XP Safe Mode boot hangs after load of KDCOM.DLL

[tps95]

My lan connection stopped working. Not finding anything obviously wrong I rebooted XP. It hung during the boot.

I saw:
- Intel splash screen
- Sony splash screen
- black screen with a blinking "dash" cursor
- cursor went down one line
- cursor went down another line
- hung on an even blacker screen

I tried a safe mode boot and saw the above sequence. Just before going to the "even blacker" screen the following messages appeared (this somewhat frrom memory)

Multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)/windows/sytem32/ntoskrnl.exe
Multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)/windows/sytem32/hal.dll
Multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)/windows/sytem32/kdcom.dll

Everything hung after the display about kdcom.dll.

To see if memory was involved I removed both memory cards (500 MB each) and booted using twice, using just one card of memory at a time. Both safe mode boots failed as above.

I am stuck at this point. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[tps95]

Final comment: My disk does have a bad sector and that seems to cause a lot of logical problems that are caught by chkdsk. I will first use chkdsk to repair the problem. If subsequen problems arise I will buy a new disk.

 

[metal4fun]

Excellent response! after i did the fix, i was able to load windows and find that the Vundo trojan was the cause of the problem. Combofix found the rootkit, malwarebytes and an avast boot time scan cleaned up the trash. I then ran hijackthis and cleaned up the random other pieces left behind. a CCleaner run just for good measure and now back in normal operation! Thanks a million!!

 

[coldclone02]

That's odd. I'm not sure why you're denied. I guess using the desktop is out. Try just using the root of your drive C:\. I usually have access issues there. If you copied the old kdcom file to there just rename it to kdcom.bk and then copy the one from your windows disk there. Try renaming it to the kdcom.dll. If the renaming works then copy it to the system32 folder (>copy kdcom.dll c:\windows\system32)

In the mean time, I'll look for other solutions.

ok so a fake internet security scanner just outta nowhere started running a fake scan, i couldnt open anything because of it so i did a system restore, it restarted, to a black screen, nothing, than when i try to run safe mode, these 3 files pop up, or i mean the name of them and the location from the hard drive, kdcom.dll ntoskrnl.exe and hal.dll
I think those files got lost or corrupted I dont have the windows XP disc I cant find it the only one I have is the recovery disc but when I try to run that this pops up File\i386\halaacpi.dll cant be found or something like that. What can I do?

 

[coldclone02]

I need help so badly please someone!! I mean I have the 3 files I need on another computer on the desktop is there anyway I can put them onto my troubled computer!?! Thank you in reply! Remember I dont have the Windows disc! And no money to purchase a replacement. Im 19 and my life is pretty much in my PC. Again thanks in reply!

 

[davidjrivera]

will this work with a recovery disk I created from another windows machine? I do see the kdcom.dll file. Can I copy to the system32 folder as is?

 

[davidjrivera]

I need help so badly please someone!! I mean I have the 3 files I need on another computer on the desktop is there anyway I can put them onto my troubled computer!?! Thank you in reply! Remember I dont have the Windows disc! And no money to purchase a replacement. Im 19 and my life is pretty much in my PC. Again thanks in reply!

I am trying to create a recovery disk from another computer which gives me access to the files on my downed computer. You can try that. I am no expert but I kind of have the same problem.

 

[jcmil2]

I am currently repairing a dell that has that exact same issue. That kdcom.dll file seems to be the issue. This is what I did to fix. I'm sorry that it's long but hang in there. If you're tech savvy, just skip through what ever you already know.

Boot From Disk
Insert your Windows XP disc and boot from it. If you don't know how to boot from a disc, during the Sony splash there is, hopefully, a legend that pop's up briefly (most often at the top right of the screen but not always). It will usually say two things: SETUP and BOOT MANAGER. Next to those will be the keys to press to start either. Press the one for the BOOT MANAGER. Unfortunately its not the same for every computer, but usually its something like F10 or F12.

Enter Repair
So once your fully booted into the XP disc, you'll have three options. Choose the REPAIR option by pressing R.

Select Installation
Recovery Console is command based. You'll be asked for the drive that your Windows is installed on. Typically its "1" unless you have multiple installs.

CD Drive Letter
When you get to the prompt C:\WINDOWS>, you will need to figure one thing out before moving on and that's what your CD drive letter is. Try typing "D:" without quotes. When D:\> comes up, type "DIR" without quotes. If a list comes up that has "I386" in it, then remember your drive letter is "D." If not then replace "D" in the above directions with "E."

The Repair
Once you have found your disc drive letter, follow each of the following commands line by line.

C:\WINDOWS\>CD system32
this will move you to the system32 folder

C:\WINDOWS\system32>COPY kdcom.dll C:\
this copy is a backup in case things don't work

C:\WINDOWS\system32>DEL kdcom.dll
this will delete the original not the backup

C:\WINDOWS\system32>COPY D:\I386\kdcom.dl_
replace the D if you have to with whatever your disc drive letter was above. the kdcom.dl_ is not a typo either.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>REN kdcom.dl_ kdcom.dll
renames kdcom.dl_ you copied to kdcom.dll

C:\WINDOWS\system32>EXIT
reboots your computer.


If all is right in the world, you should be able to boot right up without issue.

I'll keep watching this over the next few days to see if you post back. Please reply if you have any questions, if the repair worked, or if it didn't work. I found your post right before I did the repair on my clients computer and just copied as I went so I hope it does work for you.

I tried this three different times using my original system disk and it didn't work. I can't boot in regular OR safe mode and when I try to do a repair installation of Windows it hangs up. Ideas?