Avoiding "the NTLDR is missing" message

[The Old Timer]

If I have my small USB2 portable hard drive plugged in when I boot up I get
the message that NTLDR is missing. If I unplug & reboot everything is OK.
Is there any way to leave the HDD plugged in & avoid this message?

 

[Guest]

Hi,

looks like your bios of your pc is wrong configured:

What 'Boot Options' do you have choosen?
- the 'ranking' of your boot devices may be one reason
- the devices 'marked' as boot device may be another reason

try the following:

- mark only your hdd (ide/scsi) in your computer as boot device (on which
you have installed your operating system)
- put your hdd with the os in in the first position of the boot devices

hope my hints will help

greetings

Dirk

 

[Videot]

I actually have to external HDD's that can be plugged into the USB port.
Only one of them creates the problem bentioned the other works ok without
any problems.

 

[Guest]

Hello,

as far as i know:

some USB-Devices are bootable - some are not bootable (maybe 'older ones').

If one of your drives is not bootable and your bootoptions are perhaps
'wrong' configured the device is not 'addressed' to boot - this drive would
work without the error message - because it is not able to boot.

If the other of your drives is bootable and your bootoptions are perhaps
'wrong' configured the device is 'addressed' to boot - this drive would work
with the error message because the bootloader is not found on this device -
because it is (would be) able to boot.

you have not written if you have tested changes to your bios - these are
still my ideas to fix your problem, maybe.

but i maybe also wrong - it´s an idea - i don´t know exactly

greetings

Dirk