Pesky ntoskrnl.exe file missing or corrupt

[btmdragon]

My laptop has been out of commission for about 9 months now because of the ntoskrnl.exe file missing or corrupt. I'm running windows xp. Can anyone give me a step by step way to replace this file thorough the boot.ini file (I think that's right) or by the installation disk. I've tried the recovery console, but i can't log on as the administrator because it does not ask me to nor does it allow me.


I could probably figure it out if I knew how to long on as administrator in MS-DOS.


I've went to microsoft support website and followed the instructions, but it does not give me the option of selecting the windows installation (there's only one) and does not prompt me to type the administrator password.

Please help... Last resort before I have to pay to fix it...

Thanks in advance,
Brad

 

[Harvey]

I googled "ntoskrnl.exe" (in quotes). I don't have time to chase all the possible answers, but it looks like a lot of people have had this problem and gotten replies.

Also, search Microsoft's Windows page for "ntoskrnl.exe"

 

[KB]

Did you install a new OS like Linux? Do you do any partition management? If you did then fixing this may be as easy as changing the partition index in boot.ini. If you didn't then you may have corrupt files/partitions.

Because the recovery console won't ask you for a password, I assume it can't find your Windows XP partition, which is FUBAR. I would boot the windows XP cd and do an install and choose the repair option (not recovery console) when installing windows. If that doesn't work then you would need to due a full install.

 

[btmdragon]

NO new OS. No partitions. Nothings change since the day I bought it. I tried the repair option and got some kind of error after 13% or something (that was 6 months ago). I don't think i've tried the full install. Would I lose info on the hard drive if I did this?

Going to this website, CH000646: Ntoskrnl.exe is missing or corrupt there is a step by step fix it for MISSING OR CORRUPT NTOSKRNL.EXE FILE about have way down the page. Step 4 is the hang up.

 

[Smilin]

More often than not caused by boot.ini pointing to the wrong place.

Do this:

Format a floppy with NT, 2k, XP, 2k3 (no 9x or DOS!).
Copy ntldr, ntdetect.com and boot.ini from the above box to the floppy.
Edit the boot.ini so that you have at least the following ARC paths available:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1) = First partition on first disk of first channel of first controller.
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2) = Second partition on first disk of first channel of first controller.

Boot with the floppy it will do the initial load then transition to your drive for the rest. If you get the same error, try the 2nd arc path instead. If same error again then ntoskrnl.exe might actually be "missing or corrupt". Getting to recovery console and running a chkdsk /p should be a high priority. You'll either need that password or a 3rd party recovery console (knoppix, BartPe etc..)

 

[btmdragon]

Just making sure i'm understanding you.

Get on a different computer with Windows XP. Copy the files ntldr, ntdetect.com, and boot.ini to the disk.

How do you edit the boot.ini?
Sorry i'm kind of intermediate to novice when it comes to this.
Thanks.

By searching windows I found a boot.ini.backup file on this computer. is that it?
I found the ntldr file in C:\I386
I found the ntdetect.com in C:\I386

I am just to copy it to a floppy disk.

 

[btmdragon]

Just wondering if anyone could help me. I'm drawing a blank.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: btmdragon
Just making sure i'm understanding you.

Get on a different computer with Windows XP. Copy the files ntldr, ntdetect.com, and boot.ini to the disk.

How do you edit the boot.ini?
Sorry i'm kind of intermediate to novice when it comes to this.
Thanks.

By searching windows I found a boot.ini.backup file on this computer. is that it?
I found the ntldr file in C:\I386
I found the ntdetect.com in C:\I386

I am just to copy it to a floppy disk.

All the files mentioned will be at the root of C:

boot.ini can be edited with notepad.

There is a kb, lemme see if I can find it...

 

[Smilin]

305595 How To Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;305595

 

[Smilin]

If the diskette doesn't do the trick there are about a dozen other things to try but the troubleshooting tree is more complicated than we can walk through in a thread.

You can always try an inplace upgrade/repair. Boot with an XP CD, choose "Enter" to install at the first screen. When it detects the existing installation press "R" to repair it.

At the end of the process you'll be at whatever service pack you were using with that media (possibly none at all). Hit Windows update right away.