[SOLVED] XP boot error:ntoskrnl.exe is corrupt or missing

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-05-2012, 03:32 AM

I have Windows 7 installed on my System and I wanted to install XP on a partition. The installation is successful but whenever I choose to load XP from boot manager I get this error. I tried reinstalling but its not helping. How do I identify and differentiate between partitions and different Hard Disks? Please help !!

joeten · 01-05-2012, 01:13 PM

Hi please say what type of harddrive your trying to install on is it ide or sata it will help others to help you

spunk.funk · 01-05-2012, 01:14 PM

If you installed XP Successfully then you would not be getting this message. when you first boot your computer the boot manager comes up and asks you if you want to load Windows 7 or Other version of Windows. When you choose other version of Windows, and get that error, then the XP installation needs to be repaired. Since you just installed XP, it's best to boot off of the XP CD and choose to Delete the partition with XP on it, Create a new partition for XP. Format that partition NTFS, and Install Windows XP on that partition.

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-05-2012, 11:00 PM

Quote:

boot off of the XP CD and choose to Delete the partition with XP on it, Create a new partition for XP. Format that partition NTFS, and Install Windows XP on that partition.

Tried it. Still getting the same error message mate

spunk.funk · 01-06-2012, 02:21 AM

Did you Delete the partition? After Creating the partition, do a Full Format NTFS, not a Quick Format this will take longer but will mark and bad sectors on the partition. Then Install XP. Where are you seeing this error? Are you using the Windows 7 Boot manager? or some other? You can also try booting into W/7 and use Easy BCD Boot loader.

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-06-2012, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Did you Delete the partition? After Creating the partition, do a Full Format NTFS, not a Quick Format this will take longer but will mark and bad sectors on the partition. Then Install XP.

I did the above steps exactly as they are to be done.

You said format with NTFS, not Quick format.
Then install XP?????

Won't formatting with NTFS install XP itself? Is there a separate step to install XP once its formatted with NTFS?

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-06-2012, 09:50 PM

I get the error message after I choose to boot XP at startup.

spunk.funk · 01-07-2012, 02:50 AM

After Formatting is complete, XP starts to install files. It is a separate step but does not require interaction.
Did you Delete the previous partition first. Once you created a new partition, Did you do a Full Format? Not a Quck?

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-07-2012, 03:36 AM

Exactly as you said mate. Recovery console time?

spunk.funk · 01-07-2012, 01:21 PM

There is either a problem with the HDD or the Windows disc you are using. Running a Full Format would have marked any bad sectors on the HDD and would not allow Windows to save data to them. If you Deleted the Partition (so no traces of the previous install were around), and did a Full format (also removing previous install) then the Windows disc you are using is damaged and is not loading all the files. You can either try a different Windows disc or install to a new HDD instead of the partition. Recovery console will not help this situation.

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-07-2012, 07:57 PM

Now I'm getting
DISK BOOT FAILURE INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRES ENTER TO CONTINUE
when trying to boot from hard disk. I can still boot from a CD.
Another question:
during installing windws 7 the pc restarts a couple of times but after restart it begins install from SCRATCH and therefore never completes. How to continue the installation process after restart?

spunk.funk · 01-07-2012, 08:59 PM

Quote:

I have Windows 7 installed on my System and I wanted to install XP on a partition

I thought you already had Windows 7 installed and you were trying to install XP?
Disk Boot Failure means there is no OS on the HDD or the Boot file is corrupted. In whatever OS your trying to boot into.
If Windows 7 is failing to install, there is a problem with your HDD or possibly the RAM. Download the ISO image for Drive Fitness in my signature and burn the image to CD using IMGBurn also in my signature. boot off of the newly created CD and run the short and extended tests on the HDD. If there are any errors it can't fix, you will need to replace the HDD. If that passes, then download the ISO image for Memtest also in my signature, burn the image with IMGBurn and boot off of the newly created CD and run the tests with ONE stick of RAM in at a time. Again, any failures, the RAM stick will need to be replaced.

**TheCyberMan** · 01-07-2012, 09:36 PM

Ideally you would install xp on first partition and 7 on second partition xp would be marked active partition as it contains boot records windows 7 partion would not be marked active but you would have to add it to boot.ini of xp boot loader.

spunk.funk · 01-07-2012, 10:15 PM

Or you can use Easy BCD boot manager to manage your boot partitions.

Akshay Dwivedi · 01-10-2012, 09:37 AM

My Windows XP cd was faulty. Got a new one and formatted it again. Everything fine now. Thanks guys

spunk.funk · 01-10-2012, 12:22 PM

You are welcome! Please mark this thread Solved in the thread tools at the top.