I deleted "ctfmon.exe" from system32. I cant even reformat my HDD!

izzyjp24 · 23 Feb 2014

hello everyone,

I pulled a dumb move by deleting ctfmon.exe from my system32 folder believing is was malicious. I tried restoring from the recycle bin at boot but I can't even get pass the following screen after entering startup repair (one of two options which the other was start windows normally). I also tried pressing F8 and repair my computer but it fails to load up as well.
Along with all this failure I decided to just format the hdd and do a fresh install, but when I boot from cd/dvd I press begin install and its stuck at the windows is starting loading screen and never gets pass that.

Is there anything I can do to save my files from being black holed out from my stupidity?

izzyjp24 · 23 Feb 2014

I also tried accessing my hdd through my second hard drive with seven installed on it, but when I click on the drive in my computer it never loads into it and starts slowing down my PC. What's going on? #Doomed?

Ztruker · 23 Feb 2014

Sounds like you didn't get far enough to format the hard drive, right? If so, try running chkjdsk and sfc from the Recovery Console.

How to run chkdsk or System File Checker (SFC) from the Recovery Console

Boot your Vista or Windows 7 installation DVD
When you see "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", press Enter
At the "Install Windows" screen, click on Repair your computer at lower left
At the System Recovery Options screen, make note of the drive letter assigned to your boot drive (normally C:) and click Next
At the Chose a Recovery Tool window, click on Command Prompt. You will be sitting at X:\Sources directory
Run chkdsk or SFC
If you did not note the drive letter of your boot disk, you can enter bcdedit and look at the osdevice line to see what it is.
For chkdsk, type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter (use the letter from above if not C:).
For sfc, type sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows and press Enter (use the letter from above)

Let either run to completion undisturbed.

Vista or Windows 7: If you don't have a install DVD, you can download a legal copy here:
Windows 7 Direct Download Links
Windows Vista Direct Download Links

Make sure you get the same version you have installed: 32 or 64 bit; Home Premium, Pro or Ultimate.

Ztruker · 23 Feb 2014

chkdsk will clean up any file system errors and sfc (System File Checker) will fix any corrupted or missing system files, like ctfmon.exe.

izzyjp24 · 24 Feb 2014

thats the thing, i cant even get into repair my computer from the installation disk. The pc keeps loading and loading. Anything that involves loading my hdd causes it to forever load. Even attempting to view the had in another PC with a different os. I also tried viewing with my other hdd running windows seven. I'm stuck

Ztruker · 24 Feb 2014

Do you see the hard drive when booted from the other (Windows 7)? I mean is it assigned a drive letter?
If so, open a elevated Command Prompt and try running chkdsk x: /r against it (replace x: with the drive letter of the hdd). See if that works.

Would also be a good idea to
Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
7 Free Hard Drive Testing Programs
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
Bootable Hard Drive Diagnostics