back for windows vista halpz.

[beth]

basically i noticed my laptop was booting stupidly slow earlier, out of the blue so i decided to system restore (clever beth) and now my windows is refusing to boot. i get the error:

'windows failed to start, a recent hardware or software change might be the cause. to fix the problem:

1. insert your windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. choose your language settings and then click next.
3. click repair your computer.

if you do not have this disc contact your system admin or computer manufacturer for assistance.

file: \windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe

status: 0xc00000428

info: windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file.'

basically i dont have a windows disc (the laptop was preowned and ive had a look through boot options and it loops back to this).

what do i need to fix this? / where can i get a disc / do i need serials etc?

+rep for all help. using my iphone so sorry for typos xxx

[Recursion]

file: \windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe

info: windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file.'

I'd suspect you had a virus, especially if it was starting slow and broke the digital signature on that file.

You'll need a Windows Vista disk from somewhere, any should do... you can try restoring it using the disk but you might have to do a full reinstall, in which case the serial number *should* be on a bluish/white sticker on the bottom of your laptop or under the battery.

You might be lucky and the recovery disks be on the computer itself, what make and model is it?

[jasey]

Yeah, @Recursion is right. By the time Windows Vista was rolling out on laptops, a bevy of major laptop manufacturers had a special partition on the hard disk drive that can act as a factory reset disc. Did you ever notice a separate drive partition apart from your default hard disk drive (C: is the standard for that type of laptop — been using Macs for too long to remember)? That could help you in to restoring it back to factory default without bumming a Vista disk off of someone.

I don't know how easy a Vista disk is to get because I don't use Windows but bear in mind that if you do the factory reset with the partition you are likely to lose all of your data. Just to give an example, when Vista first rolled out I had a special edition HP notebook and even from the start of that operating system rollout they had the factory restore partitions installed.

I am really sorry if this post sounds ignorant and doesn't help — I am not great with anything non-Mac but I figured I'd give a shot at some info if I could. Cheers, Bethany!

[Chippiewill]

It's a core component of windows, the file probably got corrupted by bit rot causing the digital signature (Verification system to prevent viruses) to be invalidated which causes Windows to cancel the boot to protect your user data. You just need a windows vista disk and run the repair setup. No need to reinstall.

[Recursion]

It's a core component of windows, the file probably got corrupted by bit rot causing the digital signature (Verification system to prevent viruses) to be invalidated which causes Windows to cancel the boot to protect your user data. You just need a windows vista disk and run the repair setup. No need to reinstall.

"bit rot"... *really*...?

I've seen enough systems in my life that have run for far longer than that laptop will have without issue... maybe if the disk was a magnetic based one, but a HDD... *reaallllyyyyy*

[Chippiewill]

maybe if the disk was a magnetic based one, but a HDD... *reaallllyyyyy*

HDD use magnetic platters.

And of course they normally last longer because normally the damage won't hurt a core file but some random sector that isn't ever used.

[Recursion]

HDD use magnetic platters.

And of course they normally last longer because normally the damage won't hurt a core file but some random sector that isn't ever used.

I meant tape drives, generally.

If that happened because of bit rot I'd drink my own piss and smile doing it.

[Chippiewill]

I meant tape drives, generally.

If that happened because of bit rot I'd drink my own piss and smile doing it.

It only takes one sector of the file to be off and windows will cancel the boot sequence. Hardly difficult for it to occur.

[Recursion]

It only takes one sector of the file to be off and windows will cancel the boot sequence. Hardly difficult for it to occur.

We'll have to agree to disagree

[The Don]

If you haven't got a serial for your vista I can link you to the download I used for Windows 7
@bethany;