windows xp and logon problems

OK guys, please don't flame me this is legit. My wifes laptop (Dell Inspiron 2650) has windows xp installed. She downloaded games from cnet today and incorrectly uninstalled some, while installing one that she shouldn't have (doom 95 for windows 95/98). When trying to rebbot she couldn't log in. We got this error: \windows\system32\config\system is misssing or corrupt. I broke out the recovery CD and replaced the \windows\system32\config\system file with same file from restore directory. It would not let me copy the original file, so i simply renamed it.
I tried to reboot and recieved the following error
Lsass.exe error
"when trying to update a password the return status indicates the password is not correct"

Next i tried a full recovery/reinstall from same windows XP cd (original OS for laptop). When it reboots to complete the install, I recieve above error and pc reboots.
I tried to log into recovery console again to restore to original problem and I am prompted for Administrator Password. None of the passwords I use work. Either I forgot it, or it is completely corrupt.

I called Dell and had no luck. Did google searches; no help. Now I am going to the real experts. Is there a way to fix this problem? Is there a way to log in as a different user from the recovery console?(one who's password I know for sure).

Sorry fr the length. Please help...I don't want to reformat, and would like to recieve hero points from my wife. :-). Thanks in advance.

No...not a contradiction. The first repair I tried was from the recovery console, which gives me a command prompt. By recovery/reinstall, I actuall meant I tried to do a repair from the second set of menus on the XP disk. After typing F8 to install, XP setup looked for existing installations anp gave me an option of repairing the existing installation. I believe this method reinstalls the windows files withou formatting the rest of the hard drive.. ....Do I make any sense at all? sorry if I don'tm but I am trying.

Heres something I found shopper.

Quote:

---

1) Boot up with WinXP Pro CD
2) Start the recovery console
3) Restore the 'Security' files as someone already recommended in a previous post on the C:\Windows\Repair to the C:\Windows\System32\Config

---

Source http://www.techimo.com/forum/t40558.html

Also Heres a search from the Microsoft Support Website

http://support.microsoft.com/search/...fxSearch_Query

I had something like this happen to me once. I couldn't get anything to work, so I had to take it to the local computer place. They were able to take the laptop HDD out and put it in another laptop and then copy stuff over to a zip drive (this was YEARS ago). Then I could format/reload the drive.

Personally I think you need to do that anyway, I just don't understand why you can't get the full recovery to work?!?!? If there are things that are really NEEDED, you might want to call around and ask if anyone locally would be able to try something like that.

Just a thought...
~AciD

Thank you all for your help. I ended up installing a second XP install in windows2 folder, and I can recover my data from there! After I backup the files I nedd, I will reformat and reload.

Acid, thanks for the suggestions. As far as why the restore wouldn't work, I think the SAM (Security Accounts Manager) database was damaged or deleted. This is the best SWAG I can come up with based on the reading I did from the links I was sent.

Cheyenne
, Although I was unable to login to the recovery console, I found my solution in the threads you sent me. Thanks a lot! I get hero points from wife!