I am running NT Server 4.0 and yesterday it crashed. I get the following message "Windows NT could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \system32\ntoskrnl.exe Please re-in-stall a copy of the above file". My question is can I just re-install the windows nt? If so I need to boot from a floppy. Can anybody help me? Thanks

I think you can use your Emergency Repair Disk to fix the above problem. But if you need to install NT from boot floppy, there is a readme on the cd but i think the command is winnt /ox to create the boot disks. If I'm wrong about the command, please correct me so Bryan can have the right info.

Hello Bryan, If your BIOS snd CD drive support it. You can just boot from the CD it self. Just change your BIOS booting sequence. Alex

Run the set-up routine - either fgrom a CD boot - if your BIOS allows, or from the set-up floppies. Roy's correct: the command to make the floppies is < winnt /ox > (not the <>) - from within the i386 folder... If you need to make/use the floppies, and haven't access to the CDROM on your system (via DOS/'9x boot-disk) then you'll have to use another PC to make them... --- From John Savill's FAQ's at: www.windows2000faq.com - part of www.win2000mag.com site - http://www.windows2000faq.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=14722 Essentially... If you can access the boot.ini (from DOS/'9x boot-disk) then do so and verify that the entry for the partition (location) of the ntoskrnl.exe is correct; if not then edit and correct the boot.ini... If the entry 'was' incorrect and you manage to edit/restore the correct entry and 'it' still won't boot properly, then either do as John suggests/advises, or... Other route - courtesy of Mark Minasi's 'Mastering NT4 Server' (Sybex Books) - is to run the Repair sequence... i.e. during the (re-)install process it will offer to 'Repair' or 'Upgrade' the 'present' installation. Choose Repair; opt to inspect the Registry files, and the System files... This should replace any missing files - including the ntoskrnl.exe... If it fails... then run the (re-)install again and choose 'Upgrade' present installation; afterwards reinstall any current SP you are using. (This latter suggestion is not from Mark Minasi's book - but it works...) HTH.

Your problem is most likely linked to the "boot.ini". The entry for your operating system in the menu is pointing to the wrong place. This usually caused when you make changes to the partitions of your Hard disk drive. If your working with fat16, you can use a regular dos boot disk to modify the "boot.ini" (usually stored on the C: drive). If your using NTFS and don't have a boot disk capable of reading NTFS, I suggest installing a new copy of NT to your drive. Just make sure you rename the directory it will install to to "\winnt2" once the installation has been completed modify the boot.ini to point to your old Winnt "\winnt" and delete your "\winnt2" folder after you booted into your old OS.

Those erds can be a real killer. You want to reinstall, that's what your tape is for. You're supposed to try an ntboot disk first, perhaps adjusting the bootini path, most likely just partition value.After that see if you can do a parallel install.