Laptop Registry Corruption help :)

Okay. I've got a laptop here that will not start in safe mode or last good known config.

It's stuck in a boot loop. and gives a stop error 51 code (registry corruption) while trying to boot (blue screen) and then reboots and loops.

Stop 0x00000051: (REGISTRY_ERROR ??)

I remember in the old windows 98 days you could use scanreg to fix up these types of problems. Is there anything that could help me boot up this machine under windows xp home ed?

I've got the compaq restore cds... no xp installation disk. just the (format everything restore cds).

I've used knoppix to see that the HD is fine. But i can't get the files off the drive. I'm going to try to use Samba (serious linux newbie) if all else fails.

Is there anyway to fix up the registry short of reinstalling everything?

Thank you!

Well, actually there is a backup registry that is apparently created when you first install the OS.

Copying the reg files from the repair dir c:\windows\repair\
to
c:\windows\system32\config\
with the recovery console prompt.
Actually did bring the machine around. But I learned about this after wards.

To get the files off the crashed drive, I used knoppix and a usb external mini drive keychain. Knoppix picked up the 256meg drive with no problem and I could copy the ntsf based files off. Later I hooked up my ipod to the laptop's fire wire port and copied larger files off to the ipod's drive.

anyway, a learning experience for me. Knoppix is a nice tool for sure. I'd like to know more about it.