SBS 2003 boot problem

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Hi All,

Heres one for ya all...

I have Windows SBS 2003 installed and i had to force the server to turn off as it crashed. Every time i boot it comes up with corrupt or missing NTOSKRNL.EXE. Now when placing the hard-drive into my machine to copy the file from the SBS 2003 CD (Recovery console reported access denied) i noticed that the System32 folder was indeed missing! (yes hidden files etc all turned off).

I tried a chkdsk to see if this would fix the problem but no luck. So i decided to try a repair installation from the CD... however it only gives me the option to install over the top... which if I'm correct in thinking will delete my registry hives and lose my active directory users etc?

So what I'm asking is, what would be the best and easy way to keep my settings (mainly active directory) and get my server back up and running? i can backup exchange no problem just a case of copying the .edb and .stm's etc.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

should have mentioned that!

No, otherwise yea i could restore!

 

I can get into the recovery console but it usually asks for a password and which OS to use... but it doesn't. I think theres a command that searches for files and verifies them but not sure if this would work when it doesn't detect an OS? as the system32 folder is missing i can't do a lot... and not sure whether i can simply copy this from somewhere...

 

Ok, I found this.

http://www.mcse.ms/message2484871.html


But I also found another site that even though it is related to NT it still about the corrupt or missing NTOSKRNL.EXE. And it says it could be a keyboard issue, a corrupt or missing boot.ini. file. I let you read it for yourself.

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000646.htm

 

This is what I googled. You might want to scan though some of it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=corrupt+or+missing+NTOSKRNL.EXE+on+SBS+2003&spell=1

 

If you really have lost the System32 folder, well you have a serious problem somewhere which sounds like corruption on the hard drive. You might be able to fix this if you can run a chkdsk /r

Clearly if you can't get into the recovery console you need to boot up from a utility CD that includes the chkdsk program.

However, if the hard drive is flaky, even if you do manage to fix it, this is likely to happen again.

I doubt you will be able to re-create the system32 folder by copying it from another PC, as it is contains files which are specific to the unique installation.

 

Thats what i was going to ask... I have come across this before BUT in Windows XP... what i found was a damaged hard drive.. so i "ghosted" onto a new disk then Repaired the installation and everything worked out.. worth a shot..

 

Wont make any difference as my System32 folder is missing.

Also tried putting hdd in my machine and scanning but no joy.

Nope no options, only to install a refresh copy. Any way to trick this into saying there is a copy installed?

Forgot about ghosting! i may 'borrow' a hdd from work and ghost and try some stuff!

Thanks for the advice so far!

 

Stupid me.. i just realised that the registry hives are stored in the System32 folder... which means i'm going to have to start from scratch anyways!

Bah, ah well! going to buy a USB drive for backups i reckon!

Should be interesting migrating Exchange mailboxes to new install!

Thanks all!