"Dell pc with Windows XP Home Edition
when booting up, screen goes black, then reads:

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"

Installing the original Setup disk and rebooting, or pressing 'r' when the above message appears is unsuccessful. This is being sent from a different computer.
Suggestions?
Thanks

i don't know if this is working on xp home,
but try to just go to step three in installation, instead going right to the first 'r' repair.
in this third step of installing xp (you'll see your hdd drive), you'll have the option on repairing the existing system, choose that. it will reinstall all xp system files without altering your configuration.

You do realise that this is the Linux section of the forum?

Not posting in the correct forum section is just wasting your time.

Moved.