Vista - windows could not start/file missing or corrupt

I have been having this problem for a couple of weeks now. When I turn on the
computer, I get the black screen with the safe mode, last know configuration
or start normally screen. It doesn't matter which one I select, the computer
restarts or freezes and I have to turn it off and then back on. This
continues, sometimes for 20-30 restarts. Then I will get an error message,
windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt,
windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe, please reinstall a copy of this file.

I do not have a windows xp cd and the only disk I got from the manufacturer
of the computer will not boot the system so that I can reinstall windows xp.
and the really weird thing is that after going through this for anywhere from
2 to 6 hours all of a sudden windows starts up, goes through the disk check
and works fine.

I would like to be able to just start up and go without all the restarting
and rebooting but don't know how i can reinstall a file when I have no cd.

"malibumom" <malibumom@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:CA4CDF3E-3873-4535-BEDA-DD258AF697B1@xxxxxxIs there, by any chance, a recovery partition on the hard drive? Check your
system documentation.
If you can't find any recovery mechanism, try contacting the manufacturer's
technical support for assistance.

To pursue this issue in these forums, you'll need to post your question in a
Windows XP discussion group (this group is for .NET programming issues).
Here's how to find the group you need:

As you appear to be using a web interface, start here:

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...s/default.aspx

In the tree on the left, first open the English category, then open Windows.
In Windows, find and open the category for Windows XP.
In that category, find a group to post in.