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
    2014-03-24T04:10:54+00:00

    sata drives are okay with Hiren's as it can run on either ide or sata.

    When you use a used cd and just erase it you then to get the verify error, but on one I recently burned I also got the verify error, and my cd still runs and boots up, there may be a sector that is bad on it but for mini xp portion was okay.

    I am not up on hardware, You will have to post in the following forum for that:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-hardware?sort=lastreplydate&dir=desc&tab=Threads&status=unanswered&mod=&modAge=&advFil=&postedAfter=&postedBefore=&threadType=Questions&tm=1395634047910

    someone here will know about firmware, as all I know is that you rarely have to mess with firmware.

    as for cleaning an optical drive, there are kits you can buy, or see this guide:

    http://www.computercleaningguide.com/dvd-cd.htm

    it may help.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-24T02:45:12+00:00

    Hi, Elizabeth23,

    I have been trying to do some catching up and reading some of the articles on sites you've suggested.

    1)  I also have been trying to burn some CD-RW disks for Hiren's BootCD and others.

    However, I have a problem.  The burn completes, but the verify mode only completes to 90% to 93% and then faults.

    I believe that the drive may be dirty perhaps due to dust or something, internally.

    If so, what is the best method for cleaning the drive and then retrying the burning?

    I recently read an article somewhere which spoke to this but I cannot now find where I saw it.

    2)  I also want to check on downloading an update for the firmware on the device.

    I noticed that the original firmware was from Microsoft as the provider.

    Can you suggest a source on Microsoft or another location?

    I have the following:

    _NEC DVD_RW ND-3520AW:  [The AW part is interesting, I can find references to 3520A, not 3520AW]

    Firmware version:  Microsoft 5.1.2535.0  7/1/2001

    Driver File Details:  Provider:  Microsoft Corp

                                File Version:  5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108)  [Why is this number different from

                                the Firmware version?

    3)  By the way, I know that my Seagate harddrive does indeed have SATA drivers because I looked up the drive online and saw the details.

    Thanks

    Vernon

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-21T23:23:32+00:00

    you might go here and have them search for malware , etc.

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

    read the pinned notices and see what they say there.

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

    sata drivers are available from the pc manufacturer's website.

    look inside your case, if you have sata drives the cable will be skinny, if you have ide drives the cable will be like a ribbon

    https://www.google.com/#q=images+of+sata+and+ide+cables

    see some images here.

    read below for info on burning hiren's, I do not have a dvd, just a cd drive and always use cd-rw or you can use dvd rw.

    Courtesy of Jose Ibarra

    Make yourself a Hiren's Boot CD which you can download from here:

    http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

    The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete bit it is worth it.  Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.

    Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD.  You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.

    In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it, but I have never used it and prefer to use ImgBurn.

    If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program:

    http://www.imgburn.com/

    When installing ImgBurn, DO NOT install anything from UniBlue or the Ask toolbar (never install the ASK toolbar for anything).

    Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

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

    It would be a good idea to test your new 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 booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options.  Choose the Mini XP option.  Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already used to using.

    One way to check the disk for errors is to open My Computer and right click your afflicted drive and choose Properties, Tools, Error-checking, Check Now... put a check mark in both the boxes and then Start.

    Sometimes that doesn't work, so you can also click Start, Run and in the box enter:

    cmd

    Click OK to open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command (assuming XP is installed on your C drive)

    chkdsk  c:  /r

    This disk checking can take a long time (perhaps several to many hours) depending on the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what the disk checking finds to do.

    Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find. 

    Depending on the the speed of your system, the size of the volume, the amount of data on the volume and what chkdsk finds to do, it may take a long time for chkdsk with error correction to complete (several to many hours) or it may appear to be 'stuck'.  Be patient.  If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing something so don't interrupt it.  It will finish eventually one way or the other.  Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is still making progress.  It may even appear to go backwards sometimes.

    You may have to run the chkdsk c: /r   more than once.

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

    you can click on ElderL's name and it will take you to his profile page and send him an email. he has his email address listed.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-21T02:14:27+00:00

    Hi, Elizabeth23,

    I If I wanted to download something like Hiren's BootCD 15.2 or DiskInternals Boot_CD or Knoppix or anything similar, what MEDIA is the most preferable to use? 

    Would I use CDs or DVDs and would I use RW, -R or +R, or does it even matter?  Most sites just say to burn a disk without really saying what TYPE of media to use.  What's the difference?

    Right now I have CD-RW (700MB), DVD-R (4.7GB), and DVD+R (4.7GB) readily available to me. 

    Or is something different a better choice to use for building troubleshooting tools?

    I want to at least have something available to use in the meantime or in case my harddrive dies before I can set up a new syustem.

    Mind you, I really would love to make an XP Home SP3 bootable disk if the downloadable files would be available.  What did you use for your boot CD?

    Besides, where would I find SATA drivers?

    I'm sill running chkdsk and still finding more errors and apparently it's fixing them as I go.

    I did not get your site to work so I just cleaned up the .NET Framework 2 to 4 versions, reinstalled them, and installed the updates from another Microsoft How-To page without very much trouble.

    I did go ahead and remove and reinstall IE8 and updates.  I haven't really used it enough to know whether there is any improvement or not.

    There are still a few of the other suggestions you provided that I have not gotten to yet because of limited time to get stuff done.

    I still have the Family Tree Maker problem on download installs or installs from disk.

    I still do not get any hints of viruses, rootkits, malware, or adware being reported.

    Can the antimalware experts you suggested do a deep cleaning to get rid of any junk "lying" around or missed without having an actual notification of something found?

    Is there a way for me to contact ElderL directly by message through Microsoft Community?

    OK, gotta go for now.

    Thanks

    Vernon

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