Can't set pagefile WinXP Home SP2

After a power failure induced disk error (unable_to _mount_boot_volume)
that was fixed with chkdsk from the RC, and a corrupted portion of
registry that was repaired using last known good configuration, this
machine would boot but hang at the loading personal settings phase. A
CTRL-ALT-DEL would continue the start-up, and the desktop would come up.
A message that said the settings for virtual memory were too low and
had been adjusted would be displayed. Upon checking my custom settings
I would find them just as I left them (768 - 1536).

I cannot seem to fix this error.
I have chosen no virtual memory and rebooted to set custom settings
again and rebooted to the same problem.
I have used the RC to try to copy over pagefile.sys so I can delete it,
and have been met with Access Denied for the copy operation.
Of course, pagefile.sys is not found using dir or attrib.
I have even changed the name of the file used for pagefile in the
registry, only to have it work for 1 boot only and the hang and message
re-appears on the next boot.
I have copied the partition to a new drive using Ghost and booted from
the new drive to find the same problem.
The machine is virus and ad / spyware free.

I am very close to smoking the drive and starting from scratch. That is
unless anyone has any ideas?

Oh please have ideas!!!! I don't want to re-load this thing.

Chip

I should also mention that the machine is running as if there is no virtual memory.
.

Relevant Pages

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