Bootsect.dat file is corrupted, NTLDR is missing/compressed on x86 pc with WinXP Home Edition Sp3 and Ie8

Anonymous
2014-02-24T05:47:39+00:00

I have a x86 pc with WinXP Home Edition SP3 and IE8. 

While preparing for an eventual upgrade to Win 7, I have been considering repartioning and multibooting my HDD. 

I have been trying to get WinXP operating as best as I can.  I also have been checking out how to use the Windows Recovery Console to reinstall WinXP and transfer files for a clean reinstall.

I discovered while checking "All Boot Paths" at Start\Run\msconfig\BOOT.INI that one Boot Path was highlighted with errors indicating that the "File is Corrupted because a disk read error occured" and that NTLDR is missing or corrupted.  In fact, it is garbled.  It points to "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console/cmdcon".  I have not used the Recovery Console, ever. 

I have a Gateway 5310S desktop (retail) and no original XP disks, apparently. 

I do have, but have never used, a 4ea. set of Recovery CDs dated 5/12/05 that I must have created after purchase.

I also have been having numerous, odd, problems that come and go, including trouble displaying various websites, Yahoo Home Pages, and eMail that keep going into compatibility mode or blanking outright.  The video and audio on Hulu and online video services are always out of sync.  I have problems editing posts on sites like this even though I can edit my profile pages just fine.

This particular set of problems started occurring recently and very suddenly, from one day to the next.  This was after it had actually been working fairly well for a change. 

I have no idea how long the boot.ini file has been corrupted, I actually discovered it by accident.

I also can not reinstall certain programs such as Family Tree Maker 2005 and 2008 after it was suggested to me by ancestry.com to uninstall/reinstall.

I have the latest Java and Adobe Flash Player.  I have defragged and disk checked my drives. 

I have used CCleaner to remove temp and junk files daily.  I have run Hitman Pro, MBAM, MBAR, MSE, and SAS multiple times with no viruses or malware detected. 

And, as I had mentioned above, I am having problems with the editor on this site, right now.  Sometimes it just freezes and I have to exit to clear.  Other times it duplicates entire sentences.  It also flip/flops between a full page editor and, like now, a half page editor window on the left half of the page.

Any suggestions you folks can come up with would be greatly appreciated.  This is getting really annoying.

Thanks

Vernon

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2014-03-05T08:10:47+00:00

when you check out the boot.ini paths, and the recovery console is installed, you will always get an error stating that the boot path is invalid.

if the recovery console is indeed corrupted just uninstall, you can reinstall or burn a cd with the recovery console.

go here for instructions on deleting the recovery console.

===========

Here's how to make a bootable xp recovery console cd

Courtesy of JoseIbarra

You need to start by booting into the XP Recovery Console using a CD you can make (no XP media required) and run a chkdsk with error correction enough times until it runs clean and if that doesn't work, you can create a new boot.ini file (it is usually one of those two things).

Here's how:

Use the XP Recovery Console to verify the file system on your HDD and correct any problems and then try to boot your system - this may be all you need to do.  Or, you are welcome to just start trying things that might work.

Boot into the Windows Recovery Console using a bootable XP installation CD.

If you have no bootable XP media (or are not sure what you have) create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and be sure what you have (no XP media required).

This is not the same as any recovery disks that might have come with a store bought system.

You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file and burning it to a CD.

The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:

rc.iso 

Download the ISO file from here:

http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/?p=8    (courtesy of Daavee)

Use a new CD and this free and easy program to burn your ISO file and create your bootable CD:

http://www.imgburn.com/

When installing ImgBurn, DO NOT install the Ask toolbar.

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.  These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:

Press any key to boot from CD...

The Windows Setup... will proceed.

Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.

Select the installation you want to access (usually  1: C:\WINDOWS)

You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).

You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder.  This is the same as the 

C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.

The Recovery Console allows basic file commands like: copy, rename, replace, delete, cd, chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, etc.

For a list of Recovery Console commands, enter help at the prompt or read about the XP Recovery Console here:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_console_cmds.mspx?mfr=true

A good idea before starting things is to first verify the integrity of your file system using the chkdsk command.

From the command prompt window run the chkdsk command on the drive where Windows is installed to try to repair any problems on the afflicted drive.

Running chkdsk is fine even if it doesn't find any problems.  It will not hurt anything to run it.

Assuming your boot drive is C, run the following command:

chkdsk C: /r

Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find.  

It may take a long time for chkdsk to complete or it may appear to be 'stuck'.  Be patient. If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing something.  Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is still making progress.  It may even appear to go backwards sometimes.

You should run chkdsk /r again until it finds no errors to correct.

Remove the CD and type 'exit' to leave the RC and restart the computer.

You do not have to adjust the BIOS again to boot on the HDD since the CD will not be present.

===============

as for the other problems:

have you used any registry cleaners??

these can harm your system

since you appear to be infection free, it would seem that some part of your cleaning process has deleted a necessary file.

===============

checkdisk with the /r parameter should be run. and run again until no errors are found.

==========

are you fully updated and patched at Microsoft updates??

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-14T03:49:53+00:00

    Hi, ElderL,

    First off, just let me say that I'm not trying to win a grudge match here, but I have been working on these problems, that I have encountered, for quite some time now and I've just not been getting anywhere with fixing them.

    What I have been receiving from the tech world "out there" are just "try this idea" and not actual problem fixes.

    I have many open posts on several sites (like here) with detailed info on exactly what I'm actually seeing complete with error messages and references.  I'm not sure what else to give them.

    Guess what? Mostly I get absolutely no replies, or at best, completely usless replies or maybe even "near misses".  I have tried many fruitless online searches for even hints at possible solutions and most of the time I come up empty.

    And, yeah, there are a bunch of "experts" out there that couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag.     Take a guess as to why i'm so damned frustrated.  

    I am a member on many forums including here on the Microsoft Support forum(s), the Family Tree Maker support forum, the MalWareBytes Support forum, the Hulu Support forum, the ComCast Cable support forum, the Family Tree Maker Support forum, the Adobe Support forum(s), Tom's Hardware support Forum, Gateway Tech Support forum(s) (such as they are), and a few other tech sites.

    I've been a Navy electronic tech/ traveling Biomed Support Tech/ Electrical Engineer/ Reliability Engineer/ Manufacturing Engineer/ Quality Assurance Engineer/ R&D Engineer/ Network Administrator/ Computer Specialist, and now a government retiree.

    So, I do know a thing or two about computers, but obviously not everything, and I have not been keeping up with all the newer stuff to the degree I would like to be.  

    Perhaps now you'll understand exactly why I am so frustrated.

    So, that said, I'd like to attack these issues one step at a time.

    1)  Per Belarc Adviser I have:

    A Gateway Desktop 5310S 4000966 with a 2.93 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4 proceessor, 1.528 GB Ram, and a ST3120026AS 120.03 GB Harddrive with (2) partitions: Drive C:\ (NTFS on drive 0) with operating system - 116.19 GB with 82.49 GB free, and Drive D:\ (Fat32 on drive 0) - 3.83 GB with 1.80GB free, and a NEC DVD_RW ND-3520AW Optical Drive.

    2)  Yes, I DO actually have the recovery console factory installed on my system since I can do a system reboot, then hit F11, choose Microsoft Windows XP (TM) Recovery Console, and then select either Full System Restore (Destructive) or Full System Restore (With Backup).

    1. [I was going to add another action point here, but I'm getting too tired and it's late]

    Later

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-13T21:36:07+00:00

    The recovery console is mainly to fix non booting systems, read this on the usage of the recovery console:

    http://pcsupport.about.com/od/termsr/p/recoveryconsole.htm

    http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_console_overview.mspx?mfr=true

    ==================

    you can run checkdisk, either thru the recovery console, or off the cd, or thru windows.

    go to start, run, type in cmd

    in cmd type in   chkdsk c: /r and press enter

    type y for yes and press enter

    type exit and press enter, then restart pc, checkdisk will run and will restart when finished, you can see the report in event viewer, applications directory, Winlogon.

    if any errors are found then you want to run checkdisk again. until no errors are found.

    ==============

    Okay, now the main problem you are facing is the inability to install FTM, correct??

    ============

    I am still not having an issue with the website editor here, nor has any one else it appears that this is an issue stemming from your system.

    ==============

    When you have sata drives, xp will not install unless you have the sata drivers either slipstreamed into your installation cd, or have them on a floppy disk and during install of xp you will be asked to Press F6 to install . 

    ============

    Since you have the recovery console installed already, you can just restart, arrow down to the RC option and press enter and this will open the console and you can run checkdisk there without having to restart each time, as the report will stay on the screen until you type in exit and press enter.

    ==========

    Elder L. is the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to XP, most of what I know I have learned from reading his posts. :)

    =========

    Have you had any further info from your thread at FTM??

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