So you tried this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us

Of course you should be able to use your XP Home installation instad of the recovery-console - it should make things a lot easier.

You can try to extract the registry from the folder "System Volume Information" as described in the article above, without having to copy the registry from the "repair" folder first.

Good luck,


Michael

Thanks a lot, Michael! I have not tried what is described in the article but I did already have a look at it and was going to ask anyone on this forum for a second opinion in doing what you just suggested. So much appreciate your 2nd opinion in advance. I will go ahead and do ask you suggest and so what comes of it. Thanks again!

Ben

The first step in the link above requires the winxp cd-rom ! and you left yours home!!
1. Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
This might work worth a try .
Q: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM is corrupt. HELP! (#3546)

A: Your system displays the error message.

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

That means the System Registry Hive has become corrupted.

There are two ways to get back up and running. The easy way which doesn't always work, and then there is the hard way.

Easy Way --- Note that this doesn't always work.
When you are booting your system, press the F8 key during the start of the bootup sequence, meaning after it does the Power On Self Test.

Once you press the F8 key, you will be taken to a Menu. Select "Boot Using Last Known Good Configuration".

It will now attempt to load Windows XP using a past set of configuration files.

If that doesn't work, there is the next step....the hard way.
The hard way is same as described in the microsoft link in above post

this has happend to me before, and i think this is how i fixed it...

when its booting up keep pressing f8 to get to the boot up selection menu. select safe mode and see if it boots up, then try opening restore and go back a week or so.. maybe it will replace the system file...

last easy solution would be to stick that hard drive into another computer as a slave drive and get all your information off it before you format and install...

you might have to reset folder permission settings if you get "not accessable" error when opening your "my documents" folder...

@caperjack

The windows XP - CD in the article above is only necessary to backup the corrupted registry and to copy the registry from the /repair -folder to the /Windows/config - folder! Because Yobo has a 2nd OS installed, he doesn't need to do this!

BTW: you can also use a BartPE-CD in such a case, or semthing similar.




Michael

Hi, I tried what you suggested Michael and I got into my Xp Pro and it is working well with a few small problems, problems which I think are my fault. According to the MS article I followed every step in Part One and then booted straight into XP Pro. I know, I should have first pressed F8 and into Safe mode but i didn't! And so as a result, i think, all I have for restore points is the only one it created after I fixed the system file and booted straight into XP Pro. Even from Xp Home I couldn't find any more restore points but the one created after the fix. So that leaves me with no previous registry entries to restore from. As a result, Disk Defrag won't work and my AVG Free edition is missing the Resident shield engine. AVG I fixed but defrag I can't seem to fix. And there may be other problems I don't yet see.
My question is, is it possible to use one of the system.bak files in the Windows/System32/config folder and rename it just system and copy it over the existing system file(the one I copied from the repair folder)? Would this solve anything or be OK?
I should tell you that in doing Part One of the MS article, I only did it to the system file, not the sam, security, software and default files. Have I messed up here?
Sorry but can you offer any help?
Thanks,
Ben

I have this same error message on my computer. I went to the microsoft support to figure out how to fix it and i am having problems with step 3

1. Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.
2. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.


I get to the recovery console screen and it tells me to select the installation that I want to access. There is only one option so i press 1 and then press enter. after that it takes me to a blue screen that says i have a Bad_Pool_Caller. Please help me,

i currently have the same problem as u when repairing xp back in july when i press r,and then choose 1, I then get the blue screen saying Bad_Pool_Caller...did you manage to fix it? any help would be much appreciated.cheers.

Hello, I have the same problem. I'm running XP Pro on a Toshiba Satellite notebook which is two years old. I've tried most of the suggestions above, and have come to the part where I am told to insert the original setup CD-ROM and select 'r'. Problem is, I don't have this. The computer came pre-loaded with Xp so I don't have an original Set up CD-ROM. I have the following: Product Recovery CD-ROMs 1 and 2, and a Tools and Utilities CD-ROM. Recovery CD-ROM gives me the option of recovering the entire hard drive which I really can't afford to do. I'm notsure what the purpose of the other two disks are, I've never used them before and they aren'tproducing any results now. User manual is unclear. Does anyone know: Which of these disks would contain the missing/corrupt file OR could I get the file from a friend's copy of XP, OR, should I just contact the manufacturer? All help appreciated. I'm sort of new to all this so forgive me if I sound clueless! Thanks a lot.