XP unable to start due to missing or corrupt SYSTEM file?

Windows XP Home (sp3); fully updated

I've been getting a strange error message/screen when I turn on my computer for the past few months (about Windows unable to start due to a missing or corrupt "system" file). This happens about once every 3 weeks or so.

Luckily I have First Defense-ISR "recovery" software and I boot to a backup system snapshot and copy it over to my existing/primary snapshot and all is good once again. This has saved me on numerous occasions.

However I'm trying to figure out the root of this problem in order to prevent it from happening again. Below is a link to a picture of the error message I receive. Sorry for the poor quality (cell phone camera)

Hopefully someone can trace the cause of this.

Thanks.

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photodv6.jpg

 

There is a full explanation here http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545 Note the guided help download if you can boot to Windows.

However, I'd boot from the XP CD and run a chkdsk before trying all the copying/renaming.

 

Try installing the MS User Profile Hive Cleanup Service

 

Already have the User Profile Hive Cleanup service installed.

 

"Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system "

Unfortunately I do have an OEM-installed XP on my system.

I believe I've ran "CHKDSK /R" from my XP Recovery CD previously, but I'll try it again.

 

If you are having to run chkdsk regularly, you must prepare for the hard disk to fail. Make sure that all your personal data is backed up to an external device.

 

I choose to run chkdsk about once every 2 months, just as a precautionary. I have an image of my snapshot already backed up to an external drive.

 

The registry could be being corrupted by bad ram.

http://www.memtest.org/

Download the ISO, burn it to a CD, boot with that CD and run the test for an extended period of time to confirm.

 

Thanks for your reply. I booted the CD and ran the test. There were NO errors.