This error usually results from attempting to boot from a non-bootable source. Either the hard drive is failing or not properly setup in the BIOS, or you have a corrupt NTLDR or NTDetect file.
In rare cases, you could have a misconfiguration of your Boot.INI file... or you could have made an error in setup, that makes the computer try to boot to a FAT 32 file.

A jumper on the wrong pins is common.

Sometimes this can be caused by the addition of a new hard drive, with either a failure of the SATA or ATA or EIDE cable, or the jumper is on the rong pin. But that can also be caused by a damaged EIDE or IDE or ATA ribbon cable or plug

If your Windows XP or Windows VISTA is seriously corrupted or damaged, that can be the cause.
Or if booting to a USB drive, it could be that the USB is not properly setup in The BIOS or the chipset.
Usually, the problem is a simple one of the computer being unable to boot to a non-bootable source such as a defective CD or DVD drive, defective or failed hard drive that needs a reformat and reinstall.

Almost always it is a user error.

Having changed the boot order to CD/DVD first, your next step is to boot from cold with the install CD already in the drive ! If this does not boot from the CD as described post#16 you probably have a faulty CD drive. Does the CD drive light show when booting?

I bought a REFURB: 80GB SATA Samsung HD080HJ/P Hard Disk Drive off ebay Bobbye. At first i thought it wasn't working at all as wasn't being pisked up so changed the BIOs to non-raid and it picked it up straight away so think it is working ok. The existing HDD was also a Samsung so not as if pc isn't compatible with Samsung?!

gbhall i would tend to agree with you that the dvd/cd drive doesn't work but surely it wouldn't have even gone into xp setup and start installing before failing on copying the files?!

raybay could this be a corrupt NTDLR?

what i will do tonight is put in the existing HDD back in and take out the new (refurbished) one and that should solve the HDD being ok question, i'll check the ATA cables too and swap them with some spares i have. and i will also format the new (refurbished) HDD through my laptop in the external HDD case. is the best format to use NTFS?!

well, with respect to the dvd/cd sometimes not recognised at all to boot from, but if it does, it still does not read properly. How much more evidence do you need? probably nothing wrong with your HDD, since without a full install, you dont get a proper ntldr and boot.ini, so Windows wont boot. Seems consistent to me.

ok i'll take you word for it. i shall get meself a new cd/dvd drive and change it over and see what happens!

wish me luck!!

Ok guys i just installed a new dvd drive into the desktop which is set up in the BIOS all fine. I have cleaned the XP cd, not a scratch on it and am still getting the NTDLR message!!!

the dvd drive definately works as i am running memtest86 again and so far still no errors so what the hell could be wrong?

a mate of mine at work said something about swapping over the pins near the motherboard battery to reset the BIOS, what do you guys think???

press any key to boot from cd...
NTLDR is missing, press any key to restart

no it was this actually...

prrss any key to boot from cd...
NTDLR is missing
press ctrl+alt+delete to restart

Press a key!

Okay, then press a key to boot from CD!

I only know one way to get the message you give. Which is to attempt to boot off a HDD with any one of many faults which cause NTLDR and/or boot.ini to be missing or damaged.

There is NO way to get that message if you are booting off a CD

Ergo, you are NOT booting off the install CD. As far as I am aware, you HAVE set the DVD drive as 1st boot, and you have a new DVD drive too. Does the DVD drive light when you boot with the CD in the drive? I asked this already.

Some bios have two channels IDE and SATA. It is important to get the channel order right as well as the boot order (on that channel). Check that. I gather you have a floppy drive. You could download a Dos system e.g. http://www.optimizingpc.com/install/bootdisk.html and having booted that, have a look at what the install CD looks like (it will be drive D. If it can read the CD ok, then we will think again. If it cannot, well.....weird but we are making progress.

As to resetting the bios, yes definitely worth a try. You just short two jumpers for 15 seconds, or failing to know which jumpers, just take the battery out for 10 minutes and put it back. You will then be in an absolute basic bios setup with a date/time years ago. Correct that, but my advice is not to touch the boot order yet, as by default it will have CD first already.

Well guys I have finally fixed it!!!

I was going through mu cds and found a boot cd that i bought off ebay ages ago, i put it in and booted from cd and it loaded its kind of a windows interface called windows pe and it has loads of tools and utilities that does all kinds of things. anyway found an MBR fixer on there, did the business, shut it down xp cd in, reboot and install and voila!!!!

this cd really is goo, i highly recoomend it.

thanks for all your help i wouldn't have got this far without your help, never thought i would have had to take out one of the old RAMs and use memtest86 to big thanks you!!

right to my next issue. now the pc is up and running i want to set up a NAS i bought off ebay, it's a...

Envizage present this Brand new external USB and 10/100 network attached (NAS) 500GB hard drive unit. The drive is USB2 but also supports USB1 and comes pre-formatted and is ready for immediate use. Just plug in, turn on and you're done - these really are that simple to use! Network set up is also easy with its own web based management application. Supports both Static IP and DHCP address allocation.

Just connect to your router or wireless router and share files instantly on your network. Alternatively, connect the USB port to a PC and use solely on one machine.

If you are unsure about setting up the drive on your network, call us and we can guide you through step by step.

Features:
* Provides an instant share of photos, videos, music and data over your network using the built-in Network Attached Storage(NAS).
* Easy configuration using the web based management application - no software required.
* Built-in Samba server- for cross platform transfer amongst different operating systems
* Built-in NFS server- for native Linux platform.
* Built-in FTP server to provide data transfer over the internet.
* Easy installation, support cost is low, suitable for home or office networks.
* Can be used as a standard USB2.0 device also.
* USB Host enables transfer of files from USB devices such as memory / flash drives.

Specification:
* File Systems Supported: FAT32, NTFS, EXT3.
* Supports USB2 and USB1.
* USB Host Port.
* Language support for English, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Thai, Russian, Chinese.

But i cannot get past the first stage where you have to go to http://NAS it won't work. i read somewhere it might because i am using a sky wireless modem, sky provide my broadband. i do have a spare netgear wireless router.

any ideas on how i can set all this up???

Good News

Glad to hear it! What in the world was wrong with that XP CD? The MBR wouldn't have done it.

Well thats the thing xp disc wasn't working even when i pressed key to boot and set up to boot from cd first still was getting the NTLDR is missing message so booted from the boot cd, which isn't one i made from xp it's one someone has created and incorporated loads of programmes made to solve all kinds of problems i.e my MBR problem it seems!