WinXP Pro - Error "The Event Log File Is Corrupt"

WinXP Pro SP3 - the thread title sums it up, but I've attached some screen shots below to illustrate what I'm talking about. It is only the "System" log that appears to corrupt, and after a reboot, the little red "X" illustrated in the 2nd shot below is gone, but it comes back. I'd like to 'rebuild' the log if possible, but the research I've done tells me that it is more-or-less done for. I have some other issues on this laptop (like random powering off) and I'd like to check the "System" log to see if something there offers a clue. Any insight, advice, or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172156
imagine you have already taken this route, hasn't happened to me yet, but will now have an idea of where to start if it ever does...

 

Thanks, but I've already looked through just about everything over at the Microsoft Knowledge Base, and I'm trying to avoid deleting the file.... I kind of need to look through it for numerous reasons that I won't go in to here and now (too long and boring, and I'm short on time right now LOL ).... thanks again though!

 

Check Star 17's post #2 in this old thread. One or both of his suggestions might help.