Automatically correct NTDETECT (or other) error(s)

[CondorMan]

I have an experimental set up with Windows 2000 Pro and am using it to learn more about the boot process and various repair options.

I renamed NTDETECT.COM to NTDETECT.BAK and rebooted. As expected, it failed to boot, indicating that the problem was with NTDETECT. I managed to correct the problem via the Recovery Console and also by using a boot floppy containing BOOT.INI, NTLDR and NTDETECT. So far, so good.

What if I had not known that NTDETECT had been renamed or if it had been corrupted in some way? What if that wasn't the only file that was preventing my system from booting?

I booted from the Intallation CD and went to the repair option. I set it to automatic and it worked away. When I rebooted, I got a BSOD with lots of information about faulty drivers. I assume that the problem was that I'd previously applied SP4 and also several drivers that came on a CD with the laptop and the repair option had copied several older files to the hard drive from the installation CD. I took the easy option of reinstalling the OS from scratch!

I went through the process again of renaming NTDETECT.COM to NTDETECT.BAK and ran sfc /scannow in the hope that it would detect the renamed file and correct it, but it didn't.

I was under the impression that sfc would correct this problem and guess now that the repair option on the CD simply copied the files from the CD to the hard drive.

Is there any easy way of determining which file or files may be faulty or is it down to the laborious task of rebooting, seeing what error(s) is/are shown, copying the relevant files from the installation CD and keeping my fingers crossed?

Thank you for your time.

 

[bcastner]

I am confused.

If the issue is one of the boot files, then repair them all using your ERD diskette or Expand in Recovery Console. In many cases the file that is corrupt from the boot process is named by Windows. For any other suspicion of corruption in System Files use SFC /Scannow.



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Users Helping Users

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you.

NTDETECT was mentioned on the screen and I suspected that a similar indication would occur if the problem affected one of the three ERD files. However, if I was wrong, I envisaged booting and having a screenful of corrupt files listed from C:\WINNT! I appreciate that if the file(s) listed only relate to one of the ERD files, I could copy back to the root directory.

Am I right in thinking that the warning on the screen will indicate a problem with only one of the three boot files or would other faulty or missing files (from C:\WINNT) be listed if the boot process fails?

As a matter of interest, why didn't sfc /scannow identify the fact that NTDETECT.COM was missing (actually renamed to NTDETECT.BAK) and correct it? I would guess that it's a system file (is it?). If it is, does sfc only work on files after the initial part of the boot process?

 

[bcastner]

SFC does not have access to the boot sector during its operation.

The only boot file located in \WINNT that you may receive a message about during startup is \WINNT\NTOSKRNL.EXE


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Users Helping Users

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you for the clarification. I might just try renaming NTOSKERNL to see the response. At worst, I'd have to reinstall but, as it's an experimental setup, that doesn't matter.

 

[bcastner]

If you rename it the Windows File protection system will simply replace the file.


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Users Helping Users