File Missing: notoskrnl.exe on boot.. but not really

[Mushin]

I have a computer that is giving

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Please reinstall a copy of the above.

but here is the catch...

If I restart the computer and boot again it loads to Windows without difficulty. Then after the computer has been turned off for a while and I power on the computer repeats this problem.

I am at a loss so I was wodering if anyone has some suggestion. I have tried too many things to list so I am looking for any suggestions no matter how advanced or basic they may be.

Windows XP is the OS just in case anyone wonders.

Thanks
Phil

 

[MobileTechie]

You're gonna need to list some of them or we're all playing 20 questions.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

sfc /scannow or chkdsk?

 

[Vicenarian]

Might be a partially bad sector (sometimes readable, sometimes unreadable). Try a chkdsk /r as suggested above. Not sure what else could be the issue...

 

[Mushin]

I knew you all would want more info...
Basicly I want to start from scratch and no influence the suggestions.

SFC /scan now was run but I am doing that now again.
Check dsk was run but also will do it again.

Assumeing these are ok what is the next suggestion.

 

[Mushin]

Might be a partially bad sector (sometimes readable, sometimes unreadable). Try a chkdsk /r as suggested above. Not sure what else could be the issue...

Earlier we suspected a bad hard drive even though it passed Western Digital Testing and DFT. We cloned the drive to a new drive using Acronis so I don't think it will be bad sectors.

The MBR appears to be genuine

 

[Vicenarian]

Earlier we suspected a bad hard drive even though it passed Western Digital Testing and DFT. We cloned the drive to a new drive using Acronis so I don't think it will be bad sectors.

The MBR appears to be genuine

Did you run chkdsk on the new drive? Specifically chkdsk /b or chkdsk /r? I know I've heard recommendations on running chkdsk /b after cloning.

 

[Metanis]

Re-seat the DIMMs. Might also do a RAM test. And/or notch up the voltage on the RAM a fraction.

 

[Mushin]

Thanks for the voltage idea this go me thinking...
I am almost 100% sure this is a hardware related problem

The main reason is that the display shows "interference" in the sense that the screen is a bit wavy at time and then not.

The Dimm has be reseated - Previously
SATA Cable swapped out - Previously
and Chk DSK completed. So No I am at the stage of trying to recreate the problem. Some time I have to let the computer remain powered off for a hour or so.

 

[NETWizz]

I still think it is a bad hard drive. I think the drive is failing intermittently... apparently, sometimes it works well enough to pass the test & boot Windows.

These are by FAR the hardest problems to diagnose, but I have never seen an unreadable or corrupt/missing notoskrnl.exe on a system without some type of drive failure.

I know you may not want to believe me, but my gut instinct generally gets a diagnosis like this right 99/100 times.

 

[FoolishTech]

Just pointing out that the error message referencing that file may really mean a dependency of that file, or incorrect/corrupt related registry setting.

I've seen both before, in cases where the HDD was good and so was the file it claimed was missing or corrupted...

Could also be an incorrect setting in the boot.ini file.

 

[MobileTechie]

Just pointing out that the error message referencing that file may really mean a dependency of that file, or incorrect/corrupt related registry setting.

I've seen both before, in cases where the HDD was good and so was the file it claimed was missing or corrupted...

Could also be an incorrect setting in the boot.ini file.

All true but not sure how they would produce this intermittent problem?

 

[Mushin]

I still think it is a bad hard drive. I think the drive is failing intermittently... apparently, sometimes it works well enough to pass the test & boot Windows.

These are by FAR the hardest problems to diagnose, but I have never seen an unreadable or corrupt/missing notoskrnl.exe on a system without some type of drive failure.

I know you may not want to believe me, but my gut instinct generally gets a diagnosis like this right 99/100 times.

I don't think it is the hard drive because I can recreat the problem like clock work.

Power on the computer.... the error occurs.
Restart the computer and it boots to Windows
Use the computer all I want for hours and hours.
Shut down the computer for a for about 30 minutes.
Power on the computer... the error occurs.
Restart the computer and it boots to Windows.

Cloned the drive again... to a different drive... same problem.

 

[Mushin]

Just pointing out that the error message referencing that file may really mean a dependency of that file, or incorrect/corrupt related registry setting.

I've seen both before, in cases where the HDD was good and so was the file it claimed was missing or corrupted...

Could also be an incorrect setting in the boot.ini file.

How would this be the case since we have not booted to Windows and the registry is not yet loaded.

Now the Boot INI that is a real posibiltiy.

 

[red12049]

I have a computer that is giving

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
<Windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Please reinstall a copy of the above.

but here is the catch...

If I restart the computer and boot again it loads to Windows without difficulty. Then after the computer has been turned off for a while and I power on the computer repeats this problem.

I am at a loss so I was wodering if anyone has some suggestion. I have tried too many things to list so I am looking for any suggestions no matter how advanced or basic they may be.

Windows XP is the OS just in case anyone wonders.

Thanks
Phil

Is there a setting in the BIOS for hard drive delay?

Rick

 

[johnrobert]

Put in a test HD and clean install Windows, if no issues thats the route to go
Then try with original clean install, its cloned

 

[Mushin]

No settings in the BIOS for the delay.

Per the other suggestion of the OS reinstall.

That was done and the computer did not have problems. I understand that is is a way to "fix" the problem but what I am really after is trying to figure out what the cause is. This is one of the stragest problem I have ever seen in 10 + years and at this point it is more about figuring out what the cause actually is. The machine in question has been replaced by the customer so it is now ours to do with as we please. So it is now a "test case" that I am working on to determine where the problem is and to possibly document shold a resolution be found.

Update:
We rebuilt the boot.ini and results are inconclusive at this point. The computer locked up once at the choose OS menu where we have recovery console or Windows XP as an option. So we have not gotten the error after the boot.ini fix but still have some possible issues booting.

 

[wimwauters]

I don't think it is the hard drive because I can recreat the problem like clock work.

Power on the computer.... the error occurs.
Restart the computer and it boots to Windows
Use the computer all I want for hours and hours.
Shut down the computer for a for about 30 minutes.
Power on the computer... the error occurs.
Restart the computer and it boots to Windows.

Cloned the drive again... to a different drive... same problem.

This could be a failing trojan infection that keeps trying to install itself, but has to back off. Then resetting or rearming itself each time you log out of windows.

You would have to figure out if the problem was a cold hard disk/motherboard/PSU, or if this occurred at each odd boot attempt (1st, 3rd, etc...)

 

[Mushin]

This could be a failing trojan infection that keeps trying to install itself, but has to back off. Then resetting or rearming itself each time you log out of windows.

You would have to figure out if the problem was a cold hard disk/motherboard/PSU, or if this occurred at each odd boot attempt (1st, 3rd, etc...)

Now this is a very very good idea!
Truely an avenue to look into.

 

[johnrobert]

Forget the figuring out you will die of old and make no money just do it the easiest way and move on
If it is fixed with clean install there’s your answer