Bootskin question - Please help

You have a hacked kernel file and you want to know if Bootskin is 100% safe...

Anyway, you need to restore the original file and yes, Bootskin is safe.....

I think a lot of people have no idea what an OS kernel really is.

They get nervous about shell replacements but appear to have no qualms about trashing what the shell 'attaches' to....

I would really replace the original kernel before using Bootskin

Bootskins is 100% safe as it does not change/alter the system files in any way

travis pops his head in and says you can do it.

travis pops his head out very quickly

Yes, it is possible, but really - Replace the Original ntoskrnl.exe before hand

So, I have no choice but to replace the kernel *shit I could lsoe a lot of stuff if i screw up and i dunno where i put oiringal notoskernel.

no you have a choice:it should work with the modified version. since you can't be 100% positive about it working it is advisable to put back the original.
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So, Travis are you sure about me being able to just change the bootskn, or no.

I'de put back the original, but not 100% sure if it's in the right place.

Also, Travis your known for computer help..

This may sound a bit jerkish, but possibly could you try to see what happens if uchange it with a dif kernel?

We all have no intention of changing or Kernel's, so you would be out of luck there

I would suggest that you try using bootskin, and if you cannot now replace with the original, it would still be ok to use bootskin safely

Give it a try, and don't be so quick to change the system files in future, or at least remember where you save the originals

Nah, I saved the file in a folder which i know where it is, just hoping it's the correct file.

How big is the original kernel, mine says 1.94 mb (i have 2 folders called ntoskernal backup and they both have the same file/ size.)

as I said before I don't know if changing the bootskin will effect anything because you have changed a system file, especially since I don't know what you changed. My kernel says that its 1.83 mb, and I haven't done anything to it.

Insert your windows cd. don't run the reinstall, but instead explore the cd. go to i386 folder on the cd and find the file with the name ntsoskernel.exe, it might not have the same extension as the original, but I think it does. copy it to your c:\ directory. You have 2 options here you can use a seperate program to bypass the file protection or you can start up in safe mode to bypass it. I will just tell you how to do it in safe mode. Restart your computer and get it into command prompt safe mode. To do this press a certain key multiple times while the bios is still starting. In my case this key is f8, but it depends on your computer. once you get to the bootskin its to late.

alright you should have gotten to a list of a couple of options. find the one that says command prompt safe mode (or something close to that). start up in it and choose the admin as who you are going to log in as. once logged in type cd\ go to the base c directory. if the ntsokernel that you just copied here doesn't have the correct extension type "expand ntoskernel.extension" (without the quotes and with the extension as the files actual extension). now after thats done type "md backup" and press enter then "copy c:\windows\system32\ntoskernel.exe c:\backup\ntoskernelmodified.exe" and press enter. then type "move ntoskernel.exe c:\windows\system32\" and press enter. that should change the file and leave you with a backup of the one you had there
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I'm curious, did the site that you got the hacked kernel from not give you any help, or did you not bother asking.

I hope you are pleased with the help you got here

Well done Travis

I learned the hard way.

There are several versions of the ntoskrnl.exe from MS. This file has been updated twice by MS. Going back to the original file of the Install CD may take away fixes MS has put into place. On my CPU are the following versions

C:\WINDOWS\system32 ver. 5.1.2600.1151 (xpsp2.030422-1633) size 1892864 bytes C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallQ811493$ ver. 5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920) size 1891840 bytes C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$ ver. 5.1.2600.0 (xpclient.010817-1148) size 1897984 bytes C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache ver. 5.1.2600.1151 (xpsp2.030422-1633) size 1925760 bytes C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386 ver. 5.1.2600.1151 (xpsp2.030422-1633) size 1925760 bytes C:\WINDOWS\Last Good\System 32 ver. 5.1.2600.1151 (xpsp2.030422-1633) size 1892864 bytes C:\WINDOWS\ServicePack\i386 ver. 5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920) size 2042240 bytes

Forgot about microsoft and its craziness. uninstall your service packs then reinstall them form windows update. they will write over the existing messed up ntoskernel.exe. thats even an easier way out.

Travis knows craziness Listen to him

I never undestimate you, you never gave enough information about what you did, and how you did it. My suggestion is to uninstall the service packs then restart. then go to windows update and redownload and reinstall them. that should fix any problem with those.

When using any systemfile that did not come from your computer (example you downloaded the whole system file and replaced yours with it) you run the risk of it not working right with your computer. All computers are not the same, and every version of xp is not the same. That is why you don't replace system files. If you know what you are doing you can modify your own, but I wouldn't suggest it.

also watch your language.

 JaGWiReBrian  .....post removed for language.

I think you need to read up a little bit on what part the OS kernel plays in the OS.

Once you do you may be just a little more averse to swapping it out with another, particularly one which could be 'broken' at best and 'malicious' at worst.

Put in layman's terms....the OS is likened to a 'nut', with 2 specific parts, the Shell and the Kernel.

Without one or either you have nothing, though people will sometimes be daring and put an alternate 'shell' around/on their existing kernel [such as LiteSTEP]....the default/normal shell is 'Explorer.exe'.

Now, following your new-found understanding of what a kernel is...[you DID read up about them?], you'll have a greater respect for its 'importance' and will loathe messing with it in any way unless it's simple suicide experimentation cos you'll reformat anyway soon...