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
    2014-03-11T00:21:06+00:00

    Hi, Elizabeth23,

    I have an x86 Gateway desktop 5310S PC 4000966, serial number 0035394453, with WinXP Home edition SP3 and IE8.

    I had created 4 "Master" CDs on the initial startup of WinXP years ago which are referred to on some Gateway sites as being recovery disks for "drivers and applications".

    Also included with my initial package of paperwork was a one page Recovery Instructions sheet that listed (3 different methods of recovery under "Hard Drive Recovery Options Using Files Stored on the D: Partition". 

    These options are:

    1> Non-Destructive System Restore - recovers factory-shipped applications, drivers and the operating system without affecting any data files that you may have created since purchasing the system.  This is similar to a repair install.

    2> Full System Restore (Destructive)

    3> Full System Restore (with Backup) Advanced Option

    A "Non-Destructive System Restore" sounds exactly like what I want to do. 

    However, this instruction sheet does NOT explain HOW to do this.  

    I will check the Internet for better instructions and any comments from other users.

    [Edit]  I did find some instructions on how to do a non-destructive system restore but whenever I did a F11 on reboot or went to System Restore on Start/Programs the menu never offered this choice to me to activate.  Maybe my model does not actually have this option.  I see some ads for third-party programs that claim to be able to do XP restore options.  Do you have any experience with any of them?

    Any other ideas about why my Family Tree Maker 2005 will not reinstall?

    Vernon

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T21:54:33+00:00

    http://ask-leo.com/whats_the_difference_between_a_recovery_disk_and_an_installation_disk.html

    read above on difference.

    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-install-the-windows-xp-recovery-console/

    installing the recovery console

    ===========

    what is make, model, and model number of pc, and I will see if your manual gives instructions on using the recovery partition, you might get by with saving your data , I will have to check the manual.

    you could repair windows without data loss, but the repair cd has to be the same service pack as the current service pack installed.

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

    not sure if the editor problem is your pc or the website, as I am not experiencing the issue.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T20:39:20+00:00

    Hi, Elizabeth23,

    (1)  In regards to the problem of installing or reinstalling Family Tree Maker 2005 or 2005 SE version, I logged on in Safe Mode, found the .dll file mentioned in the error message that displays and changed the security settings for ALL user profiles on my pc to Full access for each one if it wasn't already set as such. 

    I did the same thing for the folder that the .dll file was located in just to cover all the bases.  I also unchecked the Read-Only button and saved the changes.

    Nothing has changed at all, I still get the same error message as before.

    (2)  To help clear up some confusion on my part about restoring the system, just exactly what is the difference between using original WinXP program discs or newly created bootable WinXP Recovery Console disk versus using the self-created Gateway "Recovery Disks"?  

    And why do so many people say don't use the manufacturer's recovery discs created by the user at the time of first startup of the machine?

    Is it simply a matter of convenience or does it have to do with additional options being made available?

    Also, you had mentioned above that I could reinstall the Recovery Console onto the pc, assuming that it was corrupted.  The article above spoke about uninstalling the Recovery Console but did not go into reinstalling it onto the PC. 

    Please also note that I do have drive D:\ which is a smaller "Recovery Partition".

    What I would really like to do is to "fix" WinXP without having to lose and reload all my installed programs and, of course, my data files.  Is this even possible??

    I'll get back to you with any further progress or problems.

    Also note that, as before, the editor here is still having a problem with duplicating entire sentences or sections. 

    Can anything be done about this?  This has only cropped up recently.  I have never had this problem before and I don't have any known malware.  Everything reports nothing found.  IE8 has been totally reset several times.

    Thanks

    Vernon

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-09T05:24:30+00:00

    http://ftm.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5323/kw/manually%20uninstall%202005/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5MzYyMzMxMy9zaWQvV3luNTI1T2w%3D

    saw your other question here.  one way to search the registry, which I find easier, is to click on the EDIT button, choose find, then type in FamilyTreeMaker, (just like that, no spaces, as regedit uses capital letters to indicate spaces.), then click find next, delete any thing that comes up with that.

    each time something is found, and you delete, then go to edit button and choose find next and it will keep searching until it prompts you that regedit can find no other listing.

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

    http://gen.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2486

    step by step troubleshooting for FTM.

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

    You said: Second B. , have you right clicked on the file, security tab, and given yourself permission to have all rights to this file??

    do you have xp home or xp pro??

    if home security tab will only show in safe mode

    if pro, to see security tab, go to Folder Options (in the control panel), view tab, scroll down to "Use simple file sharing" and insure that there is NO checkmark in this box, , then click apply, then ok, and reboot pc.

    Then, you will click on the security tab and add your user name to the permissions, and click all the boxes for full control, then click apply, and first, uncheck the read only box and say yes to all folders.

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

    recovery console may not be any help for this problem.

    I am not having that problem on this website, are you sure that your pc is clean??

    you might want to go here for malware removal, as even if cleaned some parts may be left over

    http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/forum/37-virus-spyware-malware-removal/

    be aware that it may take a couple of days for someone to help you, and be sure to read the pinned articles, and if you do this then I would wait to further troubleshoot your problem as it is not too good to be doing two different instructions at the same time. :)

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

    Winternals Administrator's Pak 4.2

    do not download unless this is something you want and need, it was just a check to see if this was the cause.

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

    "None of this will help the OP (use Hiren's or theTech-Geek method), so it is just FYE!"?

    My mistake I should have edited that out. It was in reference to something else in a different thread and has no bearing, other that the fact that SET must be activated before the recovery console can be used to copy to and from removable media.

    Hiren's has lots of tools on their cd, but mostly you will just need mini xp, however there are some tools that are helpful in checking drives and other stuff on hiren's home page, you can see all the tools listed and what they do.

    http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

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

    I would get the professional version of win7, just remember that if you dual boot, xp has to be installed first, there are several sites that explain this, just google how to dual boot xp and win7.

    ==========

    will check in tomorrow, :)

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