Windows XP kdcom.dll error message and Load needed DLLs for kernel message.

You will not be starting in Safe Mode or any other kind of mode with that error (as stated earlier).

Tell us what your antivirus/antimalware situation is since that is usually the cause of missing system files.

I suggest the Hiren's Boot CD instead of the Recovery Console since depending on your configuration and hardware, you may run into some quirky issues with RC.  These things do not manifest themselves with the Hiren's CD.  Hiren's also has a friendlier interface that you are already used to using.

If you can't find a copy of kdcom.dll to replace your missing/suspicious one in either of these two locations:

c:\windows\system32\dllcache
c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386

From a working system, download one from my SkyDrive, copy it to a floppy or USB thumb drive and sneakernet it to the afflicted system and copy/replace it into this folder where it belongs.

c:\windows\system32

I uploaded a copy of the XP Pro SP3 file you need to my SkyDrive (everybody has a SkyDrive for sharing files).

You can download it and when you do, put a copy of the file in this folder (assuming Windows is installed on your C drive):

c:\windows\inf

Here is the link to my SkyDrive and you can look for the file you need there:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=6a7e789cab1d6f39&id=6A7E789CAB1D6F39!311

You can download it and when you do, put a copy of the file in these folders (assuming Windows is installed on your C drive):

c:\windows\system32
c:\windows\system32\dllcache    (that is where XP keeps backup copies of important files).

When you see the files available for download, you may not see the file extension (.exe, .dll, .cpl, .sys, .zip, etc.), but when you download them they will have the correct extension.

When you download the file (especially if you use Internet Explorer), when you get a chance to save the file, your browser may not save the file with an extension (like .exe, .dll, .cpl, .sys, .zip, etc.) so you will have to manually add the proper extension to the file when you download the file before you save it.

You can download the file with no extension and then rename the file to add the proper extension.  You don't want to try to use a file called kdcom when the file name really needs to be called kdcom.dll (if the downloaded file has no extension you will have to change the name of the file to add the proper extension to get it to work.

You then need to copy/paste the downloaded file in the correct folder on your system.

ElderL says "Do or do not.  There is no try!"

You could follow that advice from ElderL, but it is a little outdated and now ElderL has some better idee-ers.

If you mean you are seeing a message like this:

Windows could not start because of an error in the software.
Please report this problem as :
load needed DLLs for kernel.
Please contact your support person to report this problem.

...and when you choose to boot in Safe Mode (do try and confirm), the last thing you will see loading is:

...system32\BOOTVID.dll

then you will see the same message as before:

Windows could not start because of an error in the software.
Please report this problem as :
load needed DLLs for kernel.
Please contact your support person to report this problem.

The meaning is that this file is probably missing or corrupt (assuming XP is installed on your C drive):

c:\windows\system32\kdcom.dll

Since that is one of the 3498 files that Windows File Protection cares about, it should never be missing.  If it really is missing, it was probably quarantined (effectively deleted) by your unspecified antivirus/antimalware application.

There are likely to be good copies of the file on your system here:

c:\windows\system32\dllcache

or perhaps here depending on your configuration:

c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386

There is also one on my SkyDrive that you can download to a working machine and sneakernet it using a floppy or USB memory device to the afflicted machine and copy it to where it belongs.

Tell us a little more about your system...

Unfortunately, the MS Answers forums implementation does not prompt for any system information when a new question is asked, so we know absolutely nothing about your system.

Not knowing fundamental information about a problem prolongs the frustration and agony of resolving these issues but that is the way they choose to run things here.

Thank you MS Answers owners, for continuing to make the resolution of simple problems as frustrating and time consuming as possible.

Please provide additional information about your system as best you can:

What is your system make and model?

What is your XP Version and Service Pack?

Describe your current antivirus and anti malware situation:  Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), McAfee, Symantec, Norton, Spybot, AVG, Avira!,  Panda, Trend Micro, CA, Defender, ZoneAlarm, PC Tools, Comodo, etc.

Was the issue preceded by a power interruption, aborted restart, or improper shutdown?  (this includes plug pulling, power buttons, removing the battery, etc.)

Does the afflicted system have a working CD/DVD drive (internal or external)?

If the system used to work properly, what do you think might have changed since the last time it did work properly?

You are going to have to boot on something to fix it, so you should make a Hiren's Boot CD and then you can see about replacing the file.  The Hiren's Boot CD will sometimes be easier than using the XP Recovery Console.

Here's how:

Make yourself a Hiren's Boot CD which you can download from here:

http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

The ZIP file is large, so the download will probably take a little while to complete bit it is worth it.  Then unzip the download to extract the Hirens.BootCD.ISO file that will be used to create your new bootable CD.

Creating a bootable CD from a .ISO file is not the same as just copying the .ISO file to a blank CD.  You have to use software that understands how to burn a .ISO file to a CD to create a bootable CD.

In the Hiren's ZIP file are the BurnToCD.cmd file that you can double click to launch it, but I have never used it and prefer to use ImgBurn.

If you need a free and easy CD burning software package, here is a popular free program:

http://www.imgburn.com/

When installing ImgBurn, DO NOT install anything from UniBlue or the Ask toolbar (never install the ASK toolbar for anything).

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your new 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 booting on the Hiren's CD you will see a menu of options.  Choose the Mini XP option.  Then it will appear that Windows is being loaded and you will be presented with a desktop that has the look and feel of the Windows Explorer interface you are already used to using.