What is wrong with my computer?

My computer has always worked great. It is a Notebook-Model # Presario 2200(PMO45UA#ABA Procesor type-Intel (R) Celeron (R) MCpu Speed 1.40 GHz Bios Versoin F.10. I know it is not the newest of computers, but like I said Has always worked great. One day when I went to turn it on I got the screen that said

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

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.

I don't have the CD? WHat action can/should I take? Is there any way I can retrieve important file I have saved?

Thank you

What is wrong with my computer?kawasaki

Windows has been corrupted by ad software on the system. Don't put bad software on your 'puter. Compaq should give you a free CD, most other mfgrs' do. Ask them to walk you through a "repair install" or to get to recovery console to do a "scandisk sfc" or a "checkdisk r". If not, come back online and we'll walk you through it. Your compac has a "hidden partition" which has a clean copy of your OS. Ask compaq for the sequence of keys that will get you there. That will return your computer to the way it came form the factory. you'll lose all your data, but you'll have a working system if they wont give you the CD. Again, dont put bad software on your system.