NTLDR Missing, AGAIN !!!

[ragebflame]

Hi,
My previous post was due to the error disk boot failure, now i am getting the "NTLDR missing. Please press ctrl + Alt + Delete to restart" Error.

The last thing i did before this was run Microsoft update, which downloaded and installed 64 updated successfully. I was asked to restart to complete installation and on restart i get this now.

I have tried every method i can find to fix it without reformat. This site: http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm was a good guide, but unfortunately all it helped me do is make a boot disk so i can get into windows.

I have defraged the disk 4 times, i have entered recovery console and tried fixboot and fixmbr commands.
I have also tried Microsoft's program for fixing it (BCUpdate2). but none have worked.

I am at my wits end with this problem. And all because i ran god damn Microsoft update.

It might be a problem with my boot.ini, Any help will be greatly appreciated.

btw: i am trying to boot to windows xp pro.

 

[Tmagic650]

Unfortunately you may need to give in and upgrade your motherboard entirely... or maybe there's a bios update available. What are your computer's specs?

 

[Rick]

Here's a pretty thorough explanation of how to troubleshoot NTLDR missing errors in Windows 2000 (also applies to XP)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318728/en-us

Additionally, there is much much much more information on this forum. Just search for 'ntldr missing' and you'll get a ton of hits on this forum.

'NTLDR is missing' is caused when NTLDR is really missing, your partition is not set to active or your MBR/partition/file system is damaged.

I'm unsure why a Windows update would cause this error, but there's a lot that goes on so who knows.

 

[Tmagic650]

Hi Rick,
I've seen "NTLDR missing errors" when the C drive is bad or damaged. I don't know ragebflame's computing habits, but he has gotten this error more than once... poor fellow

 

[ragebflame]

hi,
My pc specs:
Amd x2 4400+
Asus A8N-Sli deluxe
2x samsung spinpoint p120
1 gig ram

As far as i am aware, my computing habits are fine Tmagic, I have be careful this time around, not installing without restarting and so on.
I hardly need a mobo upgrade, its only under a year old.

I am currenly loooking through your link Rick, so far i have tried most on here.

The BIOS should be fine, as i said, i made no hardware or software changes other than the MS update. (Grrrrr)

This one has got me stumped.

Edit: Should the boot.ini file be Bak filetype? it wanst before i starind trying to fix it.

 

[Tmagic650]

ragebflame,
I only mentioned "computing habits" to air things like frequent downloading/removing programs and files, and registry editing. Are you using spyware and malware protection? Microsoft Updates should not cause this kind of failure. The .BAK extension is a backup file extension. Any time these critical system files are altered, they should be backed up first

 

[ragebflame]

Tmagicc,
All i have in my C:\ root is a boot.ini Bak file, should there be another configuration one ? I am using CCleaner, avast anti virus, spybot search and destroy, and a number of other spyware removers, so i think im safe from
attack there.

My boot.ini is as follows:-

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer


It is set to partition 2 as the first partitio is EISE confuguration or somthing. I have done another windows reinstall but no luck.

 

[ragebflame]

Im Still really stuck with this problem guys, A friend recommended the recovery console command /scandisk /repairboot, which i tried and didnt work, then he started into dual booting it which i dont want to get into. Anything else i can try ?

 

[Tmagic650]

Format and reinstall the OS... Start a regular backing up of your important data, so if this happens again, you can recover properly

 

[ragebflame]

Ok Question,
If i backup all my existing data onto my other harddrive, reformat and reinstall on the NTLDR missing one, when i restore backup, will it restore all the messed up files and ill have the same problem again ?

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

ATA / SATA drivers can cause this kind of things, too.

 

[tweaks_sav]

Have you tested the HD for failure?

http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT
DFT will work with any manufacture's HD. You caould also use the orig. manufacturer's tool.

 

[ragebflame]

Tweaks_sav,
I can access all my stuff on the HD it only has a problem booting, other that that its fine.

I didnt make any SATA / ATA driver changes unless the windows update did something.

 

[ragebflame]

Still wondering if i backup all my stuff and restore it, will it restore the messed up files or whatever and feck it up again ???

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

It's quite likely, if you only back up and restore the same files. Wouldn't that be the same as doing nothing at all?

 

[ncgenek]

Still wondering if i backup all my stuff and restore it, will it restore the messed up files or whatever and feck it up again ???

If you use a normal backup program to back up things such as "My Documents", "E-Mail", "Favorites", etc. you probably will skip problems though nobody can 100% gaurantee things.
Gene

 

[ragebflame]

If I was to back up my program files(gpu drivers,games), When i restore them, will they be "installed" on the newly formatted HD or will i have to reinstall everything ?

I am confused over this

 

[Tmagic650]

ragebflame,
go ahead and do your back up and restore... We can deal with any new future problems if they happen

 

[ragebflame]

Righteo

 

[tweaks_sav]

Erm, edited because I'm dumb. Hah.

 

[ncgenek]

Backups.

If I was to back up my program files(gpu drivers,games), When i restore them, will they be "installed" on the newly formatted HD or will i have to reinstall everything ?

I am confused over this

To specifically answer your question, there are two distinctly two different types of backup programs:
A. The first type (and most frequently used) simply provides copies of personally created files such as your My Document folder, Favorites (bookmarks), music fies, pictures, E-Mails. etc. If you completly re-install your operating system (Windows), you can recover those documents that are backed up. Every other program that is not provided by the operating system will have to be completely re-installed from scratch.
B. The second type are referred to as disk/partition image programs. The most commonly known are Norton's Ghost and Acronis True Image. Those programs provide a restorable backup which will be completely functional as
of the time and date of the image.
Gene