Is my PC fried beyond all hope?

[The Burgomaster]

We blew a fuse in the computer room at home and my computer was running at the time.  After the fuse was fixed, I tried to restart my PC and I got this message:  "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt \windows\system32\config\system."  I tried running a repair function, but it popped up many messages (maybe 100 or more) stating various files (such as H:\windows\system32\wmpmps.dll) cannot be recovered."  As a last resort, I ran a full recovery using my recovery CDs.  I finally got the system up and running again in its original "out of the box" condition (but I obviously lost all my saved Word, Excel, etc., files).  I was able to connect to the Internet and everything seemed to be working fine.  I downloaded a few things like current versions of iTunes and Internet Explorer.  Then I shut down for the night.  This morning, I tried to boot up again and I seemed to be in an endless loop between the Windows start screen and a screen asking me if I wanted to start in normal mode, safe mode, etc.  No matter what I selected, the system would not proceed . . . it just kept bouncing back and forth between these two screens.  Eventually, I got a blue screen that said, "Disable/uninstall antivirus, disk defrag or back-up utilities, check hard drive configuration, and check for updated drivers.  Run chkdsk/F to check for hard drive corruption, then restart."  However, I could not exit this screen and I ended up just shutting down again.  Just before I left my house this morning, I used the recovery CDs again to attempt another full recovery.  When I left for work, the recovery CD was still running.  My bottom line question is, have I fried my computer beyond all hope?

[trekgeezer]

Sounds like the power jolt scrambled your hard drive.   Probably the worst thing that could've happened that your hard drive got fried, if it's not the restore disks will probably take care of it.

[ghouck]

Yep, sounds like a hard drive issue, but it's possible it's the memory. Fortunately, both have come way down in price in the past several years. I might even have a hard drive that will work for you laying around if you need it.

[Andrew]

I agree with the two gents.  A bad shutdown can mess up Windows, but a factory restore disk should fix that.  If not, then it could be the hard drive, memory, power supply, or motherboard.  The first I'd try fixing is the hard drive - selective interchange there.  Ditto on the memory.

[venomx]

... and I agree with the 3 above.

It sounds like a spiked hard drive. If you did a full system recovery and still get that error it's a hard drive conflict.

Keep us updated, goodluck.

[The Burgomaster]

I tried several full recoveries and they didn't work.  The IT guy here at work also thinks I'm out of luck and he's making some suggestions for a new PC.  Oh, well.