Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem

One of the following Error display on screen When you attempt to start Microsoft Windows Xp.

Error message 1
Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.

Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.

Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.
Error message 2
Windows NT could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

Winnt_root\System32\Ntoskrnl.exe

Please re-install a copy of the above file.
Error message 3

Winnt_root\System32\Hal.dll missing or corrupt:

Please re-install a copy of the above file.

Additionally, you may experience one or more of the following behaviors:
• If you start the computer to the Recovery Console, a command prompt may appear with no option to log on to the Windows installation.
• If you try to access the Microsoft Windows Help folder or Windows folder, you may receive the following error message:
Access denied.
• If you try to perform a Repair operation from the Windows XP CD-ROM, the Windows installation is not detected and you cannot repair Windows.

This behavior can occur if any or some of the following conditions are true:
• The Default value in the [Boot Loader] section of the Boot.ini file is missing or invalid.
• Windows XP is not installed in the location specified in the Boot.ini file.
• The Ntoskrnl.exe file is missing or damaged.
• The partition path in the Boot.ini file is not set correctly.
• General hardware failure.


RESOLUTION

Method 1
Edit the Boot.ini file to restore or correct the Default entry and to ensure that the other entries in the [Operating Systems] section of the Boot.ini file point to the appropriate directories.

For more information about how to edit the Boot.ini file, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
289022 How to edit the Boot.ini file in Windows XP

Method 2

Use the Bootcfg utility in the Recovery Console to correct the Boot.ini file:
1. Use the Windows XP CD-ROM to start your computer.
2. When you receive the message to press R to repair Windows by using the Recovery Console, press the R key.
3. Select the Windows installation that you want, and then type the administrator password when prompted.
4. Type bootcfg /rebuild, and then press ENTER.
5. When the Windows installation is located, the following instructions are displayed:
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All)
[Type Y in response to this message.]

Enter Load Identifier:
[This is the name of the operating system. Type Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition.]

Enter OS Load options:
[Leave this field blank, and then press ENTER].
After you perform the preceding steps, restart the computer, and then select the first item on the boot menu. This should allow Windows XP to start normally.

After Windows XP has successfully loaded, the Boot.ini can be modified to remove the incorrect entry.

Method 3

1. Start the computer by using your Windows XP CD-ROM. Press any key to boot from the CD.
2. After the setup files are finished loading press R to repair using Recovery Console.
3. When you are in the recovery console, select the installation to log on to (usually number 1), and then press ENTER.
4. Login to the Administrator account by typing the password for this account, and then press ENTER.
5. At the recovery console command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

For Uni-Processor systems:
expand :\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ :\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
For Multi-Processor systems:
expand :\i386\ntkrnlmp.ex_ :\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Note In these two commands, the placeholder represents the drive letter of your CD drive, and the placeholder represents the drive letter of the hard disk on which windows is installed.
6. If you receive a prompt to overwrite the file, press Y.
7. Type exit, and press ENTER at the command prompt.

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