Vista - Windows Boot Manager Error

When I start I get an error that “Windows failed to start� and to insert the
installation disk in to try repair. This doesn't work.
It first stated that the offending file is Windows\system32\winload.exe
It now states that the offending file is \BOOT\BCD
Status: 0xc0000098
Info: The Windows Boot Configuration Data file does not contain a valid OS
entry.
The problem is on a laptop with Vista Preinstalled and did not come with a
recovery disk of any kind. I did manage to scavenge recovery disk of another
laptop that allows me to enter the Windows Recovery Environment.
I also have access to the HDD directly using a SATA to USB adaptor in order
to view/edit files if need be.
It may be worth mentioning that when I used the command prompt in Windows
RE, i could not locate the file winload.exe in either
Dir c:\windows\system32\boot\
Or in
Dir c:\windows\system32\
Any help appreciated.

Btw is it possible to copy the winload.exe file from one laptop running
Vista also to the malfunctioning laptop?

If you can read the drive from an external enclosure make sure you back-up
any needed files.
In the absence of malware, or a failed attempt at repartitioning (or similar
disaster) it is difficult to understand how the master boot record could
have been corrupted.
Vista's automated routines do not always work to restore the master boot
record (what a surprise, huh?). There are detailed instructions on the web
about how to try this manually. You cannot simply copy files to restore the
boot sector of the hard drive.
So if you can read the disc from an external enclosure, have backed up and
scanned it also run software tests to see if the drive itself is failing.
If the drive is not failing the easiest method is to format and reinstall
the OS, providing you have all your program software discs.
I do not know how old your laptop is but the cost of Vista plus the cost of
a new hard drive is not much less than many low end laptops that will
outperform most three year old units.

ok, after hours of searching and googling i sorted out the BCD error as well
as the winload.exe error.

but now i got a new type of error.
File: \Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
Status: 0xc0000428
Info: Windows cannot verify the digital signature of this file

Again i searched and tried many different approches such as replace the
ntkrnl.exe file from another pc running Vista, replace it with the one from
the recovery cd, use the repair option in Windows RE, but none works.

all i need is the OS to boot in order to gain access to my personal files
and back them up. Then i will do a clean install of Vista.

again any help appreciated

Hi--

There are a number of ways the BCD can get damaged, and as to your new
error, let's see if we can try to boot and fix your Vista so you don't need
to format it. The backup part is a good idea though for any situation. I
recommend backing up to media because it lasts a long time, hard drives
don't, and external HDs can corrupt. So can Windows backup compressions and
so can Acronis .tibs.

You haven't said whether you have a Vista DVD or not. If not:

Download Vista Repair Disk
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/window...disc-download/

1) First try 3 options from Startup Repair. If you have a Vista DVD then
restart with it in the drive>press any key to boot from it and run Startup
Repair. From Startup Repair you have 3 good tools with an excellent chance
of fixing your system. If you don't have a Vista DVD from which to boot to
Startup Repair, no problem, Download the .iso from the link below and
burn it, and you'll have the Microsoft Vista Repair Disk with Startup
Repair.

Download Vista Repair Disk
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/window...disc-download/

How to Use Startup Repair from the Vista DVD or the Repair Disk you make:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...torial142.html

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...f3f351033.mspx

2) If Startup Repair does not get your Vista back, then use the 3 bootrec
commands from the command prompt available on the Startup Repair Menu:

The menu I refer to is in this set of directions with a grey background.

http://vistahomepremium.windowsreins...airstartup.htm

Those are:

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuild BCD

3) If my second option doesn't work, then try System restore from the
Startup Repair list.

4) If by rare chance you have an actual Vista DVD, you can put it in, boot
from it>choose the Upgrade Option>choose your current broken Vista Drive and
try to do a repair install with the Vista DVD.

How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista
Repair Install For Vista

5) If the above 3 tools don't work, then use the 4 tools available by
restarting your pc and tapping F8 once per second to get to the Windows
Advanced Options Menu.

From this menu click on 3 Safe Mode links to use System Restore. Make sure
you try all 3 if one doesn't work, because just one of them may work.
Tap F8 to Reach Windows Advanced Options Menu Pictured Below:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/v...ot-Options.jpg

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command: At the prompt you would type the command to use
forsystem restore at the safe mode cmd prompt is:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

If these 3 tools don't work, you have one more you can try which is Last
Known Good Configuration.

Good luck,

CH




"mak-man" <makman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:56152184-6906-4177-9BBF-595295638BC3@xxxxxx

How do people end up changing the Boot order? haha

You can try to Press F2 at startup as the screen begins to show signs
of life.
If you have the Window CD in the disktray, just keep pressing F2 until
you get
the BIOS dialogue box for making Boot changes.

Once you are in the Boot's main BIOS standalone player, you will use
the left/right arrows to navigate to set it to its default settings and
exit with changes

Simply navigate to the page where you can highlite the DEFAULT settings
command and exit with changes, which should be the F10 key. Trust me,
you will find the Default settings, bcuz I bet you've been there
before...hehe

This should knock the BOOT order to its original status. Try that. Good
luck!

BTW, are you doing this with the Wiindows CD loaded in the disktray?
Nomatter what, either way, you can get into the F2 stuff at startup,
but with the CD loaded it will take more clicking and QnA.

***Another good tip ***

At Start-up, press the F8 key until you get to the choices for starting
up
your computer in different MODES and situations.

Try SAFE MODE or SAFE MODE with Command Prompt

Once you get inside the command prompt,

type: diskpart ( Press ENTER)
Diskpart> list disk ( Enter )

You will see a few disk ONLINE or OFFLINE status, or maybe just ONE
disk with ONLINE status. Online is good, Offline is not. Yes, you can
turn these babies ON or OFF-- But for now, stick with this:

Diskpart > select disk 0 ( Enter)
Diskpart > list partition ( Enter)

(Do not type Diskpart>... Only the stuff right of the right-arrows)

Here you will look for the PRIMARY partition, which will be quite
obvious and sometimes you see more than one Primary Partition, bcuz
people use more than one partition at times, yeah? haha
Maybe your main NTFS/ OS data is on Partition 1 for example...


Type: select partition 1 (Press Enter)Look to see if its status is HEALTHY or DIRTY

Next type: Exit ( Press Enter)

Whatever Drive Letter that you want to check for basic disk errors, you
can simply
type in: chkdsk c:
or: chkdsk d:
or: chkdsk e:

etc, etc... yada yada. However if you already know that your MAIN OS
data
is on the C: drive partition, then you'd not only want to CHECK for
errors, but also to FIX and REPAIR them. So you ADD the " /F "command
as such:

simply type,

chkdsk /F c:

Include the COLON. That's important.

Type of file may be, NTFS or RAW, depending how you formatted the
partition and/or partitions. Windows will make repairs, so just let it
do its
thing without interferring. Be patient and stand in awe how fast this
baby works! LOL


Do the check-disk fix approximately 5 times after each REPAIR job. It
doesn't always fix things the first few times, unless your partition is
small in size.

Near the bottom text-interpretation of the repair reports, you are
looking for

"Windows has checked the file system system and found no problems"

So yes, your aim is to get to this magic text scripture! Amen

Once you get that, let's move on to check for any BAD SECTORS....

Type in: chkdsk /r c:

Coincidently, you can assign this command to any "Drive letter" to
check and repair the bad sectors. Just put the proper drive-letter after
the "/r " command and do not forget the COLON.

It will scan for repairs to fix any "bad sectors" on the C Drive
partition... so beforehand, make sure you always have enough "disk
space" for these operations to fix as much as they can.

If you do not have enough extra disk space, Windows will let you know
that some of the fixes or none weren't acheived due to this lack of
space
LOL!

Well... haha... thatz on you, Ain't it?? So Next time, make some space
on your spare-time and repeat this "chkdsk /r c: " duty to HELP your
computer get back to pimp status!

I also hope that " chkdsk /F c: " was also useful for anyone else
looking in.

After all this, you may get some progress. You'd be suprized how much
these little details HELP make life that much easier.

Good luck once again, Bambinos. Peace.

For those of you that have Windows Vista Basic or higher, after these
simple fixes, you can normally get the REPAIR job done when you load the
CD in the CD/DVD ROM drive and call out the Vista CD to achieve some
good.

The true Reason some of you can't get the Repair job going due to the
" NO OPERATING SYSTEM" showing up in that Nightmar-ish dialogue box, is
bcuz you probably have bad Sectors or missing files or corrupt files on
your partitions and/or volumes on the disk in question. This is only
caused by bad computer management. SORRY GUYS, I know you really didn't
mean to install that horrific virus or software that caused your
computer to kill itself.

Suicide is so sad, don't you agree?

Naw, even you adventurous hoards of cool computer newbies can get your
Repairs cooking like Cup O Noodles! haha Like you eat steak.

Just follow the above promise land maps and you will find the land of
milk and honey, baby...CIAO

Take care man, and learn all you can to help others

I found that on my GF DV6000 The hard drive was failing however I was successfully able to recover it twice before it died completely, go into your bios and do a hard drive check first before doing anything this will tell you your hard drive status, if you fail the test and can temporarily repair you may want to save any data you have on a external drive before it dies completely. Then upgrade to dual 500 GB Drives! Good luck!