Cannot find 'MsConfig' in Windows XP

Hello tombutler06,

In an effort to focus more attention on your particular situation, I am going to split your post into a new thread.  Splitting threads are done to mitigate confusion caused by more than one posting about similar   topics, allowing us to focus on each customer individually.

The original thread where you posted was:

Windows can't find my msconfig file. How do I find or get it back to diagnose problems?

The path to the MsConfig.exe file in Windows XP is:

%System%\Windows\PCHealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe

Starting in Windows Vista and Windows 7 the path is:

%System%\Windows\System32\msconfig.exe

You can run SFC /scannow now to replace the file if you have the Windows XP installation discs.

Click on the following KB article for assistance.

KB Article ID: 310747 - Description of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 System File Checker

(Sfc.exe)

If you don't have the installation discs,  you might be able to copy the msconfig.exe file from another Windows XP computer and paste on your computer.

Just right click that msconfig.exe file you downloaded and choose "Copy", Now go into Windows Explorer, and open the C:\Windows\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries folder and in the right pane right click an empty area and choose "Paste". This will place a copy where it belongs.

Let us know if this helps.

Marilyn

If you typed 'msconig' as in the body of your post, then that's why it won't run ;-)

Have you done a Search on your boot drive for msconfig? If it's nowhere to be found, then someone/something deleted it, possibly malware of some sort.
If Search does find it, copy it into the C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries folder.

SC Tom

HI

This is the error message i get.

Windows cannot find 'msconig' , Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the start button, and then click search.

My Laptop is a Dell inspiron 6400

With service pack 3.

and yes i am the administrator.

Additional post:

The only thing in binaries is a file called uploadm.

How do i re-install the files, i have autoruns but when i use it, it mucks up with my wireless adaptor even though i don't disable the wireless adaptor.

Hi again, it asks me for my windows xp professional cd but i only have a windows xp home edition sp2 cd does this matter?

There should be more files than that...  and I don't know what uploadm is either.

It could be that your system has a malicious software infection or your unspecified antimalware/antivirus application has quarantined (effectively deleted) the files.

If your msconfig.exe is missing, running sfc /scannow will not replace it.  That is not what sfc /scannow does, that is not how it works and that is not what it is for.

Plus, and as usual, the Microsoft "experts" never mention that you are going to need a genuine bootable XP installation CD with Service Pack 3 on it or sfc /scannow is going to complain - alot.  Most people do not have such a thing and even if you did have one, running sfc /scannow will still not help you.

I uploaded a copy of the XP Pro SP3 file you need to my SkyDrive (everybody has a SkyDrive for sharing files).

You can download it and when you do, put a copy of the file in these folders (assuming Windows is installed on your C drive):

c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries

c:\windows\system32\dllcache    (that is where XP keeps backup copies of important files).

Here is the link to my SkyDrive and you can look for the file you need there:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=6a7e789cab1d6f39&id=6A7E789CAB1D6F39!311

When you see the files available for download, you may not see the file extension (.exe, .dll, .cpl, .sys, .zip, etc.), but when you download them they will have the correct extension.

When you download the file (especially if you use Internet Explorer), when you get a chance to save the file, your browser may not save the file with an extension (like .exe, .dll, .cpl, .sys, .zip, etc.) so you will have to manually add the proper extension to the file when you download the file before you save it.

You can download the file with no extension and then rename the file to add the proper extension.  You don't want to try to use a file called msconfig when the file name really needs to be called msconfig.exe (if the downloaded file has no extension you will have to change the name of the file to add the proper extension to get it to work.

You then need to put the downloaded files in the correct folders on your system.

If you are missing all the other files, you could copy that folder content from a working system onto your system, or if somebody has the time and inkling, they could zip of their binaries folder and you can download it, but you may have other issues besides that.

Dear:  <Insert Microsoft Support Engineer Name Here>:

Running sfc /scannow will not replace the missing msconfig.exe file.

Why don't you learn what sfc /scannow does and doesn't do?

That is not what sfc /scannow does, that is not how it works and that is not what it is for and here is a test so you can see for yourself how sfc /scannow does work.

Here is a simple test for you and all your Support Engineer colleagues:

I implore you to run this simple test to learn how sfc /scannow works:

Boot your system in Safe Mode or the Recovery Console so Windows File Protection is not running.

For this example, let's use the critical system file msconfig.exe.

Rename or delete your c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe file so the file is now "missing".

That is a critical file, right?  It is on the list of 3498 file that Windows File Protection and SFC knows about but now it is missing.

If Windows File Protection was running, the "missing" file would be quickly and silently replaced (try renaming or deleting it in normal mode and it will be quickly and silently replaced).

Now, with your msconfig.exe missing, boot into Normal mode and try to open the System Configuration Utility and you will see the error that the file is missing (now you have reproduced the error):

Follow you own advice and run sfc /scannow to completion.

The msconfig.exe is still missing, right?  Did running sfc /scannow replace the missing  critical system file?  No it did not.

How can that be if sfc /scannow is supposed to replace missing system files?  That is because that is not what sfc /scannow does.

Now you know what sfc /scannow does not do.  It did not replace your missing system file (be sure to put your msconfig.exe back so you will have one).

Now navigate to c:\windows\system32\dllcache and delete or rename the msconfig.exe file from there - and it will stay gone and not be automatically replaced since Windows File Protection does not look after that folder.

Run sfc /scannow to completion again.

The missing msconfig.exe file in the dllcache folder will be replaced, since that IS the folder that sfc /scannow looks after for missing files.

Now you know what sfc /scannow does do.