Windows XP / Server 2003 Boot Error NTOSKRNL.EXE Is Missing Or Corrupt

Every once in while when you reboot a workstation or server you'll get the famous NTOSKRNL.EXE is Missing or Corrupt error Windows NT could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: 

C:\Windows\System32\Ntoskrnl.exe

It's fairly straight forward to resolve this problem. Start by booting your machine from the install media (CD/DVD or USB Drive) when prompted follow these steps :

- Boot to the recovery console (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326215)

- Select your Windows installation that you want to recover

- When prompted provide the local administrator password

- Once you are into the recovery console you will probably be sitting at a C:\WINDOWS prompt

- Change the directory to the i386 folder on your CD / DVD drive (If you only have one partition it will most likely be D:\)

- Copy the following files to the C:\ drive

copy ntldr C:
copy ntdetect.com C:

- Change your source directory back to C:\Windows

- Next you will need to fix your boot record

fixboot C:

- Most likely you will also have to fix the boot .ini using the bootcfg command

bootcfg /rebuild

- Add the required Windows installation to your boot list

- Add the Load Identifier (Custom description)

- Add the OS Load Options (/fastdetect)

- Type exit to reboot the machine

Your machine should now be recovered from the NTOSKRNL.exe is Missing or Corrupt" error.