Windows XP crash

[Brent55043]

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.

[aRIfA4]

If you have another computer
Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

Burn this in a CD and reset your Admin Password by rebooting the pc from this CD.

Then get the XP R Console and "C:\>chkdsk /r" should help you to fix the problem.

[Brent55043]

I burned that program to a disk and went through the install. I get to the part that asks you to select the partition by number, I select 1. It then says it is mounting it and then I get a message NTFSfs error (device sda2): load_system_files(): $LogFile is not clean. Mounting read-only. Mount in Windows. Then in another box it says MOUNT NTFS FOR WRITING FAILED! If disk is dirty or has unknown flags (see error messages above). Please reboot Windows into Safe Mode and Shut Down Properly Twice then come back here and try again.
Press Enter to continue, but your changes will not be saved.

Any ideas?

[BoneThugz]

Brent I think the drive selection you want to select drive 0 << try that

[Brent55043]

I tried 0 and I get a message
Cannot read /etc/fstab: No Such File or Directory
ERROR: Mount failed! Try select again or another?
I am pretty sure I want to select 1 because it tells me Candidate Windows partitions found:
1: /dev/sda2 33738MB BOOT

[Brent55043]

Can anybody help me out. Please!!!!!!!

[Nickster]

Did you do the "chkdsk /r" command at the command prompt? You have an error on your harddrive, either a physical error or a file system/boot record error.

Your choices are to fix the error or delete the partition during the install setup and create a new one (warning this will delete all data on the drive, games, etc, Poof!).

Nick

[Brent55043]

When I put the XP CD in I can't get the password for the Admin. I have tried everything. Is there anyway I can create an admin user so I can get to the command prompt?

[Nickster]

Hmm, try using F8 while the computer is booting and select Safe Mode with Command Prompt. Think it is still going to want a password though. I

If you have no other account does the system even have a login password? Try leaving the Admin password blank.

[Brent55043]

I have tried leaving it blank and it won't let me in. I did what aRIfA4 said in their post. I went in and it looks like the admin password is blank but it still dosn't allow access.