Boot Critical File

ahh... this is not good

'windows failed to start. a recent hardware of software change might be the cause. to fix the problem:

1: insert your windows installation disc and restart your computer
2: choose your lannguage setting and the click 'next'
3: click 'repair your computer

if you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

file: \boot\bcd
status: 0xc0000098
info: the windows boot configuration data file does not contain a valid OS entry"

Pran199 said:

Toakr said:

Hey pran199 I am having the same problem you had. I got a virus and now my laptop is just looping the recovery which is not working. What exactly were the steps you took to take care of your problem if you wouldn't mind helping me out.

Download Ubuntu and burn iso image to disc and insert disc when booting your computer and boot from Ubuntu disc and click try now, not install. Then do steps 1-2 with Ubuntu!!!

1) Download the ci.dll file for your Windows 7 here:
ci.dll
2) Go to ‘C:\Windows\System32’ and ‘drag n’ drop ‘the ci.dll file into the file and choose ‘copy and replace’.
3) Use a system recovery disc and boot your computer up with that and when it gives you a choice of what to do (Disc Check, System Restore, Command Prompt) choose Command Prompt.
4) Type in: bootrec.exe /fixmbr
5) Then type in: del C:\boot\bcd
6) Then type in: bootrec.exe/rebuildbcd
7) Then close the command prompt by clicking the ‘x’ or the exit button located in the top-right hand corner of the command prompt.
8) Restart computer and eject recovery disc and boot computer normally and done!!!

I was having trouble with a Dell Inspiron 1764 I have been working on for 3 hours! I had a TDSS Rootkit. I used Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 to remove it and in the process I guess if messed up the mbr. I tried everything. They never burned the recovery disk off so I was stuck. Even booting to the repair/ recovery console didn't work. Tried using the dell recovery to restore back to out of box state just to have it crash during boot. I loaded up the system repair again, ran the fixmbr from the command there and worked like a charm! So a BIG THANK YOU TO YOU SIR! Sometimes the easiest thing is the hardest to figure out. Now the Dell factory restore works too and I am burning his recovery disk right now!

Just going to be honest here about how I got the infection, detected it, and removed it.


I am usually a very careful browser but I got sloppy and picked up the the boo/tdss.m trojan while browsing some of the more dangerous pornsites out there in search of legal but obscure content. While browsing my pc crashed and re-started in Startup Repair tool, kept looping and when I looked in details it was the ci.dll issue.

Found this thread and did not have a way to open up HD and remove it "remotely" by opening it as a slave drive on another PC.

I used the Avira Rescue Bootdisk to confirm I had the boo/tdss.m rootkit.

After searching around how to repair boot records I found out about Bootrec.exe (a built in windows executable)

After getting into the command prompt via a install disc(you can also access it after the Startup Repair tool "gives up" on trying to remove it "Advanced Tools"), I was able to run 'bootrec /fixmbr' which re-wrote the boot sector.

That fixed the ci.dll error, allowing me to boot into windows and also apparently completely removed the trojan as I am not getting anymore detections on any scan. I am glad this worked as I have lost my win 7 upgrade disc/key and would of been without a legitimate license if I had to re-install.

Hi Pran199.
Thanks for the help. My question is when I get to the command prompt, mine starts as X:\Sources>. I assume I have to cd to C: before I do step 4, 5, 6
4) Type in: bootrec.exe /fixmbr

I'm I correct