JSI Tip 1799. STOP 0cC0000221 - Bad Image Checksum in Ntvdm.exe?

Jerold Schulman

November 10, 1999

1 Min Read
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If you receive:

STOP C0000221 - Bad Image Checksum
The image ntvdm.exe is possibly corrupt, the header checksum does not match the computed checksum.

Then the NTVDM.EXE on your system is corrupt/damaged.

To fix the problem:

1. Install an alternate copy of Windows NT, preferably in a different partition.

2. Boot the new install and upgrade it to SP6 (SP5 is ok).

3. Boot the new install and use Control Panel / System / Startup.. to change the primary install to the default boot.

4. Copy NTVDM.EXE from the new SP6 (SP5) install to the System32 folder of your primary install.

5. Boot your primary install.

6. If you wish to keep the alternate install:

        Compress its' folder.

        ATTRIB -R -S -H c:boot.ini

        Edit c:boot.ini and change the text of the alternate installs 2 entries to ALTNT.

7. If you wish to remove the alternate install:

        Delete its' folder.

        ATTRIB -R -S -H c:boot.ini

        Edit c:boot.ini and remove the alternate install's two (2) entries.

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