Laptop with no hardware profiles

[hermes]

Hi all. I have a Compaq Evo N610c laptop 35 gig HD, 2.0ghz, 256 mb ram
with Windows XP Prof sp1a loaded on it and it does not have any hardware
profiles listed (in system properties, hardware tab, hardware profiles
button). This seems strange to me because I have always seen at least one
profile listed (the default one I think xp makes when installed) and I could
always copy or rename it as needed. This is not the same problem where the
name
of the hardware profile is blank as in KB155974. I can tell because I can
still select the blank hardware profile if the above is the case. How do I
go about getting a hardware profile or fixing this? TIA.

 

[hermes]

While listening to the voices in their head blather on endlessly about
inspecific gibberish, hermes typed:
:: Hi all. I have a Compaq Evo N610c laptop 35 gig HD, 2.0ghz, 256 mb
:: ram with Windows XP Prof sp1a loaded on it and it does not have any
:: hardware profiles listed (in system properties, hardware tab,
:: hardware profiles button). This seems strange to me because I have
:: always seen at least one profile listed (the default one I think xp
:: makes when installed) and I could always copy or rename it as
:: needed. This is not the same problem where the name
:: of the hardware profile is blank as in KB155974. I can tell because
:: I can still select the blank hardware profile if the above is the
:: case. How do I go about getting a hardware profile or fixing this?
:: TIA.
::
:: --
:: Hermes

Update: I have tried booting into safe mode, I have tried booting the laptop
both on and off of the dockbay, I have checked the hardware profile info in
the registry (HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control IDConfigDB\
Hardware Profiles\) both subkeys and settings, and everything looks
normal. I was thinking of running sfc next. Any other advice? I feel like
I am starting to bang my head into a brick wall here, lol. Thanks.