Windows 7 winload.exe Corrupted

[Jack Gilmore]

Hi,

I've had this Dell Laptop for nearly a year. I seem to have gotten it virus infected and it has corrupted winload.exe in the system32 folder. It says:
\Windows\System32\winload.exe

The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt.

I've tried startup repair but it says the problem cannot be fixed.

What can I do? (Apart from reinstall)

 

[Trouble]

First I would highly recommend exploring options to boot the machine to external media and attempt to copy your important files to an external media device (usb hard drive or such). There are options like "Ultimate Boot CD" or various Linux Distros that may help you make safe your critical data.
The issue sounds like a problem with the windows boot manager files so you could try this
Boot to the install media
Choose repair options
select command prompt
and type
bootrec /fixmbr
and then
bootrec /fixboot
Refer to this article for more details.
How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

 

[Jack Gilmore]

First I would highly recommend exploring options to boot the machine to external media and attempt to copy your important files to an external media device (usb hard drive or such). There are options like "Ultimate Boot CD" or various Linux Distros that may help you make safe your critical data.
The issue sounds like a problem with the windows boot manager files so you could try this
Boot to the install media
Choose repair options
select command prompt
and type
bootrec /fixmbr
and then
bootrec /fixboot
Refer to this article for more details.
How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

Thanks for your help but that didn't work

 

[Trouble]

Very sorry to hear that. There may be others who have further information that they may add. But I think you pretty much know what's next. And I think most people will advise that the only way to know that you have full control of your computer back after a virus infection is to completely format, using a product like KillDisk to make sure it is completely gone and then do a clean install. And you need to be particularly careful when copying off files or attaching the hard drive to another computer to transfer the files that you don't end up perpetuating any virus remnants.
Good Luck
Randy

 

[Jack Gilmore]

Ok. Thank you. My brother has given me a 160GB hard drive with Windows 7 Ultimate N and I should be getting a 320GB for Christmas. I will reinstall then as you have advised

 

[Trouble]

Jack:
Thanks for the followup and I hope you will keep us posted regarding any progress. In the mean time, welcome to the forums and we hope to continue to see you around.
Thanks again
Randy

 

[Jack Gilmore]

Thanks Randy

 

[TorrentG]

Use a Linux live disk such as Knoppix to overwrite the file with a known good copy, such as from another good machine you have with the same bit version of Windows 7.

But yes, agree with Trouble. It is true that once malware has gotten on a machine, what it has done can even be missed and undetected by the most advanced research laboratories. Unlikely, but very possible.

 

[Jack Gilmore]

UPDATE: Guys, I managed to fix my MBR using this tutorial: MBR - Restore Windows 7 Master Boot Record - Windows 7 Forums . I now get as far as the windows 7 startup screen and then get a BSOD flash (Or at least I think it is). Just booting up my recovery disk now to try startup repair. Fingers crossed!