NTOSKRNL.exe not Found message

[Aidan]

Following install of critical updates to Win XP Pro
system will not re-boot. Displays message '<windows
root>\system32\NTOSKRNL.exe not found or corrupt' and
goes no further.
It looks as if the update deleted the \system 32 folder
Tried following actions:
- Tried 'Last Good configuration' - no go!
- ran Scandisk to check file & directory status
- ran surface scan to check for bad sectors
- restored \System32 folder from Back-up
- restored NTOSKRNL.exe from backup
- restored NTOSKRNL from second Win XP Pro system
- Tried to repair XP installation from CD - dies when
trying to check hardware configuration
- tried to re-install from CD - as above
- tried Microsoft support but no go without the Product
ID (if they require this why don't they provide the
facility to get it from a crashed machine!)

Do not want to re-format drive - does anyone have any
suggestions?

 

[don v]

Following install of critical updates to Win XP Pro
system will not re-boot. Displays message '<windows
root>\system32\NTOSKRNL.exe not found or corrupt' and
goes no further.
It looks as if the update deleted the \system 32 folder
Tried following actions:
- Tried 'Last Good configuration' - no go!
- ran Scandisk to check file & directory status
- ran surface scan to check for bad sectors
- restored \System32 folder from Back-up
- restored NTOSKRNL.exe from backup
- restored NTOSKRNL from second Win XP Pro system
- Tried to repair XP installation from CD - dies when
trying to check hardware configuration
- tried to re-install from CD - as above
- tried Microsoft support but no go without the Product
ID (if they require this why don't they provide the
facility to get it from a crashed machine!)

Do not want to re-format drive - does anyone have any
suggestions?

Unplug all peripheral devices and try a repair again.
Without the XP ID No you are a bit sunk on a reinstall because it's needed
part way through the installation.
Contact whoever sold you this copy of XP and explain the situation.

 

[Guest]

What I would do, personally, is do a scandisk/checkdisk in DOS mode with the "repair automatically" option selected. I don't quite remember how to do this though

 

[Aidan]

Tks for the suggestion, but problem still unresolved.

Have the Product ID from the original disks, but
Microsoft require the PID that the machine generates that
is located in the My Computer\Properties - so is
inaccessible on a crashed machine!

 

[Aidan]

Tks for suggestion. Had already tried that without
success.

-----Original Message-----
What I would do, personally, is do a scandisk/checkdisk

in DOS mode with the "repair automatically" option
selected. I don't quite remember how to do this though