NTLRD not found

my computer has decided to go on vacation, , , when booted it comes up with NTLRD not found Press any key to restart
upon pressing the any key it says
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER
And the cycle repeats and repeats ad nasum any ideas

 

For some reason windows is not finding its loader. Did you do anything recently to your drive configuration? Do you have a Windows DVD? What version exactly of windows are we talking about here?

 

NTLDR is only used by XP

@ buzin2 If you have not made any changes to your disk partitioning recently this error usually indicates that your hard disk is failing or has failed. Try rebooting about ten times. If it starts just once then take that opportunity to copy off your files to an external or flash drive.

If it doesn't start at all then use another computer to create a Linux Live CD - Puppy Linux or Mint would be good choices - and see if you can access the drive that way to copy off your files.

 

Eathling's suggestions are good. Follow them. Also, here are some steps for restoring the missing file(s) to your system.

Change your computer's boot sequence. Make sure that your computer's first boot sequence is the CD-ROM Drive.

1.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.Enter in the following commands

COPY X:i386NTLDR C:
COPY X:i386NTDETECT.COM C:
[where X=CD ROM Drive]

6. Take out the CD ROM and type exit

 

the version is XP,, I thought it was a fresh install, as I still have ME on one of the partitions of D:/ but it may be a XP upgrade, and this is a NEW hard-drive have to ck records but it was on here I got SeaGate info that copied the other c: to this one so I need another hard-drive, ,, u think can you here my voices?

 

the version is XP,, I thought it was a fresh install, as I still have ME on one of the partitions of D:/ but it may be a XP upgrade, and this is a NEW hard-drive have to ck records but it was on here I got SeaGate info that copied the other c: to this one so I need another hard-drive, ,, u think can you here my voices? then I do both, , ,hope i can find the money this late in month tks ppl

 

I'm not too sure I understand exactly what you are saying here, but if you copied another XP system to a new drive and it won't boot then don't go wasting your money on yet another hard drive. Instead you should follow abeki's advice to copy the required boot files from an XP CD.

 

If you have ME as your original operating system, and then put XP on that hard drive, you can get problems if XP is put on the C:drive.
If your original hard drive had ME only on it, and you copied the drive using seagate tool, then you put XP on the D partition, then you should be o.k.
Apart from the copying of the files, if you have the XP disc, you could go to the R recovery as guided, and try
fixboot--- then press enter, and then fixmbr, and press enter, then type exit, and restart.
Either way, you might find that you can get into XP, but the ME partition might give you problems.

 

my last post is not here any wahy short it was working after new HD install 3-4 months, , and I can boot from XP disk and do a dir on c:,,, no NTLRD, or I385NTLRD or an version I can think of so it will not copy <><><> DOES the dir listing mean it is a virus or can it still be a bad HD? I can also go to all partitions on all HD

 

Many files won't be visible until you unhide them.

This reads like a boot.ini problem, either missing or corrupt. Basic troubleshooting for this should be along these lines:

CHKDSK /F /R
fixboot - then try to boot normally, if no boot then
bootcfg /rebuild

Alternatively, read the page here and try to follow the instructions which will create a bootable floppy, CD or USB stick with a list of different boot.ini options to try out.

 

I turned it on was set for boot from CD, well it didn't, , , it booted to usual place , , so now what need to ck for bad HD or don't think it virus, , , have superspy un comod(sic) dare i turn it off again?m maybe buy a 1tr HD and do a complete system backup maybe? every night or 2x week? I really don't want to have to manual back up I have several thousand item in each of 5 data bases or maybe I get out gun u shoot me self :confused heheheheh

 

Perhaps, I am reading this thread wrong -
Please correct me, if so.
You used the seagate tool to copy your old hard drive PARTITION toanother hard drive, to its C: Partition.
On this other hard drive you had windows ME, on the Dartition.
This has been working for a few months before you got the NTLDR message .
If this is the case, then I would think that Earthling has said , basically, that you should think about a hard drive failure, if not now, but soon.
I have had new hard drives fail within 6 months, so it is very possible- Usually the manufacturer (especially Seagate,) will acceept a return for a replacement free, within the time limit (can be 1 year/2 year, have not had to send one for a while)
Saving your Data must be your priority, and the more yo mess with this hard drive, the sooner it might actually fail, if it is dying.
I would suggest that you get hold of another hard drive, and reinstall XP on it, and if you have a caddy, connect your present hard drive to it, and copy your data.
Otherwise , if it is failing, you couldl lose it all.
I would then suggest that you partitioned the new drive to use your operating system, and programs on the C: drive.and use the larger partition to save all your data on.
By setting up that way, you can copy your data from your present hard drive, to the D: Partition of the new hard drive
After you have done that, you can try the other methods offered before on your present hard drive, to see if it can be restored -
Les chance of losing that Data, unless its not that important, but from your posts, I think it is very important to you.:major

 

If your present hard drive is a Seagate (or, Maxtor)
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/warranty_&_returns_assistance/

Otherwise you will need to Google for other manufacturers.

 

everybody seems to be hung up on the HD change, , Seagate tool will xcopy to the new HD, and if larger will increase partition size in proportion to original, THIS WORKED, , , FOR ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS,,, suddenly the error occurred,,, today after 4 days of trying various ideas here when I booted it today to attempt a new idea, , it booted to XP no problem,,, is there a program that will auto copy a HD (xcopy boot-able) to different HD and over write old back up 2 times a week or so ??

 

Pleased to see that the last idea you tried worked, and you are into XP.
It would be appreciated if you told us which one you found worked.
I don't think we were hung up so much o the new hard drive, as we were that this particular problem arose after a few months of running o.k., but we were trying to ensure you did not lose your Data.
It might be prudent to run CHKDSK whilst in Windows-
In case you have forgotten-
Start
run
type in CHKDSK /F/R
CLICK O.K
On restart, it will run checkdisk, automatically. It will give a thorough check /repair of your hard drive.
If it was mine I would watch to see if it finds many /any faults.
Good luck
Incidently Windows 7 will do the backup and update the backup, but you cannot upgrade from XP to Windows 7, only new install, so thats a shame, as, if it was Vista, you could upgrade within windows and keep all the Data..
I am sure that someone on majorgeeks can recommend a backup tool- like Acronis, but I use HyperOs myself, which is not free.

 

Backup information from majorgeeks forums that should help you
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=235860

 

maybe I should take a course in english writing,,, SORRY PPL nothing worked no copy no nada,, didn't find NTLRD, , , NUTTING I got tired of looking att he list of dir's on my screen so I rebooted, , , PRESTO, , it booted in to XP, altho it should not have as it was set to boot from CD, , ,, so once again I have proved I am King of Pistachio's ( which are cracked nuts you know) I do appreciate all the idea and suggestions and moral support if nuthing else it gave me something to do which at my age is rare love ya all :drool

 

Hi! You can find information about chkdsk here. Hope this helps!!

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showpost.php?p=1611442&postcount=53

 

OK PPL thanks for all the help,,, chkdsk says boot sector non-recoverable,,, fixboot says new boot sector made,,, , am hoping it will boot one more time after I get new hard drive so I can copy it over :-D thanks again for all the help :wave

 

I had this problem ('NTDLR is Missing') and I was told by my dealer I would need a fresh install of windows xp. I didnt know any better and paid £150 for him to do that but I lost all my program files.
Abeki, I have looked at your suggestion and, bearing in mind I am a total beginner, I don't understand step 3, i.e. I don't know if I have a dual boot or multi-boot computer.
Also, I have never used a password, so if I am asked for one I wouldn't know what to insert.
Thirdly, will it be obvious where to insert the commands in steps 5 and 6.
By the way this happened to me after I used a programme called Temporary File Cleaner (TFC) by old timer, which is the first such programme shown in google for temporary file cleaners, do you know why that would have caused the NTDLR problem?

 

To clarify something I asked in my post, when I asked will it be obvious where to enter the command, i.e. what will I be looking at on the screen?

Thanks
Cozzie

 

Cossie- Sorry but you actually hijacked another pesons post, so tha might be why you got missed- You should really have started your own post, and it might have brought help, quicker.

 

Abeki said (quote)
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.Enter in the following commands

COPY X:i386NTLDR C:
COPY X:i386NTDETECT.COM C:
[where X=CD ROM Drive]

Multiboot--
This is when you have more than one partition with different (or, even the same) operatinf systems - This is used a lot by us geeks, as it enables us to run more programs in an operating system before we get crashes, if ever, as most people have learned that Windows systems, particularly, will run quicker, and have less freezes and crashes, as we can cherry pick what each operating system will run- XP, for instance runs well up to around 4gb of programs , depending on the programs, but can (although not always) run more without trouble, but that seemed to be the way. Running two, or, more operating syatems is not needed , under normal circumstances. Multiboot= two or, more bootable partitions on a hard drive.
Password-
When USING THE REPAIR CONSOLE, this is an administrative password, really, and probably only used where delicate information might be stored on the hard drive- similar to Windows password, when the pc owner can put in a password to (partially) protect their data/information -that is usually recommended if you keep personal bank details, and the like on your pc (I never recommend keeping anything like that on a pc/latop, for the same reason that as I do not use on-line banking- but that is only my viewpoint.
So the password when using the recovery console is usually left blank, and you just press enter at the prompt.
COMMANDS
When in the repair console, you will see a black screen, and some wordind, and at the end of the wording, you will see the cursor flashing.
You then type in at tha point the necessary commands. :major

 

Baklogic, thanks for your reply and sorry for hijacking someone's post; won't happen again.

Thanks
Cozzie