ntoskrnl.exe missing or corrupt message.

Upon OS boot up, I’m getting the ntoskrnl.exe missing or corrupt message. It started after I re-partitioned some hard drives to free up some space. I booted up and got the error message.

I tried to boot up to my back up OS and still got the message. I tried to re-install a drive image, using Acronis start up disk, but got the message that no hard drives were found.

Being desperate, and not being able to boot to my back up OS, nor re-install a drive image, I re-installed Windows 7 (I could only find my build 7700 RC disc), installed Acronis True Image, and then tried to re-install the MBR, from an image to the drive I was trying to boot from. I then wasn’t able to boot to any drives, again, and re-installed Win 7 again, and made a drive image. I re-installed that image to another drive and was able to boot to that drive, but when I tried to re-install a drive image with by OS and programs, I got the error again. I’ve tried 3 different images of my OS, but always getting the error.

I’m at a loss as to what to do next, I’ve tried re-installing the OS drive image to a disk with only one partition, I’ve tried unplugging the other drives and trying to boot from just the one, but still get the error.

The only thing I can think of doing next is to find my OS disk, re-install the OS, programs and settings, which I obviously don’t want to do.

I had been using a Easy BCD boot manager, so there may be an issue with the boot.ini file, but I need instruction on how that file works, what I should look for in that file, and where it resides, when you have multiple OS on a system.


Would this work:

To install Easybcd on XP, you need to first download and install .NET Framework 2.0 from MS

Download details: .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package (x86)

D/L and install Easybcd

Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

A. Click Manage Bootloader

Attachment 1093

B. Make sure "Reinstall Vista Bootloader" is selected, Click Write MBR



C. Select Add/Remove Entries


D. Select Windows Vista/7, Click Add Entry, Click Save



Don't worry it says Vista - NT6 compatible MBR is the same for Vista and 7.

Thanks,

Reid

thanks! I tried the first entry, start up repair before, but it didn't work, but the command prompt looks like it should work.

Reid

Capt Sparrow:

Since I have an OS I can boot into, can I just go to a cmd prompt and access the CD to get to bootsect.exe?

What about using the Easy BCD software?

Thanks,

Reid

reo said:

Capt Sparrow:

Since I have an OS I can boot into, can I just go to a cmd prompt and access the CD to get to bootsect.exe?

What about using the Easy BCD software?

Thanks,

Reid

reo;

What you are suggesting is somewhat like booting to a partition and trying to delete the partition you have booted to. It just doesn't work that way.

I would suggest you have just the hard drive with 7 plugged in, then boot to the 7 install DVD or the "Repair" CD and do the bootsect.exe tutorial that Capt. Jack linked to.

After you can boot to Windows 7, connect the other hard drives and boot to the DVD (or CD) again and execute bootrec /rebuildbcd see the MS link here

This should restore your dual boot configuration.

Cheers!
Robert

OK Thanks,

Reid

I got things running, not by the suggestions, but by the method I suggested with Easy BCD.

I tried to copy a drive image, to the OS I installed to get Easy BCD running, but it wouldn't take. I tried formatting the partition, both in disk management and at a CMD prompt and was told that I couldn't format it because it was a System Partition.

The solution I've read is to run the OS install disk and format the OS partition. I'm just wondering if that is going to trash the Easy BCD fix and I'll be back to where I started where I couldn't boot to my daily OS with all my programs and setting. Then I'd have to re-install the OS on that partition to run Easy BCD to access my daily OS again. An endless mobious strip of installing OSs...

Thanks,

Reid

Thinking about it, I think the best thing would be to unplug the HDs that don't have my daily OS, and make sure it boots, then, unplug that and plug in the HD with the newly installed OS and then run the install DVD and format.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks,

Reid