lsass.exe Bad Image error

Hi, I have a Tosiba Laptop XP home sp3

On start up - I get the following error:

lsass.exe Bad Image
C:\windows\system32\lsasrv.dll is not a valid windows image
Check against instal disc

I have checked out the MS help - topic
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;EN-US;307545
but - the XP system I have is OEM'd

I have the Toshiba SYstem Recovery DVD - but it just wants to wipe the drive - and re-install.

Is there a way to save data on the drive ??
Help !

Hi JohnAusBC, welcome to WTT.

The first thing I would try is to run chkdsk /r from the Recovery Console. Since you don't have a XP CD you can download a bootable ISO image of the Recovery Console from here (still available as of 09/05/2009): http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso

Note: You create a CD from the iso image, you don't burn the iso image to cd. If you don't have burner software that supports iso images, you can install DeepBurner.

If you don't have a CD burner you can download the 6 diskette boot set from here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994/en-us

Boot the CD or diskettes, then run chkdsk /r from the Command Prompt. It can take an hour or more to run so be patient and let it complete undisturbed.

If that doesn't help, and since you are able to post here, that means you have access to another computer. So, if you have files on your computer that you want to save, try booting a Linux "Live" CD like Puppy Linux. See if you can access your drive that way. If yes then you can save your data to CDR or a USB flash drive. Puppy is s "Live" CD, meaning you boot the CD and not your hard drive. It has an easy to use Desktop, just as XP and Vista do though it looks and feels a bit different.

See this post by Happyrck on GeeksToGo for downloading and using Puppy Linux, only get the Puppy Linux 3.01 version now since the 2.16 version is no longer available on that page. http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/Help-Window…21#entry1197721