WinX64 installation failed; Windows died

Adrynalyne helped me to download the correct .iso for the Windows X64 evaluation. I was having trouble creating a partition, so I just installed X64 on my existing partition with Windows XP Pro. I created a new root folder and named it WindowsX. So there was C:\Windows and C:\WindowsX.

I got half way through setting up X64 when it asked for my CD Key. Turns out the damned key that Microsoft gave to me is invalid. I checked my email to make sure I had written it down correctly.

Whatever, by this point it's been 2 hours and I just want to get back on my damned computer.

There appears to be no way to uninstall what X64 has started, so I rebooted with the X64 disc in the drive and went to the recovery console. I attempted to delete the C:\WindowsX directory. It let me delete everything except a "setup"3.tmp and "setup"5.tmp. I believe they were called setup. They had the same name, both were .tmp, and one was 3 and one was 5.

It told me that access was denied on both of those files, so I slaved my hard drive in another computer and manually deleted the entire WindowsX directory. Now when I put my hard drive back in my own computer, it boots up (without the Windows X64 disc in the drive) and says that Windows failed to start because the file <Windows root>\system32\ntsokrnl.exe is missing or corrupt.

A big sigh. . .

I slaved my HDD in the other PC again and copied the file from a working Windows XP's computer and overwrote it. It had the same exact file size and date modified as the one that my computer said was "missing or corrupt."

I put it back in my PC and I'm still getting the same error message. Even though this is a F-up on my part, I'm ultimately choosing to blame Microsoft (just because).

Does anyone know what I can do to fix it? I don't even care about X64 anymore, I just want my computer to work.

Here's my specs...

AMD 64 3000+ Venice
1 GB RAM
120 GB Samsung HDD
X800XL
Win XP Pro (would be nice if it worked)

Thanks guys...

 

By the way, from the recovery console it only shows C:\Windows.

Before I slaved the hard drive and manually deleted the C:\WindowsX, it listed both in the recovery console.

When I go to the recovery console and run CHKDSK on C:\Windows, it says that CHKDSK found one or more errors on the disk, but doesn't say what to do after that.

 

Anyone?

 

As far as the CHKDSK goes, try typing it as C:\>CHKDSK /f

That will cause it to fix whatever it finds wrong.

Aside from that, it sounds like your master boot record got screwed up. Try the following command:

C:\> MbrFix /drive 0 fixmbr /yes

This is assuming you are booting from the C: drive.

 

In the future, you shouldn't have installed this on the SAME partition as your current OS. Seperate drive is typically the wiser choice.

If what was suggested earlier fails, a REPAIR installation, MAY work.

 

I had an existing partition of approx. 4 GB, but I had trouble resizing it. I deleted it and then tried several programs but as unsuccessful at making a new partition.

I ended up using a modified boot.ini on a floppy to boot into safe mode with networking and backed up some stuff, then I did a repair installation. It all worked except it failed to copy a file called "wbdbase.eud" or something like that. I copied this from another computer and tried it on a floppy AND a CD, and it wouldn't copy that one, either. I ended up just skipping the file and then it worked without a hitch.

Is Knoppix any good to use to make a partition? I plan on trying X64 again sometime, but I want to be better prepared, heh.