PCI.SYS missing or corrupted???

[cracked]

I awoke this morning to find that my computer was running very slow, I dont just mean opening programs, I mean my mouse cursor, everything. So naturaly I reboot and when Windows (XP Pro) is supposed to load, a screen comes up saying something like " Windows can not load because c:\windows\system32\pci.sys is missing or corrupted" I tried to fix it using the install/repair thingy on the windows cd but either it wont help or im not talented enough to use it. Could someone help me to try and fix this please? and also i am curious as to the cause of this. i was downloading a movie on morheus and left it going all night last night(i am on a 33.6k connection, dont laugh , ok u can laugh) and i think maybe there was a virus in the movie(it was finished by this morning), is this a possible cause?

any info will help probably as right now my options are reinstall and/or reformat.

Thanks a lot!!

Cr/-\c|<e|)

[Roy]

Hmm. It does sound like an infection. Have you installed the MS patch for the vulnerability the FBI found in XP?

Is your virus protection up to date?

The Install/Repair CD should fix the problem, make sure you re-install, not just repair, if there's a choice.

This seems like another reason to stay with W98SE ... it doesn't even have a pci.sys file.

[JimG]

ok, dumb question from the unenlightened: Does WinXP Pro have Windows File Protection like 2k does? If so, how can this file get deleted? Unless you disable WFP (in 2k anyway), any system file is replaced automatically ... try trashing notepad.exe .. it comes right back.
Btw, Win2k has this file also (D:\WinNT\system32\drivers).
Wish I could help you with this ... but Roy is right, reinstalling would get rid of that problem. Same problem when ntldr goes missing ... I had reinstall Win2k to get it back.

[AzKidd69]

try copying pci.sys from Windows\system32\dllcache to Windows\system32\drivers

that should put your backup copy in use. But windows protection should do that for you..

if still no luck.... copy pci.sy_ from the cd it's in \I386
then rename it to pci.sys and copy it to the 2 folders mentioned up above...

BTW have you tried system restore?? You might get lucky and windows will do all the work for you...

[cracked]

thanks 4 the help guys

azkidd, i was going to try your method but i didnt know where the file was backed up at or where it was on the cd. i ended up reinstalling. but thanks anyway! next time i will be prepared(i hope there isnt a next time )

thanks again!

Cr/-\c|<e|)

[cadetstimp]

Next time try removing any external devices (scanners/zip/jaz/flash reader/usb..etc.) and restart...sometimes the boot.ini will loose track of the boot partition location when devices such as these are connected/loaded.

[Momae]

Where do you get an install/repair cd? My computer had windows in it when I bought it and I got no install cd. Please help. This is horrendous and is making me nuts. I also have the same message on my computer..."windows cannot open because a file is missing or corrupt. System32\DRIVERS\pci.sys"

[311Sam]

pci.sys will become corrupt if you overclock your pci bus to much. My friend and i had lots of fun with that problem. Same goes for driver.sys

[billniceguy]

never overclock