Error Message: "NTLDR missing" Press CONTTOL+ALT+DELETE to restart

Check this post from one of the 'Guru's around here:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21356065/NTLDR-is-missing.html?query=NTLDR+missing&topics=231

CD or USB drive/port empty?


Vic

I do have CD-drive as well as USB Drive

OK - make sure that nothing is in your CD-ROM (depending on your BIOS configuration, it may try to boot up from there), and unplug any 'Thumb' drive you might have connected (same reason).

If that isn't it, check the link I posted for a specific fix.


Vic

You need to do a repair installation.

Boot from xp cd, and run installation as usual....Press F8 ..(not recovery)  It will search for existing installation, and ask you if you want to attempt to repair it.

See:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21356065/NTLDR-is-missing.html?query=NTLDR+missing&clearTAFilter=true

gonzal13,
That is a brilliant suggestion!

 :)

Vic

usually the source of the problem is related to hard drive issues I would recommend you run the following command CHKDSK /R  at the recovery console

To run the Recovery Console from the Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM, follow these steps:
1.      Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.

Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted.
2.      When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
3.      If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you must access from the Recovery Console.
4.      When you are prompted, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
5.      At the command prompt, type the appropriate commands to diagnose and repair your Windows XP installation.

For a list of commands that are available in Recovery Console, type recovery console commands or help at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.

I'm gonna copy some info from my Windows XP 70-270 book.

Boot up to the Windows XP CD.

Press R to enter recovery console
it will prompt you to select which Windows Installation you want to log into as well as the Administrator password.

after you are a the C prompt do this

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY D:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY D:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\
BOOTCFG /rebuild

I'm assuming D is the drive letter of your CD drive, most likely it will be.

The fixmbr and fixboot aren't exclusively necessary but they should fool proof this whole operation.

For those of you who don't check previous posts, this was the first thing I suggested:

NTLDR IS MISSING ON BOOT-UP

First <ahem> make sure there isnt a floppy disk in the drive :^)

Now we have discounted the obvious, boot with the windows CD and go to the recovery console
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm (for XP and 2K)

and issue the following commands

FIXMBR C:
FIXBOOT C:
COPY x:\I386\NTLDR C:\
COPY x:\I386\NTDETECT.COM C:\
BOOTCFG /rebuild

also see

How to troubleshoot the "NTLDR Is Missing" error message in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=318728
You Receive an "NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message When You Start Your Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320397

If you cannot repair your PC using the above, a repair install will do it for you
How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;292175
How to perform an in-place upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=315341

After having atteempted to use the XP Disc to boot the OS.  I get the following message after it attempts to load"

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down,,,etc.....

***STOP: 0x0000007E 0\(0xc0000005,0xF952F0BF, 0xF997B208, 0xF997AF08)

***    pci.sys - Address F952F0BF base at F9528000, Datestamp 3b7d855c

I have not even been able to get base this to any type of options screen..!

What does all of thgis mean...>  Is this fixable or what...!?!??!  HELP!!!!!

mts,
Can you boot into Safe Mode (tap F8 during boot cycle).
You should be able to read you Event Viewer logs.
First guess is faulty drivers - have you changed your Video configuration recently?


Vic

This seems to show that you're not booting to the CD drive.  While the Dell POST Screen is showing press F12 to give yourself the boot menu and insure that you're booting up to the CD-drive first instead of the HDD.  Your error that you posted sounds like it was booting up to the HDD.

During startup..it says press any ket to boot from the CD..it then goes into the wIDNOWS sETUP SCREEN THEN STARTS TO LOAD THE VARIOUS FILES AND DRIVERS AND THEN IT GOES TO THE ERROR MESSAGE THAT I PREVIOUSLY POSTED.

ANd there is no rresponse to the F8 key to attempt o boot in SAFE mode

ANy other suggestions..?  This reallllly SUCKS...!

The last on screen message is WIndows is starting up..and then goes to the error message I posted above.....and no I have not changed any video configurations ot any other for that matter.

Take the CD out of the CD-ROM and try to get into 'Safe Mode'.
Tapping F8 when it is booting to CD just meets the 'any key' requirement.

You want to get into Safe Mode and track down the actual error.

it will not go into SAFE mode

Upon startup the message on screen is:

Loading PBR for descripto 2..done.,

NTLDR is missing

Press CTR+ALT+DELETE

Does nothing at all but sit there.

ANy other suggestions..?

make sure the CD-Rom is clean or use a deferent drive

no change still get error message STOP: as I posted in previous posting.  AND it will not strat SAFE have cleaned disk.  It starts yo load driver, files etc.  But when it sats SETUP is starting windows..that is when I get the Blue screen and the error message I posted.

Anything else..this looks reallllllllly bad..!

The latop has Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 900 Graphics which (according to intels site) is a PCI-E chipset.  Nice graphics for a laptop can cause problems when installing XP.

The pci.sys file messing up when the setup program is trying to install the files to run this PCI-E chipset.  This is usually a pre XP SP2 error.  

Make sure the installation CD is XP Proffesional with SP2.  

Hope this helps

Is your BIOS version the A09?
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=2232&l=en&s=eep&releaseid=R129132&SystemID=INSPIRON1300/B130&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=10101&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=8&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=171852

THe BIOS is A08.  I suspect I need A09 since this is what you poited out.  But at this juncture it appears to be a moot point since I can boot the laptop.  Does anyone else have ANY suggestions that might get me going again..?

THANX

ganon48 - I believe the 'SP' needs to be the same version as the original install - and should ideally be the CD's that came with the system.

mtsprink - not sure why you consider the BIOS a 'moot point'.
Applications/devices that have been installed since the old version of BIOS was installed may be creating this current problem.
You can still flash the BIOS and eliminate that as a possible problem.
If you eliminate all of the possible problems, pretty soon you'll get to the solution.


Vic

not sure what you meant by "FLASH THE BIOS" as far as how to go about doing this.

Sorry - my bad.
The BIOS updates are provided by the manufacturer (Dell in this case) to allow for new technology - either OS or devices.
Sometimes updates and/or new equipment will overrun the ability of the (firmware) in the Mother Board to function properly.
I run a repair shop for a fairly significant domain (2,000+ workstations, 100+ servers).
Our routine is to download all of the latest BIOS files on Floppy and CD for all the different computing devices we have.

When any box comes in for repair, one of the things on our 'repair' check list is to install the latest version of the BIOS files ("Flash" the BIOS).

I'm not sure where that expression came from, but it's been around longer than me (and that is a long time).

ALSO - if your primary concern is data loss, don't attempt any other repairs of any kind.
Get a "USB 'Enclosure' Device" from your local Giant Computer Store (US$25-30).

You can remove that hard drive, plug it into the Enclosure and connect it to a functioning computer.
You should be able to navigate to all of the DATA files on that HDD and copy them to the good one.

Once your data is safe, continue the repairs.
Often 'repairing' will destroy all of the data - and that ain't good.

Hope this helps.
Vic

Vic,

the first thing I need to do is to preserve the data.  SO, I simply go to a computer store and request a "USB Enclosure device"..?  Is that specifically what I need to as for..?  Does the device go by any other name.  I do some limited tech support at my workplace.  But I have never heard of this device.  veddy interestin'..!

MTS

MTS,
For example, go to www.compusa.com and 'search' for the expression "usb enclosure".

I just did it and 4 items pop up.
3 1/2 inch for desktops.
2 1/2 inch for notebooks.

I've been using them for a couple of years instead of the 'Slave' function.
Best thing since canned beer (almost).
Works great.

Vic

I'll expand on what Younghv said.

The USB Enclosure allows you to take your laptop harddrive out of the laptop, put it in an enclosure, and plug the enclosure USB cable into a USB port on another computer(a working one :-)  It instantly turns your laptop hard drive into a USB flash drive so to speak.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817146065

That one is my favorite.  I own it, works well, and is even kinda cool looking.  Another feature that I like about that one is it does not require a separate power adapter.  It gets all the power it needs from either one or two USB ports to power the drive up and start slinging data.

After you get all the data that you require off of this drive you don't have to really worry anymore about your computer losing it while y ou're trying to fix it which most of us can tell you has happened at least once before in the past.

at "LEAST ONCE" before in the past :-)

Ok..I am going to go get one now.  My first priority is to preserve the data.  Does anyone have any other suggestions as far as how to fix this boot up problem.  This laptop did not ship with a RESTORE DISK for the OS.  THis seems a bit odd.  I am going to contact DELL in the meantime..this machine is only about 3 months old.

ANy other suggestions on a fix would be welcomed.

THANX

At re-boot - with NO disks inserted anywhere - do you get an Option to hit the F12 key?
That is the Dell default for some built in tools that will run various tests on your hardware and other stuff.

Real good way to find a specific problem.

Vic

sounds like the file system on your hard drive is fudged up.  But try what Vic is telling you to do and run the diagnostics which should be 5th or 6th option down once you get to that boot menu.

If diagnostics run clean download the latest bios for your computer and wait for Dell to ship you the discs for recovery.  Also, you don't necessarily have to have the specific ones that come with Dell.  If you can find the version that is supposed to be with your computer (home or professional) then you can use another Dell disc to restore your computer with.  The only thing you'll be missing is the resource disc with the drivers for your motherboard.  Dell recovery CDs are all the same within the license type because they read the Windows Product Key from the motherboard.

Look on the bottom of your laptop to find out what license type goes with your computer.

Put the disk into another system as a secondary disk, or an external drive bay and connect with USB and recover the data, return to sys and rebuild, scan with AV if connected to another system.

If you have not deleted files "NTLDR" ect then you may have a bad disk or virus problem.

MarkWYnne,
You are repeating advice that has already been given.

Apologies, please disregard..

I have finally received the WIN XP Resore discs from dell.  However, after navigating through the series of prompts for the recovery console.  It is asking me for a command to input at the command line prompt.  The HELP menu displays a list of commands.  But I am not sure what command to type in just to fix the "missing NTLDR" problem.

SUggestions..?!?!?

ganon48,
I'm not sure if you are just rude or what.

For starters, the information I posted is from PeteLong - not me.
Based on his 3.5 MILLION points around here and YOUR 9,000 - I'd be tempted to go with his advice.

This morning I used Pete's suggested steps to re-gain access to a beat up old Dell Optiplex 110 HHD that had crashed and burned yesterday.

We have 700-800 Dell's on our network and about half of them come through my shop on an annual basis - so you're not the only one around here to work on 'a lot of dells'.

Finally, congratulations on answering your 13th question in 2 and 1/2 years - you're really on a roll.

Have a nice day.

It was not meant to be rude and I appologise for that.

I sometimes get 1 hour a week to look at the ee site and I do not answer any issues unless I feel i can help.

On a small point (not meant to be rude) if u had pointed out how many dells u deal with maybe I would have assumed what you would have tried and not tried to explain something you already knew.  

Another thing the points the ee's have are no reflection on our ability.  Its just that as explained I have little time to browse ee inbetween working as a team to keep the hospitals I work for IT happy.

Finally now whos being rude

Again I appologise