Vista won't boot, kernal issues

My HD is partitioned like so:

dev/sda1 ntfs boot
dev/sda2 extended lba
>dev/sda5 ntfs

sda1 is formatted with nothing on it. sda5 has XP MCE. After using the
Linux program GParted to alter the partitions, I can no longer boot XP MCE.
I get the error, "A kernel file is missing." Says to install a system disk.
Neither Vista or XP MCE disks will fix it when I boot from them. I tried
switching the boot tag to all three different sda parts but it wouldn't boot
anything. I figured I'd just get Vista working on sda1 so I tried to install
it....

loads files into system, does that little status bar, then goes to black
screen with cursor....looooonngg wait, Vista-ish splash screen with cursor
pops up. Looooooonnnggggg wait, nothing. Nothing at all. No options to
select, can't use it as a repair disk. Tried booting XP MCE from disk, and
it wouldn't work at all.

Anyways, maybe someone can tell me what's the likely culprit. I'd like to
get at least something bootable. By the way, I've run the Vista
Compatibility program and I had no conflicts. It should load.

Thanks

Lt. Washburn wrote:
> My HD is partitioned like so:
>
> dev/sda1 ntfs boot
> dev/sda2 extended lba
>> dev/sda5 ntfs

Is sda a SATA or SCSI disk?

> sda1 is formatted with nothing on it. sda5 has XP MCE. After using the
> Linux program GParted to alter the partitions, I can no longer boot XP MCE.

Hm. I sense a great many important details have been omitted for the
sake of brevity ;o)

> I get the error, "A kernel file is missing." Says to install a system disk.

First, what boot manager are you using to boot with? Second, Windows
itself does not need to be installed in a primary partition, but it does
need at least one primary partition where its boot files can live (e.g.
ntldr and boot.ini for XP, or bootmgr and the \boot directory for Vista.)

If /dev/sda1 has 'nothing' on it, then I'm not surprised that XP won't
boot, because XP is installed in sda5 (an extended partition) and thus
would absolutely need to have ntldr and boot.ini in /dev/sda1 (a primary
partition). I imagine that is why you get the 'missing kernel file'.

Those two files may still be in sda5 with XP, depending entirely on what
you did with GParted, of course, and I dunno what you did.

> Neither Vista or XP MCE disks will fix it when I boot from them. I tried
> switching the boot tag to all three different sda parts but it wouldn't boot
> anything. I figured I'd just get Vista working on sda1 so I tried to install
> it....

You say sda1 is formatted NTFS. Did the Vista installer do the
formatting? If no, that may be your problem. I doubt that GParted is
current enough to know about Vista's flavor of NTFS, and XP isn't either.

Hi Lt. Washburn--

My understanding is your issue is repairing your Windows XP boot, not Vista.
There is a differential diagonsis of the common cause sof your problem, but
without a specific error message I can't speculate as to the cause. I do
have ideas for a solution though.

I want to qualify this advice at the outset that I know for a fact that when
you try to do a repair install in XP which is one of the modalities that
will be in my suggestions below, that some Linux bootloaders can directly
interfere with access to the XP repair interface and block a repair install.
I know particularly that the bootloaders Grub and Lilo will on a consistent
basis but these are my accumulated experiences in helping people fix XP no
boots who have multiboots that include those bootloaders. I don't have a
series of a thousand to statistically guage the percent of time this
happens, and I don't have experience with other Linux bootloaders
interfering with a repair install (Gnu, Sislink, Loadlin, and more). This
is in spite of the fact that most bootloaders are written in assembly with
the exception of Grub.

Boot loader showdown: Getting to know LILO and GRUB
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerwork...-bootload.html


It would be interesting to hear what Darrell Gorter [MSFT], his collegues,
or many of the people on this group who are also familiar with Linux have
experienced with regard to blockage of the setup of an XP repair install
which is a formidiable tool with a negligible downside risk and an excellent
percent of efficacy. I am still waiting to see the time I cannot fix XP no
boots (if a Lilo or Grub and perhaps other Linux boot are not in the
eqauation) and perhaps yours will have no effect. In several hundred
successful attempts to do this over the past six years, I have encountered
no failures unless the partitions were systemically damaged to a degree that
XP could not be repaired, and less than one percent of the time you might
have to repeat the simple quick repair install proceedure 2 to 3 times to
achieve success. These incidences have occured less than the fingers on my
right hand which I am able to count consistently. Bottom line I have had to
repeat a repair install twice in several hundred successful attempts.

That said, though, I think you have a number of options that take very
little time, and I strongly urge you to take a shot with each and every one
listed below. If F8 advanced options don't work, and you have an XP CD in
your posession, then I certainly would take the few minutes to try the
simple repair install proceedure that for my benefit, given all the ones out
there, is free. There are other fine software applications to attempt to
fix no boots, (Technet Sysinternals, Boot NG)but they are not free, and
offer no more efficacy althought they might offer more detailed insight into
the reasons for the no boot situation.

Background Context for XP No Boot Fixes:

I base my approaches for repairing Windows XP on Chapter 28 of the XP Pro
Resource Kit and a particular MSKB linked below:

Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;308041

Windows XP Professional Resource KitTroubleshooting the Startup Process
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...c29621675.mspx

Windows XP Pro Resource Kit
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...t/default.mspx

Windows XP Professional Resource Kit Understanding Troubleshooting
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...c27621675.mspx

XP Resource Kit
http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/books/6795.aspx


Here's what I recommend you doing, and please let us know how this works
out:

See for ref:
Access/Enter Motherboard BIOS
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Boot Order in Bios (Set Boot from HD 1st)
http://www.short-media.com/images/mm...ios/bios03.jpg

Repair Install
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ps/doug92.mspx

Repair Install (Method 2):
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/315341

III Taking Full Advantage of the F8 Options (Windows Advanced Options Menu):

You could also:

Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration


Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.

These methods are outlined in

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

How to Use System Restore

http://bertk.mvps.org/

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore in Windows XP from MSFT:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro.../faqsrwxp.mspx

Using System Restore

http://tinyurl.com/dvekb

System Restore for Windows XP

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_restore.htm



How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;304449



Repair Install: (This option has the best chance of succeeding and it
preserves everything in your OS--you do not lose anything with this option):

Make sure the CD you have is an XP CD.

Pitfalls: If the CD came from friend or relative or P2P, you may have
problems. P2P besides being illlegal in many countries including the U.S.
can be corrupt. If CD came from friend or relative, they may have given
you the CD to use but if product key is in use, MSFT is not going to accept
it for activation. Make sure you clean the CD carefully using proper
cleaning fluid and strokes that radiate from center like spokes on a wheel.

Again a repair install has the most likely chance to succeed, but you need
to have an XP CD. If you try a Repair Install and end up at a C:\ prompt
(dos prompt) you are in the Recovery Console and need to try again carefully
to follow the simple steps in the repair link, and make sure you enabled
CD-Rom as first in the bios setup boot order.

First, in order to do a Repair Install You must boot to the bios setup and
position booting from the CD first in the boot order.

Booting to Bios Setup:

For 85% of PC's and all Dells you can tap the F2 key to reach bios setup.

How To Enable CD Rom Support (put CD boot first) in bios setup boot order:

http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how..._support_i.htm

Screen Shot of bios setup boot order:
http://www.poy.net/proxy/bios2.jpg

Repair Install Does Not Lose Anything; you may need to try 2-3 times but
that's rare.

How To Repair Install
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3153...22120121120120
Screen Shot Repair Install
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winx...exfullpage.htm

Other Options with Slim Chances of Success:

Boot Discs:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

How To Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;305595

How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;310994

Recovery Console:

As discussed before, the Recovery Console is very low odds for getting back
your OS with it's 13 original dos cmds, but references are included. It
should be your last option, even when the MSFT KB article offers only it.
When they do this, they disregard their own Resource KB listed at the top as
well as their own XP Resource Kit Chapter 28.

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/EN-US/

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/

The recovery console can be installed via a cmd to your HD from the XP CD
and it occupies nearly 7.36MB of space.

Driver Verifier and it's significance and use in preventing BSOD Stop
errors:

Unfortunately, it is rare for Joe User or even Joe or Suzy CTO or Sys Ad to
know about driver verifier and deadlock detection and it's significance in
inducing Windows no boots or BSOD stop errors.

I am not going to go indepth on Verifier or deadlock detection, because you
can google it and read up. I am going to relate a typical case study of
why it's important and can be essential to understand if you are going to
repair your system.

MSFT has had a number of people lecturing and evangelizing a bit that 60-70%
of XP no boots or BSOD stops (recognizing that not every blue screen results
in a no boot and some will progress to one soon). It is not unusual to walk
up to a veteran engineer at MSFT and ask them if the above is true, and they
will immediately say "Of course."

I think this paints an incomplete picture, because there are other causes
that don't get the emphasis they should on MSFT's sites, in their KBs and in
books on XP specifically and NT Kernel OS's in general.

This typical experience will illustrate that. I can't say the percent of
time this happens, because I don't have the test lab that MSFT Research has,
and like any stats, the role of Driver Verifier's configuration and
software driver parsing warrants a large number of repros to assess it's
true significance statistically.

You are bopping along in Windows and all of a sudden at random, you get a
BSOD stop. The error message reads:

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x000000c4
(0x00000090, 0xffdff120, 0x00000000, 0x00000000). A dump was saved in:
C:\WINDOWS\MEMORY.DMP.
A device driver is attempting to corrupt the system and has been caught. A
faulty driver on the kernel stack must be replaced.

What do you do? If you do a driverquery cmd at the cmd prompt, you are
going to find you have anywhere from 150 to 200 kernel stack drivers and 35
or so non-kernel stack drivers on your system, and some are software
drivers.

The behavior of this stop error is that it will increase in frequency at
random. You will be able to boot after it shuts you down for about 15 times,
and then you won't.

You have to do a repair install, because F8 options are going to strike out
in this situation. The repair install will get you back to Windows where
you need to be, but you aren't out of the woods yet.

Typically, you will being to get the same Blue Screen Stop crash again,
every time you try to install, run your AV program, or at random and this
can be just after you reboot soon.

What Needs to Be Done:

This KB does not match the error message but it's close and provides a clue
to this problem along with another link.

Fatal System Error: 0x000000C4 If Deadlock Detection in Driver Verifier Is
Turned on and Norton Antivirus Is Installed
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;325672

How to Use Driver Verifier to Troubleshoot Windows Drivers
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q244617/


Per the first KB, using the Driver Verifyer tool accessable via the
Verifier cmd, you disable deadlock detection, and you disable inspecting
your Antivirus software drivvers (Norton has 5 for example).

A further clue to this interaction is found in this discussion among
developers:

Interop problem w/ NAV (Symantec Antivirus)...
http://www.osronline.com/showThread.cfm?link=42909

This scenario of Repair Install and using the Verifier Tool to disable
deadlock detection and the inspection of software AV drivers by the Verifyer
tool should be deployed much more frequently, and many blue screen stop no
boot to Windows situations would be prevented.

You will need this reference:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449/en-us

How to start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration
feature in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;307852



The command to use for system restore at the safe mode cmd prompt is:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

The reason for doing this is one of these choices may work, when the other
doesn't. My experience is that people do not fully try F8 when they think
or have said they have. It is that they can almost always reach Windows
Advanced Options though.

Ways To Access System Restore (whether in Safe Mode or Windows)

Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore

Type msconfig in run box>system restore button

Type restore in run box>click third item down in folder>rstrui

Don't ever turn off System Restore unless you are doing virus removal, but I
would encourage you to put sysdm.cpl in the run box and on the system
restore tab, push the slider to 2% because it defaults to 12% and that's a
lot of real estate to take up on a hard drive.

Other Options with Slim Chances of Success:

Boot Discs:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

How To Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;305595

How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;310994

*Recovery Console in Windows XP*:

the Recovery Console is very low odds for getting back your OS with it's 13
original dos cmds, but references are included. It should be your last
option, even when the MSFT KB article offers only it. When they do this,
they disregard their own Resource KB listed at the top as well as their own
XP Resource Kit Chapter 28.

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/EN-US/

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/

The recovery console can be installed via a cmd to your HD from the XP CD
and it occupies nearly 7.36MB of space.

*Driver Verifier*:

An important tool for prophylaxis of XP and Vista BSOD No Boots that MSFT
has failed to showcase and teach adequately and probably will continue to
fail to showcase and teach adequately. Why is a very good question since
the cheif software architecht has done considerable speaking and invested
considerable money in enhancing teaching methods in the public school
systems of the US and other countries.

Driver Verifier and it's significance and use in preventing BSOD Stop
errors:

Unfortunately, it is rare for Joe User or even Joe or Suzy CTO or Sys Ad to
know about driver verifier and deadlock detection and it's significance in
inducing Windows no boots or BSOD stop errors.

I am not going to go indepth on Verifier or deadlock detection, because you
can google it and read up. I am going to relate a typical case study of
why it's important and can be essential to understand if you are going to
repair your system.

MSFT has had a number of people lecturing and evangelizing a bit that 60-70%
of XP no boots or BSOD stops (recognizing that not every blue screen results
in a no boot and some will progress to one soon). It is not unusual to walk
up to a veteran engineer at MSFT and ask them if the above is true, and they
will immediately say "Of course."

I think this paints an incomplete picture, because there are other causes
that don't get the emphasis they should on MSFT's sites, in their KBs and in
books on XP specifically and NT Kernel OS's in general.

This typical experience will illustrate that. I can't say the percent of
time this happens, because I don't have the test lab that MSFT Research has,
and like any stats, the role of Driver Verifier's configuration and
software driver parsing warrants a large number of repros to assess it's
true significance statistically.

You are bopping along in Windows and all of a sudden at random, you get a
BSOD stop. The error message reads:

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x000000c4
(0x00000090, 0xffdff120, 0x00000000, 0x00000000). A dump was saved in:
C:\WINDOWS\MEMORY.DMP.
A device driver is attempting to corrupt the system and has been caught. A
faulty driver on the kernel stack must be replaced.

What do you do? If you do a driverquery cmd at the cmd prompt, you are
going to find you have anywhere from 150 to 200 kernel stack drivers and 35
or so non-kernel stack drivers on your system, and some are software
drivers.

The behavior of this stop error is that it will increase in frequency at
random. You will be able to boot after it shuts you down for about 15 times,
and then you won't.

You have to do a repair install, because F8 options are going to strike out
in this situation. The repair install will get you back to Windows where
you need to be, but you aren't out of the woods yet.

Typically, you will being to get the same Blue Screen Stop crash again,
every time you try to install, run your AV program, or at random and this
can be just after you reboot soon.

What Needs to Be Done:

This KB does not match the error message but it's close and provides a clue
to this problem along with another link.

Fatal System Error: 0x000000C4 If Deadlock Detection in Driver Verifier Is
Turned on and Norton Antivirus Is Installed
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;325672

How to Use Driver Verifier to Troubleshoot Windows Drivers
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q244617/


Per the first KB, using the Driver Verifyer tool accessable via the
Verifier cmd, you disable deadlock detection, and you disable inspecting
your Antivirus software drivvers (Norton has 5 for example).

A further clue to this interaction is found in this discussion among
developers:

Interop problem w/ NAV (Symantec Antivirus)...
http://www.osronline.com/showThread.cfm?link=42909

This scenario of Repair Install and using the Verifier Tool to disable
deadlock detection and the inspection of software AV drivers by the Verifyer
tool should be deployed much more frequently, and many blue screen stop no
boot to Windows situations would be prevented.


Good luck,

CH


"Lt. Washburn" <> wrote in message
news19233A7-BACA-439A-9DDB-...
> My HD is partitioned like so:
>
> dev/sda1 ntfs boot
> dev/sda2 extended lba
>>dev/sda5 ntfs
>
> sda1 is formatted with nothing on it. sda5 has XP MCE. After using the
> Linux program GParted to alter the partitions, I can no longer boot XP
> MCE.
> I get the error, "A kernel file is missing." Says to install a system
> disk.
> Neither Vista or XP MCE disks will fix it when I boot from them. I tried
> switching the boot tag to all three different sda parts but it wouldn't
> boot
> anything. I figured I'd just get Vista working on sda1 so I tried to
> install
> it....
>
> loads files into system, does that little status bar, then goes to black
> screen with cursor....looooonngg wait, Vista-ish splash screen with cursor
> pops up. Looooooonnnggggg wait, nothing. Nothing at all. No options to
> select, can't use it as a repair disk. Tried booting XP MCE from disk,
> and
> it wouldn't work at all.
>
> Anyways, maybe someone can tell me what's the likely culprit. I'd like to
> get at least something bootable. By the way, I've run the Vista
> Compatibility program and I had no conflicts. It should load.
>
> Thanks

Lt. Washburn--

I realize from several rereadings that you can't boot either your XP MCE or
Vista. I would add these to help you repair your Vista boot. By the way,
did you install Vista onto the sda2 partition ***after you installed Win XP
on the sda1 ntfs boot? If you did install the newer Windows Vista first on
this multiboot setup, you would increase your chances to have no boot
situations.

You might want to take a look at Vista Boot Pro-- A gui way to straighten
out your boot loaders.

www.vistabootpro.org

Also to fix your Vista boot. you may have tried a startup repair, but I'd
try it again if you have and try it if you haven't:

*Startup Repair from the Windows Recovery Environment link on the Vista
DVD*:

You can run Startup Repair by putting your Vista DVD in after the
language screen in setup. You can also run System Restore from the same
location.

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreins...rtup/index.htm

Note The computer must be configured to start from a CD or from a DVD. For
information about how to configure the computer to start from a CD or from a
DVD, see the information that came with the computer.
2. Restart the computer. To do this, click Start, click the arrow next to
the Lock button, and then click Restart.

This usually means that you enter bios setup by whatever key or keys
(sometimes there is more than one key that will do it for your model--go to
pc manufacturer site) and configure CD to be first in the boot order.

See for ref:
Access/Enter Motherboard BIOS
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Boot Order in Bios (Set Boot from HD 1st)
http://www.short-media.com/images/mm...ios/bios03.jpg

Note If you cannot restart the computer by using this method, use the power
button to turn off the computer. Then, turn the computer back on.

3. Set your language preference, and then click Next.

Note In most cases, the startup repair process starts automatically, and you
do not have the option to select it in the System Recovery Options menu.

4. Click Repair your computer.

5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click the operating system
that you want to repair, and then click Next.

6. In the System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair to start the
repair process.

7. When the repair process is complete, click Finish.

Additional References for Startup Repair With Screenshots:

How to Use Startup Repair:

***Accessing Windows RE (Repair Environment):***

1) Insert Media into PC (the DVD you burned)

2) ***You will see on the Vista logo setup screen after lang. options in the
lower left corner, a link called "System Recovery Options."***

Screenshot: System Recovery Options (Lower Left Link)
http://blogs.itecn.net/photos/liuhui...4/500x375.aspx

Screenshot: (Click first option "Startup Repair"
http://www.leedesmond.com/images/img...SysRecOpt2.bmp

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreins...rtup/index.htm

3) Select your OS for repair.

4) Its been my experience that you can see some causes of the crash from
theWin RE feature:

You'll have a choice there of using:

1) Startup Repair
2) System Restore
3) Complete PC Restore
___________________

Good luck,

CH




"Lt. Washburn" <> wrote in message
news19233A7-BACA-439A-9DDB-...
> My HD is partitioned like so:
>
> dev/sda1 ntfs boot
> dev/sda2 extended lba
>>dev/sda5 ntfs
>
> sda1 is formatted with nothing on it. sda5 has XP MCE. After using the
> Linux program GParted to alter the partitions, I can no longer boot XP
> MCE.
> I get the error, "A kernel file is missing." Says to install a system
> disk.
> Neither Vista or XP MCE disks will fix it when I boot from them. I tried
> switching the boot tag to all three different sda parts but it wouldn't
> boot
> anything. I figured I'd just get Vista working on sda1 so I tried to
> install
> it....
>
> loads files into system, does that little status bar, then goes to black
> screen with cursor....looooonngg wait, Vista-ish splash screen with cursor
> pops up. Looooooonnnggggg wait, nothing. Nothing at all. No options to
> select, can't use it as a repair disk. Tried booting XP MCE from disk,
> and
> it wouldn't work at all.
>
> Anyways, maybe someone can tell me what's the likely culprit. I'd like to
> get at least something bootable. By the way, I've run the Vista
> Compatibility program and I had no conflicts. It should load.
>
> Thanks