Windows 2000 wont start

My Mom and Dads computer has Win 2000 pro and all updates.

She turned it on today and it says:

"Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<windows 2000 root >\system32\ntoskrnl.exe.

Please re-install a copy of the above file."

I tried to do a repair with the 2000 disk and it didnt work and then I thought I would just re install win 2000 over the old one but ended up just installing it again.

so now I have one instance of win 2000 that doesnt work and another that doesnt contain any of there programs and files and such. Help!!!!!

What should I do to add or repair that missing file ?????

Thanks in advance. Martin

 

Well, the easy part would be to copy the ntoskrnl.exe file from the working installation, into the broken one.

You need to make sure they are both the same version though.

 

Have you tried safe mode or last known good configuration? Rapidly press the F8 key whilst booting to show the menu.

 

Tried safe mode and last good config. it wont go past that error screenand there is no c prompt.

it is the same version both installs were from same disk.

how can i copy that file over?

 

Its pretty straightforward. C:\winnt\system32 is the original directory. You rename the file thats already there, then copy and paste the file from the new install.

 

put install disc in and boot up
Type expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ c:\windows\system32

 

Well, its easier to copy from the current install that works, to the older one thats broken through a GUI.

Secondly, this is Windows 2000, not XP. %systemroot% is winnt, not windows.

 

See if THIS helps.

 

If you have any spare memory around I would swap it out.Or try another windows cd or a new harddrive.Recently windows 2000 pro has given my issues and is was one or two of these on a repair and clean install.