Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

You'll use the Recovery Console to check and fix file system problems. To get to the Recovery Console prompt. insert the XP installation CD and reboot the system. Assuming the BIOS defaults to booting from the media (usually the default) a "Welcome to Setup" screen appears. Press R to load the Recovery Console.

At the prompt, type:  chkdsk /r

For detailed instructions with screen shots to run the recovery console, go to Using System Restore XP/2003

Windows 7/Vista/2008 offer a semi-automatic way to fix a range of startup and file problems.

1. Boot from your bootable Windows installation DVD and go into the 7/Vista Recovery Console.
2. At the System Recovery Options menu, select Startup Repair.
3. Remove the DVD and select the Restart button.

With luck this will correct the problem.

If the Boot.ini file points off to the wrong partition or drive, this error can occur.

If you have Fix-It Utilities Professional or SystemSuite Professional, we suggest using it's BOOT.INI repair tool as it is much faster and deals with some special situations. Simply boot from the Rescue CD or diskette and at the menu, select BootFixer. Remove the CD and select Exit.

To fix Boot.ini using the Windows boot CD:

1. Boot from your bootable XP/2003 installation CD and go into the XP Recovery Console. Follow our guide and you'll end up at a command prompt.
2. At the prompt, type: bootcfg /rebuild
3. This will locate any XP installations and display them. At the prompt Add installation to boot list? enter Y and press Enter.
4. Next it asks for you to enter the text to use for the OS Enter Load Identifier. For example type Windows XP Professional and press Enter.
5. One last prompt asks you to Enter OS Load Options. Type /Fastdetect and press Enter. (View Boot.ini options at Microsoft).
6. Remove the boot CD and type Exit and press Enter.

If the BOOT.INI was the cause of the problem, Windows will boot normally.

You can use Windows Recovery Console to fix a missing or damaged ntoskrnl.exe file. First boot from your Windows boot CD/DVD. We recommend you use a version that matches the OS service pack installed on your system (i.e. if you have Vista SP2, use a Vista SP2 DVD).

For Windows 7/Vista/2008, go to the page 7/Vista Recovery Console . Using the option "Startup Repair" should take care of it.

For XP/2003, go to the page XP Recovery Console . You'll need to go through the command prompt and expand and copy the ntoskrnl.ex_ file from the CD to  WindowsSystem32 toskrnl.exe. Instructions are in the XP Recovery Console guide, under Fix a Damaged or Missing File.

The hard disk or disk controller may be failing and creating errors or problems that the driver cannot handle.

Check that the cabling is plugged in securely, and if using SCSI drives, make sure the drive cables are terminated properly. You might remove the drive and test it non-destructively on another system. Also note if the system works either when first turned on (i.e. cold) or if it requires the system to be on for a while (i.e. hot). This is an excellent clue that you have a thermal hardware problem.

Check out what others say about this issue and review or add your own comments and solutions!

Windows begins by running the NTLDR program, which in turn brings in other necessary files to bring up the operating system. While accessing the disk, NTLDR got a disk read error.

More information is available from Microsoft knowledgebase article: 314477