Windows XP Home fails to start even in Safe Mode

This morning my 'Windows XP Home' computer failed to start and stopped at the Windows Flash screen.

I then tried to restart in Safe Mode and this failed ending in two blue screen error messages.

STOP: c0000218 {Registry File Failure}
The Registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot|System32|Config|SECURITY
or its log alternative.
It is Corrupt, absent, or not writeable.

Also...

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

A process or thread crucial to system operation has unexpectedly exited or been terminated.

.......

If you need to use Safe Mode to remove any newly installed hardware or software....etc.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

STOP: 0x000000F4(X00000003),0X827F8130,X0827F82A4,0X80604418)

(THE BEST I CAN REMEMBER OF THE BLUE SCREEN INFO)

Most recently I have been having Malware - Adware problems and recently installed

AVG Anti-Spyware

And previously installed StopZiller and finally un-installed StopZiller before shutting the computer down last night.

I do not have a bootable floppy disk or a full XP system disc (CD) as the normal method of repair is to use the manufacturer's recovery disc.

Any suggestions please to get to a point where I can access the operating system or safe mode to ?repair the registry?

ATHLON 64 3200+ Computer

Thank you.

 

Have you got access to another pc?

Your best approach would be to connect your hard drive to another working pc and copy any data somewhere safe, then replace your hard drive in your pc and do a full manufacturer's recovery.

That way you can also be sure to be rid of the malware.

 

I do not have another desktop PC to use to access the hard drive as a slave unit.

I only have a laptop. I guess I could get a usb / firewire external drive housing but I would prefer to try other option first if possible.

 

You need a way of booting your PC.

You have two choices, if you want to do this yourself, and you may end up loosing all the data on the disk anyway.

A friend with a windows cd

A linux CD.

 

Slight progress from late last night.

I was able to boot the computer using a set of six floppy disks from a download from Microsoft.

I then selected the repair Windows XP option.

The process then failed at the next step "scanning the existing Windows installation" (by failing to detect the hard-disk I believe?).

Previous (black) screen messages have shown messages.
"Checking the file system on F: - The volume is clean.
Checking the file system on C: - The volume is clean."