Missing system32\DRIVERS\pci.sys, lost original repair cd, computer won't boot properly

You could expedite things by expanding on the description of the methods you used to try to fix your computer and what happened.

I suspect that your pci.sys file may have been deleted or quarantined by your antivirus software.   Maybe it was really afflicted, but some scanning softwares will delete critical XP system files resulting in a no boot scenario (we'll call it an accident).

Describe your current antivirus and anti malware situation:  McAfee, Norton, Spybot, AVG, Avira!, MSE, Defender, ZoneAlarm, PC Tools, Comodo, etc.

Forunately, there are several copies of the pci.sys file on your HDD in other places - you just have to boot on something to replace the missing file, then get rid of your afflicted antiwhatever software, consider something more friendly, use some different scanning software, then fix any remaining issues.

Your system has a CD/DVD drive, so create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and boot on that, then we can replace the missing file.

You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file and burning it to a CD.

The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:

xp_rec_con.iso

Download the ISO file from here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ueyyzfymmig

Use this free and easy program to create your bootable CD:

http://www.imgburn.com/

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=611

It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.  These adjustments are

made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:

Press any key to boot from CD...

The Windows Setup... will proceed.

Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.

Select the installation you want to access (usually  1: C:\WINDOWS)

You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).

You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder.  This is the same as the C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.

When you get this part going, reply back and you can proceed.

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I just came across the same issue, and used ubuntu 10.04 to copy a restored pci.sys file into the system32/drivers/ directory.  Booted after with no issues.

Good job!

I like Hiren's Boot CD too with their Mini Windows XP boot option as it has a familiar and less intimidating Windows Explorer type interface for file manipulation (copying) and soooo many other Windowsy repair things that are not available in Ubuntu.

Your pci.sys missing?  Search for a replacement, copy it, paste it and be on your way.

You can use it to get on the Internet, download, use chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, edit/copy/search for/replace files, and fix all those ntldr, ntdetect.com, hal.dll missing, etc. type messages. 

Why it even has a tool to help with the manipulation of lost/missing passwords.

http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

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I have had a VERY similar experience on an XP-SP3 OS (Originally XP Media Center);  After trouble shooting a virus issue and running a series of tools recommended by Kaspersky (including ComboFIx, TDSKILLER, AVZ) I was directed to uninstall the 2009 version of Kaspersky and then reisntall the 2011 version.  I was given an uninstall tool to run in Safe mode and told to run this twice.

I did this on the second run I received a Windows Scrip Error - Microsoft VBScript runtime Error.

The Kaspersky Tech also directed me to delete the INFCACHE.1 inside C:\Windows\inf\

Upon restart I received the error mentioned in this thread:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

system32\DRIVERS\pci.sys

You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setup CD-ROM

Select 'r' at the first screen to repair."

I already had Microsoft Windows XP Recovery Console Installed and can launch this.  I tried finding the pci.sys file in the location you listed above (c:\windows\system32\dllcache\pci.sys and recieved the following message : "The system cannot find the file specified."

I can go track down a Windows XP Professional CD (although not the original OEM disk for this machine, but a fully licensed version none the less, I may have the OEM disk as well and will look).

You mentioned that multiple copied of this file exist in various locations on the drive, any suggestions on other locations to try would be hugely appreciated, and or how to do this if I can use the Windows XP CD.

Assistance is much appreciated!

Now you replace the suspicious/missing file.

Fortunately, there are several copies of the pci.sys file on your HDD in other places - you just have to boot on something to replace the missing file, then get rid of your afflicted antiwhatever software, consider something more friendly, use some different scanning software, then fix any remaining issues.

Once booted into the Recovery Console, from the C:\WINDOWS prompt enter:

copy c:\windows\system32\dllcache\pci.sys   c:\windows\system32\drivers

Respond in the affirmative if asked to overwrite the existing file and then you should see a message that 1 file(s) was copied.

Type 'exit' to exit the Recovery Console and your system will reboot automatically.

This will not relieve your system of the malicious software or replace your potentially afflicted antimalware program though.

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Do you really think suggestions that begin with the words try, might or maybe are going to be helpful?

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I'm working on a Dell Dimention 4600 for a friend who's blind and needs her computer and the software that was on it...  The HD crashed, I was able to copy most of it and now trying to repair what was lost on a new drive.  pci.sys is one of the many files I'm sure I'll need to replace, but when I tried your procedure I got the response access is denied.  I used a blank for the admin password and I've been able to run Chkdsk and everything else I've tried... Any thoughts?

I looked at the Attributes of the file using a DIR command in ..\dllcache directory and A and C were set. I cleared C (compressed) on a hunch that I couldn't copy a compressed file,  "Attrib pci.sys -c" .  The copy worked after that.  I'm guessing I'll find most of the files I need in the ..\dllcache, and it makes sense that they are cached.  Thanks!