ntoskrnl missing or corrupt

Hi,
I have yet to attempt any fixes, etc, etc but before I do I wanted to attempt to get my ducks lined up beforehand...A few days ago I upgraded a computer that had Windows 98 to Windows Xp...Now the computer is displaying "ntoskrnl is missing or corrupt "...The family did not install, download or remove anything and all has been well with the upgrade and now they can not get it to bootup past the error message...

The question (aka ducks) is, in my reading up on the steps to reinstall that file, I also have come across what I believe is options...I am not sure if I should do:
(1) sfc /scannow first or, (2) chkdsk /r or, (3) BOOTCFG /Rebuild or, (4) Last known good configuration...The primary thing to attempt is to Insert the Windows Xp CD, go to the Recovery console, press R for repair and do the instructions provided but after I came across the other info I am now not sure on which to do first...The last thing I want to do is complicate matters.

 

Follow the order in this thread.

 

Hi,
Thank you for all that information, it was interesting...I will try the reinstall first from the recovery console and it seems fair game to consider doing: (1) sfc /scannow after and maybe even (2) chkdsk /r to finalize it all...If I am correct with those thoughts, I will post back the results later this evening.

 

Microsoft KB suggestions:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314477

Like others have suggested, using Recovery Console and 'fixboot' is my own preference. If you follow these instructions XP will rewrite fresh copies of HAL.DLL, NTOSKRNL and other files required at boot:

Access Recovery Console.

At the command prompt, type "Bootcfg /Rebuild" (without the quotes) and hit enter. Windows will then scan the hard drive, looking for valid Windows installs and startup information.

The exact verbiage will depend on your setup, but after a few moments you'll see a prompt that says something like:


Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
[1] C:\Windows
Add Installation To Boot List?


Assuming the information you see is correct, enter "Y" for yes, and Bootcfg will start the process of rebuilding the boot list to include the indicated Windows installation. Along the way, it will repair most "Missing or corrupt HAL.DLL," "Invalid Boot.Ini," "Windows could not start...," and similar errors.

After a moment, you'll be asked to "Enter Load Identifier." This is the name of the operating system that will appear in boot menus. For consistency with the standard nomenclature used by Microsoft, enter "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" without the quotes and hit enter.

Next you'll be asked to "Enter OS Load Options." For normal installations, enter "/Fastdetect" (without the quotes) and hit enter.

In most cases, that's all it will take. You can type "Exit" to leave the Recovery Console and reboot the PC, which should then start normally.

But if you wish, or in cases where you suspect a problem with the boot sectors on the hard drive (as with problems in a dual- or multi-boot system that's become unstable, or where a third-party boot manager may have run amok), you can run Fixboot from the command line (without any parameters) prior to exiting the Recovery Console. This will write a new partition boot sector to the default drive.

After running fixboot, type Exit to leave Recovery Console.

 

Hi,
Thank you very much, appreciate your assistance and info...At the beggining of my post on this, I mentioned one of the options you later outlined in detail for me about the "BOOTCFG /Rebuild" as the choice I will persue...I've done alot of research on this and for a problem that appears to happen without just cause sure has it's own challenges within...I will post back win or lose this evening...

 

Hi,
Things did not go as expected or atleast what I prayed for...Here is the steps and results:
(1) Booted up the computer with the XP CD, followed the steps to start the repair process, and when I typed in: expand cd i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:Windows\System32\ntoskrnl it gave 'the file name,directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect...
(2) I repeated the above after a few minutes of figuring out how to get to the proper cd-rom drive...Then it was attempted in D:/Drive and E:/Drive with the same results.
(3) Followed that up with C:\Windows "chkdsk" and it found one or more errors in the volume.
(4) Attempted to do "bootcfg /rebuild" and it "failed to successfully scan disk for unknown installation. This error may be caused by corrupt file system which will prevent bootcfg from successfully scanning. Required chkdsk be done before bootcfg could rebuild.
(5) chkdsk /r was done next and completed.
(6) fixboot was also done and the boot sector was successfully written.
(7) Safe Mode was accessed but for what it was worth, I clicked on "Last known good Configuration" and it returned right back to the original error message about the ntoskrnl corrupt or missing.
(8) Put the XP CD in again, went to the repair console, and change directory to to D:/Drive and E:/Drive again and typed in the commands per the instructions and it said "access denied "
(9) Attempted one last try at "bootcfg /rebuild" since the "chkdsk" was done and completed and it said "file name, directory name or volume label syntax is incorrect "...
I stopped doing any thing else at this point because it was obvious I was either missing a command or parameter and until I could get back here and post what I have done, everything else was unknown to me...Patiently awaiting further instructions...

 

In Recovery Console you do not need to reference your CD drives as you are doing.

For example,
expand cd i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:Windows\System32\ntoskrnl

Is not right. If your CD drive is D: you would type:
expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ c:\Windows\System32\notoskrnl

Note two important differences:
the "cd" statement is gone, and ntoskrnl.ex_ is now properly and fully pathed.

Your target pathing was missing a "\" after C:

=================

You should leave the default drive at C:

 

Hi,
As always, thank you and below I wanted to show you what I was trying to type in which was not the same but for general principle wanted to show you:

(1) C:\Windows expand cd-rom\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:\Windows\System32

(2) D: expand i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:\Windows\System32

(3) E: expand i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:\Windows\System32

I may have tried a few other various ways using similiar but your post on typing "expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl" was not attempted as is...I will post back this weekend on your recommendation, win - lose or draw...Thank you

 

I apologize for remaining confused. None of these statements is syntacticly correct.

In Recovery Console "expand" is a native utility and requires no pathing.
So, rewriting:

(1). This statement is impossible as written above.
(2). expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ c:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl.exe
(3). expand E:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ c:\Windows\System32\ntoksrnl.exe

Note:

• There is no Path prefix for the Expand command;
• The \i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ portion refers only to the XP CD and not drive C:
• You must full path and provide the full filename on the target:
  C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl.exe

In the alternative, you can use this floppy boot image utility that can repair ntoskrnl.exe, HAL.DLL and NTLDR missing errors: http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm

 

Hi,
If anything, I find this all challenging and the experience of a lifetime...I think after reading up on downloading the fix onto a floppy will be the ideal trick unless you wish I try that as a secondary step to what you previously suggested...

 

I would use the steps discussed in my earlier post #4.
Note that no changing of drive letters should be done.

bootcfg is a native utility of Recovery Console.

 

Hi Bill,
This may be a little lengthy but I will try to cut the corners where I can. This afternoon I attempted the following and here are the results:
(1) After entering the Repair console I typed in the following:
"expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl "
GOT THE FOLLOWING REPLY:
"The system can not find the file or directory specified "
(2) Attempted the same using the Erive and got the same message as above...
(3) Then tried again but typed in "Bootcfg /Rebuild and got the following:
Error: Failed to successfully scan disks for Windows Installation. This
may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg
from successfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any disk errors.
(4) Did chkdsk and got this message when finished:
"Volume appears to be in good condition and was not checked. Use P
if you want to check the volume anyway "...
(5) Tried doing Fixboot and recieved the following:
"The new boot sector was successfully written "

*** Rebooted computer and the same error message about the corrupt or
missing ntoskrnl appeared once again...

(6) Attempted Bootcfg /Rebuild again...got the same message as the first.
(7) Attempted to reinstall the file again as in the above steps 1 and 2 using the F and G in place of the d: and E drive and same problem.
(8) Rebooted the computer
(9) I figured at this point I had nothing to lose or maybe even gain by doing by going thru the setup steps of Windows Xp (not sure if it would of been a recommended procedure at this point and time but nothing lost and nothing gained). The following appeared on screen:
"Please insert one of the following Windows product CD Rom drive-
Windows Xp Home Edition (Full Version), Windows Xp Professional (Full
Version), Windows 2000, Windows Millennium, Windows 98, Windows NT
Workstation 4.0, Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 3.5
- Then the CD is in the drive, press enter
- To quit setup, press F3
I pressed enter since the Windows Xp Home Edition (Upgrade) was still in the CD Rom and it said:
"Setup could not read the CD you inserted, or the CD is not a valid
Windows CD "...

At this time I exited, and shut the computer down...

 

In the alternative, you can use this floppy boot image utility that can repair ntoskrnl.exe, HAL.DLL and NTLDR missing errors: http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm

I agree you are getting mixed signals. What concerns me is that it appears as if you are missing your Windows installation and respective folder.

In other words, "expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl "
fails because C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl does not exist, or you did not put a space after d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ and before C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl.exe
(note, you still are missing the .EXE at the end of the line from your report.)

What happens when in Recovery Console you type dir D: ?
What happens when in Recovery Console you type dir E: ?
What happens when in Recovery Console you type dir F: ?

One of those commands should work and return the directory of the CD in the CD Rom drive. That is the drive letter we want.

Now do this:

dir c:\windows

Does that work? Do you see a listing of files? If not, does this work:

dir c:\winnt

Whichever works, please write down.

Now to save typing in Recovery Console:

D: (pick the drive letter discovered earlier)
CD \i386

C:
CD \Windows\System32 (or \Winnt\System32 if that proved earlier to be correct)

expand d:ntoskrnl.ex_ (space here) ntoskrnl.exe

Final steps:

C:
CD \
chkdsk /r /p This will take a while

bootcfg /rebuild (Yes, lets try this one again now)

Whatever you do, a new installation of XP is likely not required to resolve your issue.

 

Hi,
Thank you...Your patience is incredible and greatly appreciated...I finally brought the computer home to my house to work on...Going back and forth was time consuming and had to be done at the convience of the family due to work schedules, etc...I will work on it tomorrow and post back.

 

Hi,
Okay, hopefully I followed your directions completely, even though the end results were not in my favor once again:
(1) After entering the recovery console I typed in the following:
expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_(space)C:\Windows\System32\ntoskrnl
Results: The parameter is not valid
(2) Second try, did the same but added .exe at the end >same results
(3) At the C:\Windows (typed in chkdsk /r /p
Results: Completed (after several minutes)
(4) At the C:\Windows (typed in bootcfg /rebuild
Results: Failed
(5) At the C:\Windows (typed in same steps as in step 1 using D / E / F
Results: Command not recognized

Note: I have three computers set up at my home, used one to bring your instructions up on the screen so I may follow them as best as I could and for some reason either I once again missed the boat on something or I am missing a step that will take me to Hollywood...Please advise...Will attempt again this evening...Thanks

 

You likely cannot do an bootcfg /Rebuild as long as there are issues with your boot.ini and the location of boot files.

Please study: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314477

I would like you to make a boot floppy, and boot from it:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595/EN-US/

This way our options increase as to copying files to repair your issue.

 

Hi Bill,
I think I will have to give up on this one...In the Microsoft article, Steps 1, 2 or 3 do not work...I can not edit the boot.ini file because I can not get into the computer...When I tried the other steps, either get parameter not valid, or System can not find the file or directory specified...I even tried the "FIXNTLDR.EXE" downloaded to a floppy and a small prompt popped up asking to remove the floppy...I'm open to any suggestions but for some reason nothing has waved the magic wand.

 

I would like you to make a boot floppy, and boot from it:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305595/EN-US/

This way our options increase as to copying files to repair your issue.

 

Hi,
I viewed what you suggested and formatted a floppy but I do not know how to do steps 2 and 3...As experienced as I feel some times when troubleshooting computers, I never pretend I know-it-all and will always step up to the plate when I don't...So your guidance will be needed...Thanks

 

For step #2, you do a search on your working XP computer for:

Ntldr
Ntdetect.com

And copy them to the floppy disk you are making.

For step #3, on your working computer, start Notepad.

Copy with your mouse the below, and paste into Notepad:

Do a File, Save as, and save the file as a:boot.ini

You are ready to use your new boot floppy on the problem machine.