Windows will not start up

[topslop1]

Windows could not start becuase the following file is missing or corrupt: <Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

I used a Tweak XP program to defragment my boot.ini and I'm sure that this is the direct result of that.

I've tried to replace a boot.ini but the only thing I have done is cluttered up my boot options menu with 3 or 4 other dead end boot choices. The problem still persists and I'm wondering how I can fix it.

Any help would be muchly appreciated.

Thanks you in advance!

 

[nova2]

move the HD to an external bay or different machine and copy the missing file to it.

or try using one of the ntfs programs from the "ultimate boot cd", to restore the missing file.

else, you could do a repair via the windows xp cd.
note that you will have to reinstall all security patches, and hotfixes.

 

[mrmann14]

lol, that happened to me, but I just reformated.

 

[Aikouka]

Nova2, I'd recommend using the Windows Ultimate Boot Disc rather than its DOS counterpart. But they're right, you could use the Windows Recovery Console (from your XP Install Disc) and simply use the... I believe it's the extract command to extra the file from the CD to your system32 directory.

 

[imported_JFG]

copy ntdectet, ntldr & boot.ini from an identical install to a floppy and boot from that floppy. If you get in run a sfc /scannow

 

[dclive]

^^ Agreed.

Just how would one defragment a one-kilobyte or less textfile?

Unless Microsoft made it, "defrag" and "registry repair" utilities are typically not recommended.

Don't reformat; that's an easy one to repair.

 

[Skott]

I have a similar problem I think. Came in one night and found that the WindowsXP Home has a corrupt file. Get a message that I have a missing or corrupt <Windows root> \system32\ntoskrnl.exe file. The pc tells me to use the repair cd to fix it. I cant get into windows to fix it obviously and the repair cd I have isnt working either because I cant get it to boot into windows to begin with. Basicallly I guess the repair CD cant boot it for whatever reason. When I reboot with it in the drive it does nothing but give me the same corrupt file message. I do know when the pc was working I had no problems with DVD or CDs starting up automatically without a problem. I'm not real good at software but I was looking at my BIOS to see why the repair cd wasnt booting anything. I went to the 'Boot' menu (I'm assuming this is where you go to change the drive boot sequence?) and then went into its sub menu and the sequence goes like this:

1st Boot Device [Removable Device] Not sure what this is. I dont have a removable drive for anything. I do however have a CD Rewritable +/- drive
2nd Boot Device [Hard Drive]
3rd Boot Device [ATAPI CD-ROM]

Do I need to change the 1st Boot Device to the APTI CD-ROM to get the repair cd to work or is this a normal setup configuration? If so, how do I change it? Do I just type it in or does a keyboard key kinda swap/cycle em around when you push a key? I'm a little nervous messing around in the BIOS so havent tried yet. I want to make sure i know how to before I go doing it to avoid a worse mess.

The only drives I have installed in the PC are CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive, CD-Rewritable drive(dont know the brand) and a 80Gb hard drive.

I cant put the hard drive into another pc to copy the missing files so that option is out for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dclive]

Go into the BIOS and make sure the CDROM is first. Typically +/- keys can do this.

 

[Smilin]

in recovery console these commands are your friend for this error:

type c:\boot.ini
map arc
bootcfg

 

[Skott]

Well, I got the recovery disk to read by switching the CD-ROM to 1st Boot Device (Thanks dclive) but when I exit and reboot like it tells me to I get a disk read error but it doesnt say what it is. I'm kinda thinking the the hard drive has a permanent corruption at this point. Only thing I can think of now is try a reinstal of Windows XP and see if that helps. If not then I guess the hard drive is useless.

Smilin, I tried those commands in the recovery console and the \boot.ini command isnt recognized at all. The command list doesnt even show it in fact. The map arc just maps out the drives which looks normal to me. Far as I know anyway. The bootcfg leads to a list of more commands but to be honest I have no clue what to do with them. /scan, /add, /rebuild, /default, /list, /disableredirect, and /redirect are the command choices. It gives a description what they do but again its assuming I know what to do with them which I don't ::chuckle::

Any other ideas? I know hardware pretty good but software is my weak spot. I may need to take it to someone with more experience and know how.

 

[dclive]

Can you be more specific on the disk read error?

Smilin means type the following:
"type c:\boot.ini" --- not type "c:\boot.ini" - see the difference?

Bootcfg /scan and /rebuild is the next step.

However, I would first run a chkdsk /r (given the disk error you say you saw), confirm no errors are found, then reboot, see if anything changed, then do the other steps. It's an easy step to try. (If errors were found, run chkdsk /r again to fix them again until you come up clean.)

 

[Skott]

The message is 'A disk read error occurred Press Ctrl+Alt+De to restart' Which i do but it just repeats every time I do. I didnt type the word 'type' before so i'll try that again and see what I get.

Edit: I ran chkdsk /r and it says, 'The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems.' I'll run chkdsk /r again and see how that goes.

Edit: Am I supposed to reboot after each chkdsk /r because each time I type in the command it just repeats the message, 'The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems.'

Also 'type c:\boot.ini' isnt working. I get the message saying, 'The path or file specified is not valid'. Which tells me I'm not giving the proper command but I'm doing it just like you said to.

 

[dclive]

You have a significant disk issue that chkdsk cannot repair. The other utilities listed are a waste of time until you can get the disk fixed. CHKDSK is saying it cannot recover the NTFS volume on the disk. You can try:

1. Assuming the disk itself isn't bad, find and use another disk utility product.
2. Assuming the disk volume alone is bad, reformatting and reusing the disk.
3. Assuming the disk hardware itself is bad, RMA'ing the disk and getting another.

 

[Skott]

Yeah, I ran chkdsk /r four times and no go. I think my options at this point is a reformat and reinstal of Windows or getting a new hard drive. This pc is a few years old so no warranty on it. Might be a good time to just do a complete and total upgrade on it. Thanks for everyone's help. I do appreciate it.

One last question... MS does allow me to use the existing Windows XP cd to instal in a new/rebuilt pc don't they? I think I have to contact them though to get an activation permission though.

 

[dclive]

If it's OEM, no.

If it's retail, yes.