winload.exe is missing/corrupt

[emptypockets]

Hi all. I’ve posted this problem on another forum and thought I’d pick you guys’ brains with it too. I need some help with a Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop. I'm trying to do a System Recovery with image disks created with the included Dell DataSafe Local Backup 2.0 cuz it had a virus and I don't know if it got it for sure, but after Windows is thru loading files I get a message in the Windows Boot Manager:

\windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
The selected entry could not be loaded because the app. is missing or corrupt.

This laptop did not come with ANY disks when bought new. The only disks available are the 2 I made with DataSafe. I've tried several suggestions I found on the net, but, so far, none have worked:

Booted from a Windows 7 Repair Disk>cmd prompt and:
1. typed bootrec.exe /fixmbr = success
2. bootrec.exe /fixboor = success
3. bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd = success
4. chkdsk c: /r = fixed 1 file
5. chkdsk d: /r = OK
6. sfc /SCANNOW /OFFBOOTDIR=c:\ /OFFWINDIR=c:\windows
Rec'd this msg. with the above command:
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to
fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log.
I extracted this file and saved it to a thumb drive for later use if need be. (It was 18MB of gibberish to me)
7. Renamed winload.exe to winload.old and replaced it with a known good winload.exe file from my pc.
8. Ran an Avast Free AV boot-time scan = nothing found
9. bcdedit in Windows Boot Loader section indicates:
identifier <default>
device partition=c:
path \windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
(windows\system3\boot\windload.exe does not show anywhere in BCD, although the Boot folder and file appear in Windows Explorer). Winload.exe also shows in Windows\System32 folder as well
10. Rebooted into F8>Repair your computer, but does nothing except load into Windows normally.
11. Tried factory image recovery in DataSafe Local Backup in Windows, but it wouldn’t load and the pc booted back into Windows.
Somewhere along the line in these steps, I now notice that when I boot off the recovery disk, it no longer shows \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe being missing/corrupt—
just \windows\system32\winload.exe being missing/corrupt. Go figure. lol

So, basically what happens is that Windows is working, but I need to do a factory image recovery, put the 1st recovery disk in, Windows loads files along the bottom of the screen, then gives me the error msg. about winload.exe is missing or corrupt.

I'd be obliged if someone could shed some light on this. Please use terms, instructions, etc. that I can follow because I’m no pc guru. Hope I haven't forgotten anything, but, who knows? Done so many things I can't remember 'em all.

Thanks for any help.

Dell Inspiron 1545
Pentium Dual-Core 2.20GHz
4GB RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64 bit
Avast Free AV

[emptypockets]

This one must have everyone else stumped too.

[Murf]

\windows\system32\boot\winload.exe

it should be;

\windows\system32\winload.exe

Check and make sure it is located there?

[emptypockets]

winload.exe is located in System32 folder and also in a Windows\System32\Boot\ subfolder