Windows Server 2003 - Domain Controller - Invalid boot.ini

[mee]

Hi All,

 

This morning I have shut down our domain controller / file server to install an additional NIC. When I shut down, Windows installed some windows updates.

 

Installed NIC - booted up - Windows won't boot. First it says invalid boot.ini, trying to boot from c:\windows

 

It then comes up to say that ntoskrnl.exe is corrupt or invalid.

 

I have tried safe mode etc and all the same. I have checked all SCSI connections in the server and all OK - BIOS RAID software is reporting that it can see all disks OK and that all virtual drives are normal.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

Mee.

[Dos_Box]

Hmmm. That may be a sign of a corrupt disk. Does it give any other file errors on reboots? If it does then I suggest that you look at your other domain controller to seize roles before you have to either re-install or replace disks.

[mee]

Hi, thanks for the reply. They are the only two files it mentions, however at present I can't get it to go any further than that.

 

I am trying to get into the recovery console on the Server 2003 CD, however I can't get it to go any further than where it asks for which windows installation to look at (default c:\windows) at that point the server reboots!

 

Mee.

[Dos_Box]

There are some leads for you here: Microsoft: Windows Server 2003 - ntoskrnl.exe missing or corrupt

But it may be worth your while to run chkdsk /r from the recovery console first.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Dos_Box

[mee]

Managed to get into recovery console now - dodgy RAID driver floppy.

 

Am currently running chkdsk /r.

 

Hope I don't have to rebuild the domain controller - luckily the FSMO roles are held by the other (currently healthy) DC so it shouldn't be too bad - but could do without the hassle really :-(

 

Mee

[mee]

Hi All,

 

Just to let you know that I think this issue is now resolved.

 

Running a chkdsk /r found and fixed some errors, however the DC would still not boot, reporting the same error.

 

I went back into recovery console and noticed that the boot.ini was actually missing. Hence the message 'trying c:\windows' and then subsequent ntoskrnl.exe error.

 

I copied the boot.ini from another Dell server with the same partition configuration. To be on the safe side, I also replaced the ntoskrnl.exe with a fresh copy expanded from the Windows Server 2003 CD. Server has now booted and so far appears OK. Fingers crossed!

 

I'm sure it was the missing boot.ini rather than the ntoskrnl.exe being corrupt - as it assumes Windows is installed at Disk 0 Partition 1 - where in our case it is Disk 0 Partition 2.

 

Thanks for the replies and hope this helps someone else in the future. Now need to investigate why the boot.ini disappeared and check the c: drive for consistency.

 

Thanks,

Mee.