I'm probably screwed...

So I had to solder a new plug onto my power chord for my laptop today, and in doing so i missed a stray wire sticking out and when i plugged it in it shorted. well, i fixed that and now when i turn my computer on i get this error: "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM"

I've done alittle bit of searching around and determined that the best way to remedy this would be to attempt to reinstall Windows. Well, herein lies the problem. My CD drive doesnt work. Is there any way to fix this or am I pretty much screwed?

Laptop specs:
Emachines M6810
XP
1278mb RAM
60gb HD
2.0 Athlon 64

 

Boot from USB?

Only alternative I can think of... unless you put the laptop drive in another PC (not mounted, obv.) and install it on the HDD (then put the laptop drivers on when it's still plugged in)?

 

i would go ebay fishing for a semi decent external USB DVD-ROM drive, like this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Slim-External-USB-2-0-DVD-ROM-CD-RW-Combo-Drive-Writer_W0QQitemZ180302306415QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180302306415&_trkparms=72%3A1300|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

(i know nothing about that seller, just an example)

 

oh i hadnt even thought about that. thanks

 

anyone think this might have done any worse damage than corrupt a system file?

 

its possible. I shorted my pc once and it was fine. I remember another thread on here where someone else shorted something and their pc was fine. the only way to know for sure is to attempt a reinstall of windows.
or put in a hard drive that has windows on it.

 

I would just jump for a new cd drive, they're cheap and it's a good idea to have one. But if you put a hard drive with the os already on it into a computer with different hardware, it won't work, it will blue screen or just not load though you'd be able to get past that part. Perhaps your hard drive got physically messed up and is causing that error.

 

That not necessary true but they both have to running similar hardware config. ie same family of cpu

 

You're pretty much screwed as that file holds the HKLM\System part of the registry.

 

yeah ive pretty much come to terms with the fact that im screwed. now I have another question. Ive been readin around and I think im gonna give linux a shot, the ubuntu flavor. do i need to find some way to wipe the hard drive first or can i just install linux with the fubar'd windows still on the hard drive?

 

the ubuntu installer will give you the option to erase your entire disk, or to shrink your windows partition to the size of the data and install on the rest of the disk. if i were you i would run a scan on your disk to check for bad sectors first, no point installing ubuntu just to find that your disk is ****ed.

 

ok thanks

 

You could always load XP on to a flash drive and do a repair install.

 

I've seen that error a few times, and it's usually fixable.

As the above poster says, XP install disk on a flash drive... pray your laptop boots from USB. Then go into repair console and run alllll the available tests! Reboot and you should be ok.

Sorry I'm vague on 'all the tests', but I can't remember which one actually solved it.