ntldr is missing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kingers
  • Start date Start date
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Kingers

I'm one of the poor souls who keeps getting "ntldr is missing" when I
try to boot my PC.

I have followed advice I've seen elsewhere and run the Recovery Console
from the XP installation CD. I have copied over the ntldr and
ntdetect.com files and run fixboot and fixmbr. I have also done a full
repair of windows.

Sadly, none of this has worked. My computer supplier has told me to do
a clean re-install of windows but they've told me to do that before
when I had the same problem a year or two ago. I fixed it then without
a clean install (can't remember how though!) and I suspect telling
people to do an install is their 'fix all' solution that gets rid
of people needing help.

Before I do an re-install, does anybody have any other suggestions as
to what I can try?

Many thanks.
 
windows repair is better than a reinstall

and yes you are right, most of them do say "just to a reinstall" or "you
need nother computer" or "you got dust in your cpu".. And they put you on
hold for a number of minutes to pretend they are conversing with the
intellectual counterparts...... yeh yeh rigghhhtttt.
 
Make sure that there are no disks in any removable drives when you boot.

NTLDR is missing, why does it happen?

[[This problem may occur if the basic input/output system (BIOS) on your
computer is outdated, or if one or more of the following Windows boot files
are missing or damaged:
* Ntldr
* Ntdetect.com
* Boot.ini ]]
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318728

[[Cause:
* Computer is booting from a non-bootable source. I.e. a disk left in the
the floppy or CD drive.
* Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS.
* Corrupt NTLDR and/or NTDETECT.COM file.
* Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file.
* Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using
FAT32.
* New hard disk drive being added.
* Corrupt boot sector / master boot record.
* Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
* Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable. ]]
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

[[For this problem to occur, all the following conditions must be true:
* The system/startup partition is formatted with the FAT32 file system.
* The computer starts by using INT-13 extensions. (This is a partition
larger than 7.8 GB with a System-ID type of 0C in the partition table).
* Because of the cloning procedure, the Heads (sides) value in the FAT32
BIOS Parameter Block (BPB) does not match the geometry of the physical
drive. ]]
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314057

Error Message When You Start Your Computer with a Non-System Disk
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812492

An NTLDR or NTDETECT.COM Not Found Error
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555304

Windows XP Does Not Start on a Computer That Is Configured for Dual Booting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315233

You Receive an "NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message When You Start Your Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320397

HOW TO: Troubleshoot the "NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318728

Err Msg: Boot - Can't Find NTLDR, or Windows Could Not Start..
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/101862

"NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message When You Upgrade or Install Windows XP Over
Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314057

The Computer Does Not Start After You Change the Active Partition by Using
the Disk Management Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315261

Cannot Start Windows XP After You Install Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283433

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Kingers said:
I'm one of the poor souls who keeps getting "ntldr is missing" when I
try to boot my PC.

I have followed advice I've seen elsewhere and run the Recovery Console
from the XP installation CD. I have copied over the ntldr and
ntdetect.com files and run fixboot and fixmbr. I have also done a full
repair of windows.

Sadly, none of this has worked. My computer supplier has told me to do
a clean re-install of windows but they've told me to do that before
when I had the same problem a year or two ago. I fixed it then without
a clean install (can't remember how though!) and I suspect telling
people to do an install is their 'fix all' solution that gets rid
of people needing help.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


Before I do an re-install, does anybody have any other suggestions as
to what I can try?

Many thanks.
Click to expand...

If vital files are not available for booting by the BIOS I would suspect
a hardware problem and the first suspect is the hard drive. Go to the
website of the hard drive manufacturer (not Dell or whoever you bought
the comp from) and download a utility to check the drive. The next
culprit and the leading suspect as I see from the little that you have
posted is a bad power supply. Thirdly bad motherboard especially if you
bought from Dell.

John
 
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