Hello - thanks for your perseverance...
I have embedded my findings below in your message.
Any other suggestions?
Fraser
You will not lose folders or data by using Fixboot or Fixmbr.
Fixboot writes a boot sector to the system partition. The fixboot command is
only available in the Recovery Console.
Fixmbr repairs the master boot record of the boot disk. The fixmbr command
is only available in the Recovery Console.
On "NTLDR is missing" : Sometimes it 'may' be caused to having resized the
boot partition.
Do you recall having done that?
FSW >> No - computer was just being used for normal web browsing and mail
activities.
Re-extract the file "NTLDR" from XP CD.
Set pc boot sequence (in BIOS) to boot from CD first--- Boot from XP CD ---
then get into Recovery Console---then do
copy X:\i386\NTLDR C:\
----where X should be the drive for your CD , and presumes C is your XP
system-drive on disk-drive.
FSW >> Ok tried this , still comes up with the "NTLDR is missing" message
btw, NTLDR is a hidden & system file, and should be in the root
(system-drive) folder ....e.g. C:\
If you can, make a bootup diskette.
How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable
to Start Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/314079
If you have access to a working XP pc, you may 'carefully' make the diskette
from there. I mention carefully, because if there is a mix of SCSI & ATA
hard drives or a mix of single O.S. & multi-boot O.S.'s between the 2 pcs,
then it gets quite complicated & editing will have to be done!
OK tried this managed to find the NTLDR and NTdetect files on my working
machine - BUT can't find the boot.ini file - no matter what search I carry
out ( having unhidden system files etc. !!)
Under "Repair" on the non-working machine I can see the boot.ini file but
cannot copy it to the floppy disk I created - I keep getting the message
"Access denied" - even if I change the attributes..
Any other ideas how I can fidn the boot.ini file on my working PC?
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----
"fsw" wrote
Thanks Maurice.
Although I posted already, and received replies, I did not get an answer
to
the basic question of what Fixboot or Fixnbr will do to my windows set-up.
Will I lose all my folders/data etc. on the HDD ??
The problem I have is that the machine goes through its bios boot then
tries
to start up windows .
I get the "NTLDR is missing" message.
I've gone through the trouble shooting process (using the repair disk) I
can
see the NTLDR file so this leads me to the conclusion that there is
something wrong with the boot sectors of the HDD, but I'm guessing.
Fixboot or fixnbr appear to be commands I can use here BUT I'm wary on
using
them unless I know what the consequences may be. - hence my post.
Thanks for posting some links, I'll have a look at the and hope they tell
me
what the "Fix" commands actually do and if I will lose data.
Fraser
"Maurice N ~ MVP" wrote
Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041
When embedding replies in existing text, please mark your
own lines clearly so that respondents don't have to guess what's
yours and what's someone elses.
If you cannot find c:\boot.ini, make your own file, using any
text editor. It should look like so:
[Boot Loader]
Timeout=3
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS
[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(x)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect
The usual value for "x" is 1.
However, making a new boot.ini file won't help if you get the
"ntldr missing" message. You really need to run fixboot, and
perhaps fixmbr.
