe time for the laptop to have a flying lesson through the window, or some pre-season football training.

Help. What the hell do I do now. I don't know anyone else in this area who can help, or is it just a case of taking it into a local repair shop. If so can anyone recommend one in the Nottingham area.

Confused, angry, fed up, unable to do any work of Nottingham

[arcturus]

I would say a local repair shop is the only option but be careful they don't try and con you into a complete windows reinstall which may result in your data being wiped depending on how they do it.

A reinstall is completely un-necessary in this case. The repair should take about 20-30 mins if they haven't done it before.

Sorry but don't know anyone in that area. Good luck.