dual boot error, cannot find ntoskrnl.exe

[Guest]

I have a dual boot system, xp-pro-64 on C: and xp-pro on E: the xp-pro boots
and runs fine, cannot get the xp-pro-64 to boot. I get the following error:

Could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt
<Windows Root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Please re-install a copy of the above file

This is an amd64 system that I dual boot between xp-pro-64 and xp-pro. I
started by first installing xp-pro-64 on c: drive 0, but had trouble getting
drivers for it, so I installed xp-pro (the 32 bit version)on e: drive 1. I
had been cross booting for a couple of weeks but finally stayed on the 32bit
version till I could get everything working. Now when I try to boot the
xp-64bit OS I get the error message above.

I have reinstalled ntoskrnl.exe from the cab file, but still get the same
error. I suspect the variable <Windows Root> may not be set correctly? I
have tried to re-install as a repair but the xp-pro-64 will only let you go
to the console for repair and I am not familar with that tool.

Any help or pointers are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

windows root should be c:\windows
so copy to c:\windows\system32

 

[Guest]

Here is a copy of the boot.ini in case someone needs to look at it:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /bootlog
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64
Edition" /fastdetect

 

[Trax]

|>Here is a copy of the boot.ini in case someone needs to look at it:
|>
|>[boot loader]
|>timeout=30
|>default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
|>[operating systems]
|>multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
|>Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /bootlog
|>multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional x64
|>Edition" /fastdetect

Start | Run | msconfig <enter>
In the boot.ini tab select Check all boot paths, if the boot.ini is in
question.

 

[Guest]

your boot.ini file looks fine.

I think part of the problem is in your last sentence.
I have tried to re-install as a repair but the xp-pro-64 will only let you
go to the console for repair and I am not familiar with that tool.

That is recovery console like you said.
You probably should probably do a "Clean Install" or a "Repair Install".
I would choose "Clean Install"
follow instructions carefully. You do not press "R", at first request. You
chose Windows setup, press Enter.
Windows will detect previous Windows installation, do NOT chose repair here
either. choose new install.
Also, make sure yuo have chosen xp pro 64bit hard drive.

Clean Install
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks, both to Dixonian69 and Trax. I will try the reload tonight. I was
hoping (naive) that it was a corrupt file and I could fix it and learn
something. I used to be a unix system administrator and we rarely ever
reloaded a system to fix a problem, but Windows and the registry make this
more complicated then UNIX in the 70's and 80's (I am not familar with Linux).

Again, thanks for your help and your advise is appreciated. I will reload
tonight when I get home.

Hope I can return the favor in the future.

 

[Guest]

I did a recovery tonight and the system works, boots, etc The surprise is
that my license for the x64 version expires in 20 days.

Thanks everyone for the help.