Microsoft Access could not find file C:\windows\system32\system.mdw

Problem
You receive the error ‘Microsoft Access could not find file C:\windows\system32\system.mdw’ when trying to open up Microsoft Access

Reason
The problem is down to permissions to the mdw file, the system.mdw file is a security file in access, this has most likely gone wrong if someone has modified or deleteted the system.mdw file.

Solution
1) Go to C:\Windows\System32\ and search for system.mdw, if it exists rename it to system.mdw.backup
2) Run program wrkgadm.exe
3) Click Create
4) Change the worgroup ID to either your workgroup name or domain name
5) Click OK
6) Click Join (Not always neccesary but worth doing)
7) Select your system.mdw file
8) Open Up Microsoft Access

Ctrl-Alt-Del in Hyper-V and RDP

Periodically I have to look this up again, so I’m putting it here for future reference and for anyone else who needs it.
To send Ctrl-Alt-Del to a remote desktop (RDP) session, press Ctrl-Alt-End.
To send Ctrl-Alt-Del to a virtual machine when you are RDP’d into the Hyper-V host, press RtCtrl-Del. You must use the right-hand control button.

\windows\system32\config\system is corrupt

Perform the System Restore Inside the Recovery Console type the following commands to change the directory to the system restore directory:

cd \ cd system~1

If you get an Access Denied error:click here
If you don't get an Access Denied error :

cd _resto~1

If there is no _resto~1 folder or if there are no restore points inside it:click here

If the _resto~1 folder exists, inside it there are several folders named RP1, RP2. These are restore points. RP1 is the oldest restore point. You can use

dir

to view what RP folders are available. If no restore points are available click here. Otherwise choose the most convenient RP folder. Supposing we have RP3 available let's type in:

cd rp3

Change the directory to snapshot:

cd snapshot

Restore the main registry branches. If you are being asked if you want to overwrite type in y to agree.

copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software The following commands are most of the time optional however the process might not work if they are not executed copy _registry_machine_security c:\windows\system32\config\security copy _registry_machine_sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam copy _registry_user_.default c:\windows\system32\config\default

Type exit to reboot the system. Start the computer normally

NTLDR is missing

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Restoring the NTLDR and Ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD usually takes less than 15 minutes
Here's How:

1. Enter Windows XP Recovery Console.
2. When you reach the command prompt (detailed in Step 6 in the link above), type the following two commands, pressing Enter after each one:
   

   copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\
   

   copy d:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
   

   In the command listed above, d represents the drive letter assigned to the optical drive that your Windows XP CD is currently in. While this is most often d, your system could assign a different letter. Also, c:\ represents the root folder of the partition that Windows XP is currently installed on. Again, this is most often the case but your system could be different.
3. If you're prompted to overwrite either of the two files, press Y.
4. Take out the Windows XP CD, type exit and then press Enter to restart your PC.
   Assuming that missing or corrupt versions of the NTLDR and/or Ntdetect.com files were your only issues, Windows XP should now start normally.