System: Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Scenario: NTDS db is corrupt and all attempts to fix with esentutl fail. Ran chkdsk which seemed to repair disk error and give access to the ntds.dit file but still esentutl fails. (Attached the drive to a different server to run the esentutl)

Error: Access to source database '[path to copy of]/ntds.dit' failed with Jet error -1022.

Operation terminated with error -1022 (JET_errDiskIO, Disk IO error) after 0.170 seconds.

This error occurs on any disk I cpoy the files to including original location in C:\WINDOWS\NTDS\

Now enter the "Stupid!" and "what was I thinking!?" part (must be the late hour...)

Stupid: No updated backup - after using a backup I get a network password error in the lsass error.

what was I thinking!?: Started the install repair from the original CD but the install fails since the AD fails to start.

Now I cant boot into any mode (safe mode, AD restore etc) nor complete the repair install.

I would really like to avoid a fresh install since I have the Exchange server on this DC and would rather migrate to a new server than have to start from scratch.

Thanks!