WINXP SP3
Full message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Please reinstall a copy of the above file
Netbook Toshiba so no DVD drive.
I found the file on another laptop; cc'd it to jump drive.
Then started Netbook in SAFE mode and was able to get to DOS prompt. When I
tried to copy the file from jump drive to above location it said it was
already there so I didn't copy it.
Best Buy wants $129 to reinstall XP or other option is to send it to Toshiba
under warranty repair.
One thought just occurred to me now and that is that maybe the file is just
corrupt and I should have replaced it with the one from the jump drive. So
I renamed the file on C and then copied the file from jump drive but still
getting the same problem.
Is there a solution without having to send to Toshiba?
Thank you!
--
Kathy
aka smiley
In God We Trust
Sometime the XP error messages are misleading - for example, hal.dll
is missing or corrupt, when the real problem has nothing to do with
hal.dll - but people immediately start trying to replace hal.dll and
that is not always a simple task.
First you need to get some maneuvering room and that will be by
booting the XP Recovery Conole. When you get RC running, respond with
the good news and then you can start fixing things.
You should first boot your PC into the XP Recovery Console using a
bootable
XP installation CD or a bootable CD with the XP Recovery Console on
it.
Was the issue preceded by a power interruption, aborted restart, or
improper shutdown?
These can cause corruption in the file system which must be fixed
before you do anything
else.
If any of those events have occurred, you should boot into the Windows
Recovery Console
using a bootable XP installation CD, or create on a bootable XP
Recovery Console CD. This
is not the same as any recovery disks that might have come a store
bought system.
For each of your hard disks, you should then run:
chkdsk /r
You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file
and burning it to a CD.
The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:
xp_rec_con.iso
Download the ISO file from here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ueyyzfymmig
Use this free and easy program to create your bootable CD:
http://www.imgburn.com/
It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is
working.
You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM
drive
as the first boot device instead of the hard disk. These adjustments
are
made before Windows tries to load. If you miss it, you will have to
reboot
the system again.
When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:
Press any key to boot from CD...
The Windows Setup... will proceed.
Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.
Select the installation you want to access (usually 1: C:\WINDOWS)
You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).
You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder. This is the same as the
C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.
RC allows basic file commands - copy, rename, replace, delete,
cd, chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, etc.
From the command prompt window run the chkdsk command on the drive
where
Windows is installed to try to repair any problems on the afflicted
drive.
Running chkdsk is fine to run even if it doesn't find any problems.
Assuming your boot drive is C, run the following command:
chkdsk C: /r
Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find. It may take
a long
time to complete or appear to be 'stuck'. Be patient. If the HDD
light is
still flashing, it is doing something. Keep an eye on the percentage
amount to
be sure it is still making progress.
Remove the CD and type 'exit' to leave the RC and restart the
computer.
You do not have to adjust the BIOS again to boot on the HDD since the
CD will
not be present.
)