• Still running Windows 7 or earlier? Support for Windows 7 ended on January 14th 2020. Please review the thread here for more details.

[SOLVED] Winload.exe missing

H

Hugo459440

Well-known member
Joined
May 12, 2013
Posts
71
I recently got a few Viruses on my computer. It included a Trojan and some file and system errors that I fixed with Malware remover. To check that all errors were fixed, I ran chkdsk /f and sfc/SCANNOW.
chkdsk showed many errors, at least 20 of them but I'm not sure if they were fixed as it was running in Read-Only Mode. Following that, I ran sfc /SCANNOW.
Computer started running very slowly after that and could not shut down. Stuck on the Shutting Down screen so I always had to Force Shut Down. I tried to reinstall Windows XP using the installation disk but my CD drive was missing so I deleted the UPPERCLASS file to make it appear. After that its just gone downhill.
Tried to do a Restore point to an earlier date and after that, whenever I on the Laptop, it shows me the Winload.exe file is missing screen. Put in the installation disk on an external CD drive but it doesnt work as well
 
Hi Hugo. This forum is not for Windows XP but overlooking that I'll try to assist.
To re-install Windows you have to boot your laptop from the CD, you can't re-install using existing Windows installation.
Put the CD in the drive, then restart, then press the correct key to bring up the boot menu.
Select your CD drive from the boot menu and press <Enter>.

Be ready to "Press any key to boot from CD" when that message appears on the screen.
Windows Setup should then start.
 
Hi Hugo459440, welcome to Sysnative!

Just to check, is this the same computer you've posted about in the Windows 8 section? The thread is here.

It sounds like you've done a lot so far - could you tell us what the current state of the PC is? Please describe how far into the login process you are able to boot. Which operating system is currently installed? What do you mean by:

Put in the installation disk on an external CD drive but it doesnt work as well
Click to expand...

We also need to know whether you have a Windows Vista installation CD. You mentioned in the original thread that the PC was running Vista, did you try to install XP after fixing the CD drive problem?
 
I think I have a mixup in the Windows OS. From prior knowledge, I think the computer originally runs Vista. Pip22 would you mind telling me what CD I'm supposed to use? I currently have the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic CD. Some information I forgot to mention. I did reinstall Vista on the Computer as I kept getting BSOD on the Laptop so not sure if that mattered.
Will, the Windows 8 and Windows Vista problems are two seperate threads. Just doing a scan of all my computers after discovering the Trojan as I have been moving files here and there. Like mentioned above, I only have the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic CD.
Sorry for the mixup, but the Laptop currently runs VISTA, not XP.
Thanks for the quick reply.
 
Hi Hugo459440,

Could you be a bit more specific - what is the current state of the machine? Are you able to see the desktop? At what point do you get an error message? You mentioned that you've reinstalled Vista. Was this after discovering the trojan? Has the winload.exe issue only appeared after reinstalling Vista?

Try this:

  • Insert your Windows Vista installation disc into your CD Drive and restart your computer.
  • If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc. If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, check your BIOS settings to boot from CD.
  • Click Repair your computer.
  • Select the appropriate keyboard language setting, and then click Next.
  • Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
  • Select your user account and click Next.
  • In the System Recovery Options, select Command Prompt.
  • Type bootrec /RebuildBcd and then press ENTER.
 
I'll go through this in chronological order.
Started getting BSOD (1 year ago)
Reintalled Vista (1 year ago)
Infected with Trojan (1-2 Weeks Ago) Could have infected my computer a long time ago but just didnt discover it until recently
Removed Trojan and fixed some file errors
Currently, I cant even get to the start up page. I have a password set but the computer does not even get that far. I says Windows Boot Manager at the top.
After putting in the CD, it stops at a blank screen with a flashing underscore. It loads for awhile then goes back to the Windows Boot Manager screen.
Just asking but would it work if I put the installation disk in an external CD drive? My laptop drive makes some wierd sounds which I suspect is the CD hitting the hardware. Its sort of a grating sound.
 
Hi Hugo459440,

It sounds like either your CD drive is broken, or the CD itself is damaged. Either is possible. Yes, it should work using an external CD drive providing the boot order is correctly set in the BIOS. If you get the same issue with your external drive, then the CD itself is likely damaged. Do you have access to another Windows Vista computer?
 
Thanks Will. I went into the BIOS and saw the boot order but I'm not sure how to configure it so I left it. I searched google and saw that the CD can be booted from a Thumbdrive too. I tried transferring the data from the CD to a Thumbdrive but it did not work so I suspect the CD itself is damaged. I'll try to find another computer and keep you posted.
 
Will, I found a Windows Driver CD. Can this CD be used?
UPDATE: I only have that one computer running Vista. Since Windows 7 is quite similar will that work?
 
The driver CD probably won't work. They usually just contain third party drivers and the manufacturers software for your PC. How exactly did you create the USB drive? That will potentially work, but you'll need to move the ISO of the disc over correctly.

What manufacturer is the laptop made by? Try pressing F12 on startup, this may allow you to select the external CD drive as the boot device. To configure the boot order from the BIOS, you need to move the External CD drive above your hard drive in the order. This should be labelled, and usually you just have to press enter and use the arrow keys to change the order.
 
I just tried to move everything from the CD to the Thumbdrive. Copy and Paste but that did not work.
The laptop is manufactured by Axioo.
I've entered the BIOS but I'm lost. I'll list all the options and if you dont mind instruct me on which one is the hard drive and which one I should move above it?
Boot Priority order :
1. USB KEY :
2. IDE CD :TSSTcorp CDDVDW TSL633A-(
3. IDE 4 : FUJITSU MHZ2320BH G2 -(S1)
4. USB FDC :
5. USB HDD:
6. PCI BEV : SiS191 UNDI, PXE-2.1
7. USB CDROM : HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-4082B (External CD drive)
8. USB ZIP

Excluded from boot order :
USB LS120
PCI SCSI
Legacy Network Card
 
Hi Hugo459440,

If this doesn't work, I can give you instructions on creating a bootable USB drive. This line below is your external CD drive:

7. USB CDROM : HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-4082B (External CD drive)

This needs to be number 3, rather than number 7. Your hard drive is listed here:

3. IDE 4 : FUJITSU MHZ2320BH G2 -(S1)

Once you've re-ordered the BIOS, make sure the installation disc is in your external CD drive and restart the computer. It should automatically try to load.
 
Ok it seems I have an error now. I got the CD to work. Thanks Will but right now I have a corrupt or missing file. The file is E:\Sources\Install.wim. Error Code 0x80070570.
Thank you Will for helping me. Seems I'm taking up loads of your time. Sorry bout that
 
Hi Hugo459440,

In that case it looks like the CD is damaged. As you don't have any working installation media, we'll have to use an alternative method to get your PC working. We'll use a lightweight linux distro to try and manually repair your PC.

Try this please. You will need a USB drive. Ensure you've saved any data you need from the USB drive onto a different computer, we will need to wipe the USB drive to proceed.

Download http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/unetbootin-xpud-windows-latest.exe & http://noahdfear.net/downloads/bootable/xPUD/xpud-0.9.2.iso to the desktop of your clean computer


  • Step 1
  • Insert your USB drive
  • Press Start > My Computer > right click your USB drive > choose Format > Quick format
  • Double click the unetbootin-xpud-windows-387.exe that you just downloaded
  • Press Run then OK
  • Select the DiskImage option then click the browse button located on the right side of the textbox field.
  • Browse to and select the xpud-0.9.2.iso file you downloaded
  • Verify the correct drive letter is selected for your USB device then click OK
  • It will install a little bootable OS on your USB device
  • Once the files have been written to the device you will be prompted to reboot ~ do not reboot and instead just Exit the UNetbootin interface
  • After it has completed do not choose to reboot the clean computer simply close the installer
  • Next download http://noahdfear.net/downloads/driver.sh to your USB
  • Remove the USB and insert it in the sick computer
  • Boot the Sick computer
  • Press F12 and choose to boot from the USB
  • Follow the prompts
  • A Welcome to xPUD screen will appear
  • Press File
  • Expand mnt
  • sda1,2...usually corresponds to your HDD
  • sdb1 is likely your USB
  • Locate the folder called boot (be careful, there's a folder on the USB drive called boot also)
  • Click on that folder to expand
  • Locate the file called bcd
  • Right click on it and select Copy
  • Browse back to your USB device, it may be called sdd0, right click on it and select Paste

Step 2

  • Remove the USB drive and insert in a clean machine with Internet access
  • Zip the bcd file to BCD.zip
  • Please attach this file in your next reply.
 
Linux? I have a LINUX installation CD that was given from the manufacturer. Do reply if that will work.
Will work on the instructions you gave while I wait for your reply
 
The instructions above already contain a download link for a specific Linux build. We're going to use a lightweight, easy to use distro called xPud. Simply follow the instructions above, once we have a copy of the bcd file we can try and manually repair your PC.
 
Right now there's a problem. My computer only goes past the language selection screen. After that, I get to a screen with quite a bit of code.
First says Loading /boot/xpud
The most prominent message is Fatal server error : no screens find
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information
sh: no job control in this shell
Quite alot of other stuff. If you need me to update it do tell.
Tried 2 other thumbdrives but the same result.
 
Hi Hugo459440,

Looks like the latest version of xPud doesn't have the right drivers. We'll add another package to the USB device, if that doesn't work we can try an alternative distro. Please download the following file: driver.opt. Transfer this to the USB drive, save it under the opt/ directory on the USB.

Restart your computer, and try to boot into xPud again. If it still doesn't work, we'll try an alternative method.
 

Has Sysnative Forums helped you? Please consider donating to help us support the site!

Back
Top