Did you really read my comments, I was talking about Vista and not XP, and the German version of Vista too. That Disk I linked to is a Vista recovery CD, a substitute if you do not have access to Startup and Recovery options in Vista, not XP.
Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download
"No. CP will offer to change the language and then fail since th image's Language Packs are not installed"
In the German version, can you unhide Windows Updates that are hidden, and get a list of available updates, and select the language pack for English? Hopefully Windows Update will then install it for you.
"Log into the German versions and the drives are completely re-mapped with different files, permissions, Dir trees, etc."
This is why I submitted those links about Access Denied and Taking Ownership. They apply equally to Vista or XP.
"telling me to remove CD's from the drive or run fixmbr."
The only link that might have mentioned that was clearly preceded by my comment
"This is just a bit of info, (a guide if you like), although XP related. Just look at the Causes mentioned. Cause 1, is what you probably experienced with the USB, Cause 2 is the more common cause of problems like this. The rest of the article is not Vista applicable but still worth a glance.
I emphasize the "Just look at the Causes mentioned" and "The rest of the article is not Vista applicable but still worth a glance". In other words I wanted to refer you to the causes, not the XP solutions. A recommendation to "glance" is hardly a recommendation to apply the information for XP to Vista, especially as it was clearly stated that it does not apply to Vista.
As to FixMbr, the Vista equivalent of that XP command is covered in this Vista article -
How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista
Yes, if you THINK you have gone past the booting stage then it would be unnecessary in those circumstances and the cause will be elsewhere, but what is the harm in knowing about such tools for future reference?
The above mentioned "Windows Recovery Environment" being accessed by the Startup Repair option (which you say you don't have) OR the Disc for downloading that I tried to get you to at least look at.
These tools are also available in the "Windows Recovery Environment".
How to use the Command Prompt in the Vista Windows Recovery Environment
Using System Restore from the Vista Windows Recovery Environment
Ben as offered some good ideas and possible solutions for you.