error re file ntoskrnl

Hello
My Windows 2000 SP4 professional computer has been working fine a a long time, but today it would not boot.
error said
Windows 2000root>\system32 \intoskrnl.exe. missing or corrupt.
Now I have not been deleting files recently so any idea why it suddenly has done this?, and how do I fix it?
Thanks

 

Hi oldhenry,

Note: The following notes assume an XP environment. The steps are similar for both 2000 and 2003 environments, but I did not take the time to investigate if there are any differences here.

Boot to the recovery console.

Turn on the computer, pop in the Windows XP CD.
Reboot the computer. If the Windows XP CD does not boot up, then reboot, go into the BIOS and configure the "boot order" to boot from CD first. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Select R for Recovery.

After getting to the Recovery Console prompt, make certain that you are in the C:\Windows path for XP (assuming that XP is on C:, that Windows was installed into the \Windows directory, and that your hard disk is readable).

Change to your CD drive - by typing "D:", "E:" or "F:" etc. -- this varies per system but is most often:

D:Change to i386 path by typing:

cd i386Copy necessary files to root path (C: in this case) of winxp installation by typing:

copy ntldr C:
copy ntdetect.com C:
Change back to your windows path:

C:
cd windowsAttempt to fix the boot record:

fixboot c:
Try restarting machine - if still nothing - go back into recovery console by booting from cd Then run:

fixmbr c:If it does work but you are getting an annoying boot.ini message everytime you restart your PC now go back into recovery console as above and run:

bootcfg /?Reference the below articles for more information on bootcfg. Be certain to select c:\windows as the boot installation.

Microsoft bootcfg pages:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q291980/

iain.t :major