NTOSKRNL.exe problem after restore

[Guest NeilT]

Hello,

We receive the error message "The following file is missing or corrupt:

<windowsroot>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe" when we boot our freshly restored SBS

2003 server.

 

I think the problem is that we have restored over a different update version

or service pack than the original version.

The boot.ini all seems fine, I can also access the recovery console and see

the restored data fine.

 

We have performed the following:

1). We do NOT know what service pack or updates were on the server before

failure so we have just installed Windows SBS 2003 from original media

No updates or patches applied!

 

2). Restored all files and System State back to original locations with

"always replace files" option set.

 

3). Rebooted and the error message above has appeared.

 

I have tried copying NTOSKRNL.EXE files from different "KBnnnnnn" folders

that are present in the backup but this has not changed the symptom.

 

Can anyone offer suggestions how I may find out what the correct version of

this file should be or even if this is a problem relating to another file in

the system?

 

Thankyou to anyone who can help.

 

NeilT

[Guest lukesh]

RE: NTOSKRNL.exe problem after restore

 

Hi Neil,

This could be because of two reasons:

1. As you suspected, it could be because of a file version mismatch. So, in

order to know what service pack was installed on the earlier OS, restore the

system state backup of the previous installation to a different location(not

the original location). Open regedit on a working OS(xp or 2k3). Click on

HKLM. Click on file->load hive and load the software hive from the registry

folder from the folder to which the system state backup was restored. Now go

to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion and check

the service pack listed in the csdversion key.

Install the OS on the problem machine, required service pack level and then

restore and see if it works.

 

2. Are we restoring to the same server? If yes, did we have an EISA

partition earlier and have we deleted it now? If yes, then we will have to

boot through a boot floppy with ntldr, ntdetect.com and boot.ini should point

to partition(1). (BTW, can u list your boot.ini here?).

If we are restoring to a different server, please check if one of the two

disks(original one and one we are restoring to had an eisa partition). If

yes, make necessary changes in the boot.ini by booting through boot floppy.

If there is and was no EISA partition, an in-place upgrade may work.

 

Lukesh

 

"NeilT" wrote:

> Hello,

> We receive the error message "The following file is missing or corrupt:

> <windowsroot>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe" when we boot our freshly restored SBS

> 2003 server.

>

> I think the problem is that we have restored over a different update version

> or service pack than the original version.

> The boot.ini all seems fine, I can also access the recovery console and see

> the restored data fine.

>

> We have performed the following:

> 1). We do NOT know what service pack or updates were on the server before

> failure so we have just installed Windows SBS 2003 from original media

> No updates or patches applied!

>

> 2). Restored all files and System State back to original locations with

> "always replace files" option set.

>

> 3). Rebooted and the error message above has appeared.

>

> I have tried copying NTOSKRNL.EXE files from different "KBnnnnnn" folders

> that are present in the backup but this has not changed the symptom.

>

> Can anyone offer suggestions how I may find out what the correct version of

> this file should be or even if this is a problem relating to another file in

> the system?

>

> Thankyou to anyone who can help.

>

> NeilT