Err Msg: Windows NT Could Not Start...(Missing Ntoskrnl.exe)

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
• Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server version 4.0a

SYMPTOMS

When you try to boot Windows NT on a system with IBM OS/2 version 2.x, the following error message appears:

Windows NT could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: <winnt root>\System32\ Ntoskrnl.exe.

CAUSE

OS/2 Boot Manager creates another primary hard disk partition that is enumerated before any extended partitions.

RESOLUTION

Edit your Boot.ini file and change the partition information by performing the following steps:

1. Remove the Read Only and System File attributes from the Boot.ini file by typing the following command at an MS-DOS or OS/2 command line:
   

   Attrib -S -R C:\Boot.ini




2. Edit the Boot.ini file and change the partition number for Windows NT. In most cases, you need to increase the partition number by one. A typical Windows NT line in the Boot.ini file looks similar to the following:
   

   multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\<ntdir>="Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00"

   where x is the partition number and <ntdir> is the name of the folder into which Windows NT is installed.
   
   For additional information on the Boot.ini file, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   

   ARTICLE-ID: Q102873
   TITLE : BOOT.INI and ARC Path Naming Conventions and Usage

Additional query words: sbs

Keywords          : kbsetup ntsetup NTSrvWkst smallbiz 
Version           : WinNT:3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : 

Last Reviewed: January 15, 1999