I am using a Windows XP laptop and having problems. My Internet Explorer homepage was recently hijacked. So stupid me downloaded a Spyware search and destroy program off the internet to try and correct the problem. Now when I turn my computer on I get the Windows XP screen and the the Blue Screen of Death pops up. The error message reads
Stop: C0000218 {Registry File Failure}.
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\Systemroot\system32\config\SOFTWARE
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable.
Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator
I did a search on Microsoft and found that error message listed. I inserted the Windows XP startup disk and got to the recovery console. When it asked for the Admin password I tried every password that I could think of and also left it blank and nothing worked. Does anybody have any ideas on what I can do? If possible I would like to try and fix this without shelling out a ton of money.