The thing about the sfc /scannow...

Well, I entered my windows cd like it asked me to, but soon thereafter it asked me for the cd again. Possible reasons for this, as it stated, where that the windows on my system and the windows on the cd-rom were not the same version. Could this have something to do with me having installed Service Pack 2 afterwards, manually? It does recognise the cd as being a windows cd, btw. I know this because I also tried inserting a random other cd, which it outright refused.

sfc /scannow is actually my best bet now, since you agree that it the problem must be related to the windows core being somehow contaminated. I wish I could make the cd work somehow...

you can try a windows XP cd with SP2 slipstreamed with it.. lemme try and find some info for you....

here we go: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1626

if sfc doesn't work then the only other probable cause is hardware..