cannot start windows, please help, my brain is mush

[karina]

hi, i downloaded windows 2000 service pack 4 from
microsoft ( i already had windows 2000 installed) onto my
laptop. i started installation and went to sleep, when i
awoke there was some error about not enough memory.
The problem is that it keeps rebooting but never going
intp windows, just back to "choose operating system".
I have 3 choices:
1.Microsoft windows 2000 professional,
2.Drive D windows NT server version 4.00
3.Drive D windows NT server version 4.00 (VGA Mode)

If i select the 1st choice it just pretends to start up
and returns to the same page again.
If i choose the 2nd or 3rd option i get an error on a
black screen that reads
"windows 2000 could not start because the following file
is missing or corrupt:
<windows 2000 root>/system32/ntoskrnl.exe/
Please re-install a copy of the above file"

The problem is that i cannot install it without getting
into windows. All i could find as far as installation
disks is the burned copy i made as a bakup a while ago. I
dont think i can boot from it or just dont know how.

I have been stressing about this for 2 days now and am
worried about getting back my files that were on there. I
have some important photos that i havent burned to disk
yet (this is the only place they exist now) as well as
alot of important work files and a script of mine.
If anyone could tell me what i can do, i would really
appreciate it. i am at a loss for words and so depressed
and frustrated.

thanks in advance
karina

 

[Yor Suiris]

Well I can think of two ways to go.
1st, if you have another Win2K machine, move the hard drive from the busted
machine to a working machine and replace the file.
2nd, choice is do a parallel install of win2K on the busted machine and use
the second install to replace the file on the first install.
Good luck.....

 

[karina]

thanks. could you explain how to do the 2nd option
(parralel)?