Re-Install of Windows XP

Hi all. I had a terrible virus happen to me last week. As a result of allowing 2 children to use my computer unsupervised, it decimated my os. After running virus removal programs for two days and finally ridding my puter of it, I restarted my computer and lo and behold, I got an error message that the WINDOWS\System32\config\SYSTEM file was missing or corrupt and to either try a repair or reinstall Windows XP. I decided to upgrade the os to XP Professional since I had to do it anyway. (I tried repair and didn't get anywhere with it) What happened, was that in installing the xp pro, I did it on top of my old xp home and as a result I have my two os systems running together sort of. I have access to my files and all, but it's really hard to find stuff. Is there anything non-destructive that I can do.
B

 

mmmm.. you should post this thread to the 'malware removal' forum and follow the sticky guidelines for help.(if the admins dont do for you, which im sure they will).

Regards

 

when you get to the, install windows on this partition, you need to delete your old partition,at the prompt it will be d to delete L to confirm then enter to use that partition,format and you will have a new clean install. You will need to back up everthing you want to keep. I think a clean install is the only way to go at this point.