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A few days ago, I got a virus in my Windows XP Home edition that was redirecting links on my browser. So I ran across a post that directed me to run the AVG virus scanner in safe mode and then to turn off system restore, then restart to normal. I did as directed. I got the blue screen with the code c000021a. In my effort to fix this, I ran across a YouTube video that told me to delete system32\config\system without backing it up!

Now I am getting system32\config\system is missing or corrupted. There it is. Two idiotic advice of which the first was to turn of system restore (which deleted all my restore points) and second was to delete the system file so that we can restore it. But I have no restore points! My files are very important. Here is all that I have tried:

Since I cannot log into Windows, I used my Windows XP installation CD to try to repair my Windows, but it does not even recognize Windows. So I went into recovery mode and it does list Windows.

Now I am trying to make a copy of system.sav and then rename it to system to replace the file. But it says system already exists. So I can't do this either. How do I replace the system file so that I can continue troubleshooting the blue screen?

Also, I have tried bartpe but that does not load up either. It says missing nvgts.sys file.

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Back your data up and then do a clean install of XP

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/

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    That's the best advice in case of virus infection. Better also reformat the disk while doing that.
    – harrymc
    Oct 24, 2010 at 10:30
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Ok, you have dug yourself in to a little hole. Honestly, the first advice about turning off system restore - depending on the situation, isn't that bad.

The second one was bad advice! Can't really see any good doing that in any situation.

The fact that you had a bluescreen after running AVG tells me that it most likely was a serious problem (probably a rootkit or similar), and it took out a bunch of critical files with it.

Now that you have also deleted various system files (and after looking up what that BSOD is), I think the best thing you can do is a repair install of Windows over the top of your current installation as there are most likely other underlying issues yu will face, even if you are able to restore the system files.

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  • There is a repair option with the Windows XP install disc that will just re-install all the core system files and not affect any of the user files, this is what you want to do, it is really your only hope of saving the install. If this fails, you'll still have your data that you can pull off before you do a full install again after. Either way, your data is not lost.
    – MaQleod
    Oct 23, 2010 at 22:58

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