NTOSKRNL.EXE missing or corrupt

[Kathy]

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!

 

[Daave]

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?

This page should help:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314477

If you don't have a CD with Recovery Console, post back; it's possible
to create your own, and we can guide you.

 

[Jerry Ed]

I had the same message a couple of years ago.

The Hard Drive cable was loose on the motherboard.

JE

 

[Kathy]

Did I post in the wrong group? If so what group should I post to?

 

[Daave]

Why are you replying to yourself? Is there someone else in this thread
(perhaps someone I have placed in my killfile and is thus filtered )
who suggested this is the wrong group?

This group is fine for your query. Jerry Ed suggested that the hard
drive cable may have become loose. It can't hurt to check it. If it
looks fine, look at my other post.

 

[Paul]

Why are you replying to yourself? Is there someone else in this thread
(perhaps someone I have placed in my killfile and is thus filtered )
who suggested this is the wrong group?

This group is fine for your query. Jerry Ed suggested that the hard
drive cable may have become loose. It can't hurt to check it. If it
looks fine, look at my other post.

I suspect Kathy can't see any answers and thinks she is being ignored.
Her headers indicate she is posting from a USENET server, rather than
using the web forum at Microsoft. So maybe the incoming feed on her
server is broken. If she knows about Google groups, maybe she'll see
the answers.

Kathy, if you can see this post, try:

http://groups.google.ca/group/micro..._frm/thread/f2bb3efe8a42a5d7/7de5bf1e8ed76474

Paul

 

[Jose]

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.

 

[Kathy]

Hi Paul,

You hit the nail on the head. I was not able to see the responses. Now
there are so many replies it's hard to know where to begin. I think I'll
respond to each one to sort of get my thoughts organized.

Thanks everyone. Please bear with me.

 

[Kathy]

Hi Daave,

OK, I went to the link. It says I can edit the boot.ini file but it assumes
that there is a CD drive.

I rebooted the Netbook and am at the menu to start in Safe Mode. Which I
had done before. Everything starts in Safe Mode. What exactly is the
Recovery Console? Is that where Safe Mode starts? Or is it a Recovery
disk?

This little Netbook doesn't have a CD drive. Is it possible to connect the
Netbook to my tower to be able to use the DVD drive from the tower?

I'm a little overwhelmed right now and need to think about what to do next.

Thank you to you to everyone who responded. I'll just have to work through
all the suggestions and post back.

 

[Daave]

Good to see your news server is finally showing you the responses,
Kathy.

Know that you can also use this news server:

msnews.microsoft.com

Direct link to this group:

news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

 

[Daave]

Netbooks can be a challenge! And I'm sorry I didn't notice your original
statement about yours lacking an optical drive.

With some PCs, it's possible to boot off an emergency Windows XP USB
flash drive, but that would take some effort to create:

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6160062.html

I wonder if you can configure your BIOS to boot off an external CD drive
that is connected via USB.

If you are able to boot off an external device, you should be able to
run the Windows XP Recovery Console. But this might be a large amount of
work!

It's possible (though I doubt it) that Toshiba placed the XP Recovery
Console in your F8 menu options. It's worth a look. If it's there, then
you might be in luck.

What is the model and model number of this Toshiba? What method did they
give you to restore your netbook to its original, pristine condition?
(The method is listed in the documentation.) I am asking because you
might wind up wanting to copy all your data and start fresh. Netbooks
aren't my forte, so I am now crossposting to

microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware

It should be possible to connect your netbook to another PC. Again, I'm
used to physically disconnecting the hard drive and slaving it to a
working PC. Does your netbook even have a hard drive?

 

[Kathy]

Dear Everyone who has responded.

Again I have to apologize but I simply do not have time to spend on this
right now. So. This weekend.

Thanks again to everyone who replied and I WILL post to let you know the
outcome.

 

[Kathy]

Hi Daave,

...emergency Windows XP USB flash drive

I looked at the link. It seems pretty complicated and says you need to
download "a program called PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij." And it seems like
the PC needs to be working in order to do the download and create the UFD.

Further you are right: No XP Recovery Console in the F8 menu options.

The model is Toshiba NB205-N311/W. There is no information that I can find
in the included guide on how to restore the netbook to its original,
pristine condition. I downloaded the User's Guide but everything assumes
that an external drive is available. sigh...

Sadly all of this seems beyond my capabilities so the next steps
1. send the Netbook back to Toshiba as it is still under warranty
2. get a USB cable to connect it to my tower (with a male connecter at both
ends)
3. create recovery disk when it is returned

Jerry Ed said that he had the same message a couple of years ago and that
the Hard Drive cable was loose on the motherboard.

I am reluctant to take the Netbook apart especially now since I am going to
send it in for warranty work.

And Jose asked if the issue was preceded by a power interruption, aborted
restart, or improper shutdown?

Not that I was aware of. One thing that was going on was that Norton
AntiVirus was installed on the Netbook when purchased but I subsequently
installed our Corporate version of Norton. After that it took way long for
the Netbook to boot up and I was trying to figure out how to uninstall the
version that came with the Netbook. It's been a month ago and I don't
recall the exact sequence but now realize that the uninstall of the Netbook
version should have preceeded the install of the Corporate version. So I
suppose one of these things precipitated the problem.

When it comes back I'll create a Recovery Console using my tower DVD drive.
If that won't work I'll have to get an external drive.

I am very sorry not to be able to do the repair myself after all the work
you have all done to help me.

My sincere thanks to everyone.

 

[Daave]

Hi Daave,

I looked at the link. It seems pretty complicated and says you need
to download "a program called PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij." And it
seems like the PC needs to be working in order to do the download and
create the UFD.

Don't you have access to a working PC? If not, how are you able to post
here?

Then again, it is an involved process, so I can't blame you for passing.

Further you are right: No XP Recovery Console in the F8 menu options.

The model is Toshiba NB205-N311/W. There is no information that I
can find in the included guide on how to restore the netbook to its
original, pristine condition. I downloaded the User's Guide but
everything assumes that an external drive is available. sigh...
Sadly all of this seems beyond my capabilities so the next steps
1. send the Netbook back to Toshiba as it is still under warranty
2. get a USB cable to connect it to my tower (with a male connecter
at both ends)
3. create recovery disk when it is returned

As long as there is no crucial data on your netbook that needs to be
saved first, this is a very good idea. The Recovery disk (DVD?) you will
create *is* the method Toshiba must have informed you about (albeit not
too clearly!) to return your netbook to its original condition.

Jerry Ed said that he had the same message a couple of years ago and
that the Hard Drive cable was loose on the motherboard.

I am reluctant to take the Netbook apart especially now since I am
going to send it in for warranty work.

And Jose asked if the issue was preceded by a power interruption,
aborted restart, or improper shutdown?

Not that I was aware of. One thing that was going on was that Norton
AntiVirus was installed on the Netbook when purchased but I
subsequently installed our Corporate version of Norton.

From the frying pan into the fire!

Better to do this:

Uninstall Norton completely. Use Norton's special removal tool to make
sure everything is gone:

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

In its place, use Avira AntiVir (free version):

http://www.free-av.com/

.... and the free versions of MalwareBytes' AntiMalware and
SUPERAntiSpyware:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

http://www.superantispyware.com/

After that
it took way long for the Netbook to boot up and I was trying to
figure out how to uninstall the version that came with the Netbook.
It's been a month ago and I don't recall the exact sequence but now
realize that the uninstall of the Netbook version should have
preceeded the install of the Corporate version. So I suppose one of
these things precipitated the problem.
When it comes back I'll create a Recovery Console using my tower DVD
drive. If that won't work I'll have to get an external drive.

The Recovery Console is something different. I'm not sure you can do
this, because I believe you need an actual XP installation CD. Anyway,
the method is here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

(Option 3)

I am very sorry not to be able to do the repair myself after all the
work you have all done to help me.

My sincere thanks to everyone.

YW. Good luck.

 

[Jose]

Hi Daave,


I looked at the link.  It seems pretty complicated and says you need to
download "a program called PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij."  And it seemslike
the PC needs to be working in order to do the download and create the UFD..

Further you are right:  No XP Recovery Console in the F8 menu options.

The model is Toshiba NB205-N311/W.  There is no information that I can find
in the included guide on how to restore the netbook to its original,
pristine condition.  I downloaded the User's Guide but everything assumes
that an external drive is available.  sigh...

Sadly all of this seems beyond my capabilities so the next steps
1. send the Netbook back to Toshiba as it is still under warranty
2. get a USB cable to connect it to my tower (with a male connecter at both
ends)
3. create recovery disk when it is returned

Jerry Ed said that he had the same message a couple of years ago and that
the Hard Drive cable was loose on the motherboard.

I am reluctant to take the Netbook apart especially now since I am going to
send it in for warranty work.

And Jose asked if the issue was preceded by a power interruption, aborted
restart, or improper shutdown?

Not that I was aware of.  One thing that was going on was that Norton
AntiVirus was installed on the Netbook when purchased but I subsequently
installed our Corporate version of Norton.  After that it took way longfor
the Netbook to boot up and I was trying to figure out how to uninstall the
version that came with the Netbook.  It's been a month ago and I don't
recall the exact sequence but now realize that the uninstall of the Netbook
version should have preceeded the install of the Corporate version.  SoI
suppose one of these things precipitated the problem.

When it comes back I'll create a Recovery Console using my tower DVD drive.
If that won't work I'll have to get an external drive.

I am very sorry not to be able to do the repair myself after all the work
you have all done to help me.

My sincere thanks to everyone.

Why don't you use your jump drive and working computer to copy the
textual contents of the c:\boot.ini of the afflicted system here
(edit, select all, copy, paste) for analysis.

If your system displays at least that message, you know XP is at least
trying to load so your HD is visible.

You will not make any kind of PE without a genuine XP installation CD
- an often overlooked requirement accompanying such ideas. Even if
you made one, what would you do next?

See just the software ingredients:

Rounding up the software

To condense and install Windows XP on a UFD, you'll need a program
called PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij. You'll also need two files from
the Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1. And of course, you need to
have a Windows XP Professional CD.

 

[Kathy]

Hi Daave,

Don't you have access to a working PC? If not, how are you able to post
here?

Yes I do but in reading the instructions it seemed to me that in order to
create the UFD you had to be able to boot off of a Windows XP USB flash
drive and it implied that it had to be done on the PC needing the repair.
Perhaps I misunderstood.

I'll follow the rest of your advice about uninstalling Norton AntiVirus when
the Netbook is fixed and returned. Although I am required to have the
Corporate version of Norton installed since I connect to the corporate
network.

I'll just forward this to my email account to make sure I don't lose the
links.

Thanks again!

 

[Kathy]

Hi Jose,

The Netbook is already packaged for shipment so I am not able to get the
C:/boot.ini information. Sorry!

I do think that XP is there because it comes up in SAFE mode. Earlier I was
able to access C with DOS commands so there is just some little corruption
of that file apparently.

--
Kathy
aka smiley

In God We Trust

Hi Daave,


I looked at the link. It seems pretty complicated and says you need to
download "a program called PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij." And it seems
like
the PC needs to be working in order to do the download and create the UFD.

Further you are right: No XP Recovery Console in the F8 menu options.

The model is Toshiba NB205-N311/W. There is no information that I can find
in the included guide on how to restore the netbook to its original,
pristine condition. I downloaded the User's Guide but everything assumes
that an external drive is available. sigh...

Sadly all of this seems beyond my capabilities so the next steps
1. send the Netbook back to Toshiba as it is still under warranty
2. get a USB cable to connect it to my tower (with a male connecter at
both
ends)
3. create recovery disk when it is returned

Jerry Ed said that he had the same message a couple of years ago and that
the Hard Drive cable was loose on the motherboard.

I am reluctant to take the Netbook apart especially now since I am going
to
send it in for warranty work.

And Jose asked if the issue was preceded by a power interruption, aborted
restart, or improper shutdown?

Not that I was aware of. One thing that was going on was that Norton
AntiVirus was installed on the Netbook when purchased but I subsequently
installed our Corporate version of Norton. After that it took way long for
the Netbook to boot up and I was trying to figure out how to uninstall the
version that came with the Netbook. It's been a month ago and I don't
recall the exact sequence but now realize that the uninstall of the
Netbook
version should have preceeded the install of the Corporate version. So I
suppose one of these things precipitated the problem.

When it comes back I'll create a Recovery Console using my tower DVD
drive.
If that won't work I'll have to get an external drive.

I am very sorry not to be able to do the repair myself after all the work
you have all done to help me.

My sincere thanks to everyone.

Why don't you use your jump drive and working computer to copy the
textual contents of the c:\boot.ini of the afflicted system here
(edit, select all, copy, paste) for analysis.

If your system displays at least that message, you know XP is at least
trying to load so your HD is visible.

You will not make any kind of PE without a genuine XP installation CD
- an often overlooked requirement accompanying such ideas. Even if
you made one, what would you do next?

See just the software ingredients:

Rounding up the software

To condense and install Windows XP on a UFD, you'll need a program
called PE Builder by Bart Lagerweij. You'll also need two files from
the Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1. And of course, you need to
have a Windows XP Professional CD.

 

[Daave]

Hi Daave,


Yes I do but in reading the instructions it seemed to me that in
order to create the UFD you had to be able to boot off of a Windows
XP USB flash drive and it implied that it had to be done on the PC
needing the repair. Perhaps I misunderstood.

It's academic since it is a very involved process for a non-expert user,
and as Jose pointed out, you need access to an actual XP installation CD
for starters. FWIW, you use the good PC to create the bootable flash
drive. Once it is created, you attach it to the netbook and boot *that*
into the BIOS to make the first bootable device the USB device. But,
since it's not going to happen, don't worry about it.

The alternative is to use an external optical drive (CD or DVD, with a
USB connection), and boot off a CD you could create that would contain
the Recovery Console. Then you could follow the information from the MS
link I had earlier provided.

(Or you could boot off a live Linux CD.)

But again, a fresh start (done under warranty) followed by creating your
own recovery media will be the easiest method. Hopefully there is no
crucial data on this netbook, since the drive will be wiped. If there
is, there are methods to copy it. (Of course, it would require some
legwork.)

I'll follow the rest of your advice about uninstalling Norton
AntiVirus when the Netbook is fixed and returned. Although I am
required to have the Corporate version of Norton installed since I
connect to the corporate network.

I see. Norton isn't my favorite (couldn't you tell?!). However, if you
first totally uninstall the pre-installed home version, the corporate
version shouldn't be too bad. And hopefully, you have lots of RAM.

 

[Jose]

Hi Jose,

The Netbook is already packaged for shipment so I am not able to get the
C:/boot.ini information.  Sorry!

I do think that XP is there because it comes up in SAFE mode.  Earlier I was
able to access C with DOS commands so there is just some little corruption
of that file apparently.

Well, poop.

Of course XP is there and you have no cable problems or anything that
needs taking apart since you can boot okay in Safe Mode.

You may want to formulate a plan and test it for someday if your
system will not boot properly again in the future - what will you
do?. The laptop people surely will have a method on their WWW site.
The idea of booting XP from "something" like a USB device, can't be a
new concept to them or people in their user forum. Somebody has
figured it out already...

Good luck!

 

[Daave]

The model is Toshiba NB205-N311/W. There is no information that I
can find in the included guide on how to restore the netbook to its
original, pristine condition. I downloaded the User's Guide but
everything assumes that an external drive is available. sigh...

The guide here? :

http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/con...2346766/GMAD00199011_NB200_Series_09May01.pdf

Chapter 5, which begins on p. 112, seems to have the information you
need. And yes, you will need to purchase an "external writeable optical
drive" (DVD burner) in order to create your Recovery media.

This unit might be a good one for you:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106290

(When you look at the reviews, ignore fido's; he seems clueless!)

Also look at the information on the Diagnostic Tool Utility on p. 116.
That might come in handy someday.