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
    2014-04-07T03:26:26+00:00

    http://www.j79zlr.com/reg_tutorial.php

    read the above tutorial on how to add, delete, and modify registry

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

    You should have clicked yes, when that message comes up, it tells you that the program has been removed and it will remove the listing from add/remove list.

    Your pc still has malware and you should really get it clean. :)

    =========

    download autoruns and disable the update from starting:

    AUTORUNS

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902  

    I would scrutinize what you have loading on StartUp. You need to see if you have programs loading during boot process which might be changed to on demand.

    With Autoruns you can uncheck an item, which disables it from starting, or you can right click an item and then delete it. If you uncheck you can recheck to re-enable the item. It is a much safer approach than editing the Registry and better than using msconfig.

    Another useful feature of the program is that you can right click an item and select Search Online to get information about the item selected.

    When using Autoruns you will need to click on the "Logon" tab to see what is running at start-up.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-06T23:00:44+00:00

    Hi, Elizabeth23,

    OK, I did find a sticker on the back of the PC with the Product Key.  I never paid much attention to it ( I never needed to) because Gateway has stickers all over the PC, inside and back, and a label on the lower front behind a flip up door to access the plug in slots. 

    I read the articles posted above and attempted to use/follow them, but I'm still a bit uncomfortable about trying them to actually to it properly. 

    I have edited the registry before, no problem, but have never actually added a new reg value.

    Could you please provide me a detailed step-by-step process to add the value in, just to be on the safe side?

    By the way, I noticed that today I do have a new "Update for Windows XP (KB2934207).  It is dated as installed on 3/17/2014. 

    Note that this entry under Add/Remove was definately NOT there as recently as Yesterday. 

    I had searched on the PC for the KB number via Windows Search, Search Companion, Search Desktop, and Microsoft Updates Home, Add/Remove, nothing found. 

    I even doubled checked the registry, nothing showed up.

    However, if I try to delete this entry from Add/Remove, an error messsage pops up stating:

    "An error ocurred while trying to remove Update for Windows XP (KB293434207).  It may have already been uninstalled.  Would you like to remove Update for Windows XP (KB2934207) from the Add or Remove programs list?"

    I did NOT remove anything.

    I am very much aware that removing something from the programs list does NOT remove the actual program, so I clicked No.

    Then, being the curious person that I am, I tried to remove ANY other Microsoft Update listed and each one of them gives me the same error.  I am able to remove any other non-Windows programs. 

    Also, I previously was able to remove Windows related programs since I had to uninstall IE8 and reinstall it.

    And, yes, the popup starts every time I boot up.  Nice one, huh? 

    How do I completely get rid of this update?  It does not show up on Revo Uninstaller.

    Do I need to check or recheck an option somewhere to remove Windows components from XP? 

    Thanks

    Vernon

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-04-05T06:32:52+00:00

    A product key will be shown on a COA sticker attached to your pc, either on the side or in the back

    it tells you the OS installed and gives a 25 digit product code.

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

    the thread I had been reading said to use a ps2 keyboard to allow keys to work and since you are using one then that is not the issue. :(

    ===========

    you cannot install pro over home edition, it will have to be a disc with xp home.

    ===========

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/windows-update-kb2934207-released-march-5th-2014/ebfa52e6-eedc-4e88-a40c-3482b1a0e42c?auth=1

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion]

    "DisableEOSNotification"=dword:00000001

     will tell it not to display.

    above from this thread

    read both threads on how to get rid of kb 2934207 End Of Support notification.

    for myself I just elected not to install it :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-04-05T05:16:38+00:00

    Hi, Elizabeth23,

    OK, new info.

    First, (face palm) Of course you can get the updates by going to the Add/Remove Programs. 

    Sorry I was really tired.  But I can go to Microsoft Updates Home and do exactly the same thing.

    (and I Do have 'show updates' checked in Add/Remove). 

    Bottom line, Nope, I do not have this update for some reason.  I am (suppossedly) getting all the updates automatically. 

    I am not sure why I don't have this particular update, when was it released?  However, I am still getting the little popup window when I boot up, right above my "oranged out" MSE icon next to the clock.

    Second, I was successful in downloading, and burning (with verify), the Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 .iso file to disk and then rebooting it in my optical CD/DVD drive E:.

    It started right up (after hitting any key) and I then ran a complete scan of the C:\ (system) and D:\ (Recovery) drives, plus the Disk Boot Sectors and Hidden Startup Objects. 

    It took a couple hours to run and it only found (4) instances of the same trogan program, called Packed.Win32.Krap.hc, on the C:\ drive and since "disinfection was not possible", I choose to delete them. 

    Nothing else was found,  I read the report and looked at other options on the disk just fine.

    The only strang thing was that there was NOT an EXIT button or 'key to push' to quit the program, so I just had to hold the Power Off buttton (not just click it like usual) before the PC would power down.

    I rebooted, taking the CD out off the drive, and ran the Recovery Console to go to the C:\ drive and run fixMBR. 

    Nothing has changed, I still get the same error message, "Non-Sandard or Invalid Master Boot Record".

    Third,

    "have you tested the boot cd's on another pc??"

    ---->  No, not yet.  I don't have one easily available to me.

    "And if you have a disc with xp3 already on it why are you trying to make a repair disc??"

    ---->  Well, it is only 'borrowed', I have to return it.  

    Although, I might make an .iso file from it and just burn a copy.  

    I just did not realize that it actually had SP3 on it already because I had simply set it aside to use later.

    It was then that I wondered if it was an OEM disk that I might not be able to use, and because it is Pro and I have Home.

    Is there anyway you could check your Microsoft resources and determine what kind of a system it came from by the part number?  (Like Gateway, HP, ASUS, etc.) 

    The owner of the disk has/had many different computers and he doesn't throw anything like that away, ever.

    "new reply, what type of keyboard are you using?  ps2 or usb??"

    ---->  PS2.

    By the way, there is all this talk about Product Keys. 

    Since I bought this PC through a Retail store (over 7 years ago) and I think the program 'must' have been pre-loaded, where or how can I find my Product Key?  I got no disks or anything at time of purchase.  It came in a big Gateway box.

    Would it be located in a file somewhere on the system?

    If not, how would I be able to retrieve it from Microsoft?  I obviously do have a serial number.

    Thanks, again

    Vernon

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