Harddrive problem - Soloved :)

A few days ago i downloaded some ntoskrnl.exe files (for changeing the boot-up screen). Started the computer in fail-safe mode, replaced the original ntoskrnl.exe file with the new one. Restared the computer and it tells me that ntfs.sys is eighter damaged or not existing. This is wierd since i never touched that file. Anyways i insert the win-xp home cd and go to "repair installation" from which it ask me for admin password. I know this one should be blank (no password) but if i press enter it dont start any repair installation but instead let me into a dos prompt from which i can only access the windows directory. Ive tried to replace ntfs.sys with the one from the win-xp home cd so i no longer get that error, but now it instead shows me a screen when i restart the computer if i want to start in fail-safe mode or if i want to start in normal mode. Ive tried both and all i get is to a black screen with a blinking "_" character in the upper left corner. So what i need to do is to backup some of the files from the harddrive before i format it and reinstall windows, but since ntfs.sys seems to be corrupt or something puppy linux wont find the hard drive. I have managed to get a working dos prompt of the hard drive by useing a EBCD boot cd, but from here i instead cant access my usb extern harddrive which i would want to use for the backup. I cant burn cd's from the dos prompt, i cant seem to find any other intern harddrives, have tried with 2 different. What i so far have successed in doing is to copy files from the c drive to a floppy but a floppy can hold only 1.4mb and which is a great problem, so i guess my question is have any of you guys ever seen any error related to ntfs.sys (located in windows\system32\drivers\) and if so how can it be fixed? Also anyone got surgestions on how to back up files from the harddrive when i cant access the usb extren hard drive? Really need your help on this matter. Thx and cheers /dw0rek

Update

Ok ive now fixed the ntfs.sys problem or so it seems since the error no longer is shown when the computer starts, but instead i get a blue screen of death a split second after the windows boot up screen is shown. The strange thing about the bsod is that it is only displayed for like half a sec or so then the computer automaticly restarts itself. The exact error that is shown on the bosd is this one: 0x0000007b (0xf7c7c63c,0xc0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000) (had to take a snapshot of it with my camera to even be able to read the error) Did some searching on google aswell as on microsofts homepage and it seems that this error have many causes. One of them is that the volume that windows is installed to might be corrupted, whatever that means it would show up in a chkdsk but from there all seems in order. That leaves some other possible causes, which to me sounds alot worse >.< the 0x7b (for most error messages only the last 2 characters actually mean something the others are a waste of space) error might aswell be caused by a boot section virus. And it is adviced to run a virus scan, but the problem i have right now is that i dont have any anti-virus programs that can be run from dos, and puppy-linux cant find my harddrive so it wont do no good. Therefor i must ask you, do anyone of you guys know an anti-virus program that can be run and installed from dos? I must try and find one, any help is appreciated. :) Thx /dw0rek

You don't have to format the HDD when you reinstall windows. I have never fucked up Windows that badly before, so I don't have any first-hand experience, but look around on google and you're bound to find something to help with the reinstall.

Insert another internal hard drive and then copy the files , i dont remember where you have to go to do it , i think theres an option for it

yey, finaly got it to work again. after trying about 10 different boot disks and cds, using chkdsk and format commands. after a few days of trial and error methods in trying to find what was wrong my m8 brought me a boot disk simular to ghost, from which i could backup some old files and later repartition the disk, format both partitions and finaly install win xp again with a successful boot sequence ^^ anywas if any1 of you guys ever stumble over the 0x7b bsod error then heres a tip that could save you some time: replace the boot.ini file with a working version, dosnt matter if you changed the file or not, many windows tweaks and such will change it for you so its always good to have a backup of that file. man that a file smaller then 1kb can cause so much trouble. oh well now its working and during the proccess ive learned quite a few things about the boot sequence among many things. :)