Laptop won't boot missing file

Question

Hello there I'm running Win XP Pro on an Inspiron 6400 I was burning a CD and it completed just fine. When it was done I got an error message. I shut the laptop off and tried to reboot. It won't boot I get a message right away that says: Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt. windows root\system32
toskrnl.exe. Please reinstall a copy of the file. I do have the XP CD and the Dell CD's that came with the laptop. Could anyone help me reinstall the needed file. I'm not by any means a computer wiz but I can work my way through if explained to me in simple terms. Thank you for any help. Alan

dunedin · Answer

Here is how to fix it with your XP installation CD

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000646.htm

Scroll down to
Missing or corrupt ntoskrnl.exe file

Note
The "operating system you need to fix" just type 1
Admin password, just press Enter

dunedin · Answer

It is not your login password it is asking for in the Recovery Console.   It is the admin password which you have the option of creating durung the actual install of XP.  If you have not reinstalled and set this password, yes just hit Enter

Duboisx4 · Answer

Thank you for the information that should do the trick. I'll find out tonight. I don't use a password to log in I'm the only user. Will I still need to type anything in there or just hit enter?

Duboisx4 · Answer

Well I tried over and over and it's not working. I get to the part where it says to type in (and this is exactly how I typed it) expand d:\i386
toskrnl.ex_c:\windows\system32 it replies with a message saying 'the file name, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect. The only thing I can see is that it turns out I didn't get an original windows cd. Dell sent me a 'Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 reinstallation cd. Could that be the problem it says in the directions in that link that if it's not an original Microsoft cd it may not work? What do I do now? Thank you Alan

dunedin · Answer

That XP installation CD sounds OK

Try this then

Boot back into the Recovery Console and when you reach the command prompt

At the command prompt, type
Bootcfg /Rebuild (there is a space before /)
ENTER

The exact wording will depend on your setup, but after a few moments you'll see a prompt that says something like:
Total Identified Windows Installs: 1
[1] C:\Windows
Add Installation To Boot List?

Assuming the information you see is correct, enter
Y

Bootcfg will start the process of rebuilding the boot list to include the indicated Windows installation

After a moment, you'll be asked to "Enter Load Identifier."
This is the name of the operating system that will appear in boot menus.
Type
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
ENTER

Next you'll be asked to "Enter OS Load Options."
For normal installations, enter
/Fastdetect
ENTER

Type
Exit
to leave the Recovery Console and reboot the PC, which should then start normally.

Duboisx4 · Answer

Ok in doing this it comes up with [1]: F:\minint am I getting in the right spot? I thought my windows was on C drive and I don't know what 'minint' is. Should I proceed where I'm at or go somewhere else? Alan

dunedin · Answer

Don`t use F:\minint just EXIT the Recovery Console. I think that is the Recovery Partition on the drive.

It seems that your C drive is not being recognised by Windows or you would also have the choice of C:\

Run the Dell Diagnostics on the drive

http://docs.us.dell.com/support/edocs/software/DIAGS/EN/running.htm#starting_the_dell_diagnostics

To access them press F12 when you see the dell logo screen, then there will be an option that says IDE or Hard Drive Diagnostics. That will run a quick test, if you want a more thorough test select the option that says Boot to Utility Partition, then select custom test, select hard drive and then run test.

dunedin · Answer

Duboisx4 wrote:
. So am I correct in thinking that the laptop isn't seeing a C drive where windows is and all it sees at the moment is an F drive? Alan

Yes that is correct. There is no way to fix the error when the C drive is not detected.

Run the extended Diagnostics

Duboisx4 · Answer

When I hit F12 all I have to choose from is the boot device, a BIOS Setup and a Diagnostics option it doesn't say ide or hard drive diagnostics. I clicked on Diagnostics and after going through some tests it comes up to Dell Diagnostics. I clicked on the Express Test and it passed. In the link you gave me it says to put the Dell Diagnostics Disk in the drive. I don't have that here at work with me (I brought the lap top to work) I do have it at home. Unless it's the same test that I just ran. I can do the Extended test it just takes longer if you think it's needed. Or is there something else I should try. So am I correct in thinking that the laptop isn't seeing a C drive where windows is and all it sees at the moment is an F drive? Alan

Duboisx4 · Answer

Ran the extended diagnostics and everything passed. Is this running the same test that the link above would have had me run off the disk? If not I can run that, if so what should I do next? I appreciate you helping me through this. Alan

dunedin · Answer

Well Alan, you have a problem here.

The hard drive checked out OK with the extended tests, so this means your hardware is OK and there is a big problem with the file system.

The Recovery Console cannot see C:\ where Windows lives so either the file system is vey corrupted ot maybe even the partition has been damaged.

Your best option would just be to use Dell Recovery to totally reinstall to factory settings. This means you would lose all your files/data/programs etc.

If you need to recover your files first you could try booting up with a boot floppy and hope that you can get into the system that way.

To create a Windows startup disk, insert a floppy disk into the drive of a similarly configured, working Windows XP system, launch My Computer, right-click the floppy disk icon, and select the Format command from the context menu.
When you see the Format dialog box, leave all the default settings as they are and click the Start button.
Once the format operation is complete, close the Format dialog box to return to My Computer, double-click the drive C icon to access the root directory, and copy the following three files to the floppy disk:

Boot.ini
NTLDR
Ntdetect.com

After you create the Windows startup disk, insert it into the floppy drive on your system and press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to reboot the computer.
When you boot from the Windows startup disk, the computer will bypass the active partition and boot files on the hard disk and attempt to start Windows XP normally.

I`m happy to help you, just sorry it is not better news

dunedin · Answer

I like your attitude. Your cup is half full and not half empty:smileywink:

I think this is what you need and I would expect it to work since your hardware seems to be OK

It applies to Inspiron computers that were shipped on or after July 16, 2004

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&dn=1090151

Remember to get your antivirus and firewall running immediately after doing the Restore.

Then go straight to the Updates Site and get all the Windows Updates. There will be loads of them

Good luck :smileyhappy:

Duboisx4 · Answer

Well I suppose it could be worse I could have to replace the hard drive in which case I'd have to go through this plus more.
When I purchased this laptop it didn't have any disks that came with it. I asked Dell to send me the disk's anyway just in case and they did. Dell told me that there was a recovery snapshot (something like that) so that all I'd have to do is click on that and my system would revert to the exact same setup as it arrived to me in. Will this recovery setup work for this situation? If so how do I go about that?
Thank you
Alan

Duboisx4 · Answer

I'm thinking I have a paper weight...lol...

So here I am, I go into the recover console and choose restore to original Dell Configuration as the instructions say to and I get a error message saying, (Error EC950025 cannot find factory recovery point on this computer).
So then I close out the error message and I cannot do anything else at all. I have to push and hold the power button until the laptop turns off. And power back on. It takes several times of pushing and releasing the ctrl and F11 buttons to get it to go through but eventually it will. But again it's a one shot deal and it gives me this error.
Alan

dunedin · Answer

Thank goodness you have the XP installation CD as you will have to use it now.

Did you get a Utilities CD with all the drivers too? If not you should go to Dell Support and download all the drivers you need. You will probably have to look at your documentation to find out what hardware you have in order to download the correct drivers as many of the categories have choices. Put the drivers on a on a CD to use after you install XP.

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&ServiceTag=&SystemID=INSPIRONI6400/E1505&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid=

Check at the top that the model and operating system are correct. Then download all the latest drivers.

How to do a clean install of XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_pro_install_-_graphic.htm

After this install the drivers.
Chipset first, then notebook drivers. Any order for the rest

Again I say remember to get your antivirus and firewall running immediately after doing the installation.
Then go straight to the Updates Site and get all the Windows Updates. There will be loads of them

I hope I have given you enough information to see you through this. Be sure to have plenty of time as it will take a few hours.

Good luck :smileyhappy:

Windows General

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