WinCrazy's XP Help & Info
Windows Loads but Restarts Before Logon or the Welcome Screen
This issue may occur if the kernel32.dll file is missing or damaged.
RESOLUTION
Restart the PC.
Keep tapping the Del/Delete key (possibly Esc, F1, F2 until entering the BIOS Setup Program, look for and load BIOS defaults, press F10 to save, type Y to confirm then press Enter to save and restart.
If you have an XP Installation CD:
Use the Windows Recovery Console to extract a new copy of the kernel32.dll file from the original Windows XP Installation CD. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Start the Recovery Console. If you do not have the Recovery Console installed as a dual-boot option on your hard drive, start it from the Windows XP Installation CD.
Follow these steps:
a. Insert the Windows XP Installation CD and then restart the computer. If you are prompted, select any options that are required to start from the CD.
b. When the text-based part of the Setup program starts, follow the instructions that appear on your screen. To select the Recover Console option, press R. This will cause the Recovery Console to run rather than trying to install or reinstall XP.
c. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you must access from the Recovery Console.
d. If you are prompted, type the Administrator password.
2. At the command prompt, type cd system32, and then press Enter.
3. Type ren kernel32.dll kernel32.old and then press Enter.
4. Type map, and then press Enter.
5. Note the drive letter that is assigned to the CD-ROM drive that contains the Windows XP Installation CD. It is appears in a format that is similar to the following format:
D: \Device\CdRom0
6. Type the following commands, and each time press Enter:
expand drive\i386\kernel32.dl_
copy kernel32.dll \dllcache
Where drive is the drive letter of the CD drive that contains the Windows XP Installation CD , such as D:
For example, type:
Expand d:\i386\kernel32.dl_
Note: Be sure to include the underscore character after the "L" in filename kernel32.dl_
You receive the following message: kernel32.dll
1 file(s) expanded.
7. Type exit. The computer will restart.
8. Remove the Windows XP Installation CD, and then start the computer as you regularly do.
If you DO NOT HAVE an XP Installation CD:
The Recovery Console is normally only available only if the user has an XP Installation CD, not a Repair CD or a Recovery CD. Microsoft does not offer one !! A little know MS article describes how to make one from the 6-diskette XP Boot diskettes that are available from MS. Others have figured out how to make this boot CD from an XP Installation CD.
The makings of a self-booting Recovery Console CD can be downloaded for free from:
You can easily get a self-booting Recovery Console CD from this:
Recovery Console Bootable CD .ISO File Image download
The download is a data image of a CD that is to be burned to a blank CD using a burning program such as Nero, Roxio or by any of these free programs:
CDBurnerXP A good general purpose CD & DVD burning program
Active@ ISO Burner Just burns ISO image files to CDs and DVDs
ISOBurn Just burns ISO image files to CDs and DVDs
Once your Recovery Console CD has been burned, follow these steps:
1. Boot using the Recovery Console CD
a. Insert the Windows Recovery Consol CD and then restart the computer. If you are prompted, select any options that are required to start from the CD.
b. When the text-based part of the Setup program starts, follow the instructions that appear on your screen. To select the Recover Console option, press R. This will cause the Recovery Console to run rather than trying to install or reinstall XP.
c. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you must access from the Recovery Console.
d. If you are prompted, type the Administrator password.
2. At the command prompt, type cd system32, and then press Enter.
Type copy \dllcache\kernel32.dll .
Notice the spaces after ".dll" and the following period.
3. Type exit. The computer will restart.
4. Remove the Windows Recovery Console CD, and then start the computer as you regularly do.
APPLIES TO XP VERSIONS
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition, XP MCE and XP 64-bit
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition