NTLDR is missing error on gateway comp. need help

Discussion in 'Software' started by Randy Lahey, Jun 1, 2013.

  1. Randy Lahey

    Randy Lahey Private E-2

    hey everyone, i received a NTLDR is missing error message on my last startup and im having trouble fixing it and was wondering if someone can help me. before the error i had installed ToolWiz through this site to clean my registry and then i tried to uninstall it and my computer froze. i went to a gateway support page and followed the instructions for the fix using the command prompt but it doesnt work. now im lost as to what to do. any help would be appreciated.
     
  2. Randy Lahey

    Randy Lahey Private E-2

    and my computer is an old gateway GT0416 using WinXP. i have the recovery disk but i want to avoid using the system restore options if possible.
     
  3. Randy Lahey

    Randy Lahey Private E-2

  4. Randy Lahey

    Randy Lahey Private E-2

    i tried again to fix the "NTLDR is missing" error today and followed the instructions from the gateway support page i found and listed below. i get to the part where it says to copy the NTLDR files to the hd but after i enter the command it says "access denied". not sure what to do next. if anyone can provide some input it would help tremendously. my last option is to just do a full restore and be done with it.
     
  5. asies

    asies Private E-2

    You need one cd windows xp
    Windows XP users

    Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
    When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
    Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
    Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
    You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
    Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard drive. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter, which in this case is "e." This letter may be different on your computer.

    copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
    copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
    Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.
     
  6. asies

    asies Private E-2

  7. asies

    asies Private E-2

  8. Randy Lahey

    Randy Lahey Private E-2

    once my xp cd boots it goes directly to the Gateway system recovery screen where a box pops up giving the 2 system restore options, system restore (destructive) or restore (with backup). i cant seem to go anywhere else from here. however i can access the command window
     
  9. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Speaking of notes in another thread... :)

    NTLDR is Missing Error Resolution


    Steps to Resolve the NTLDR is Missing Error in Windows XP



    NTLDR Error Message
    There are few different ways that the "NTLDR is missing" error may present itself, with the first listing being the most common:

    * "NTLDR is missing
    Press any key to restart"

    * "NTLDR is missing
    Press Ctrl Alt Del to restart"

    * "Boot: Couldn't find NTLDR
    Please insert another disk"

    The "NTLDR is missing" error displays very shortly after the computer is first started, immediately after the Power On Self Test (POST) is complete. Windows XP has only initially begun to load when the NTLDR error message appears.

    Causes of NTLDR Errors
    There are a number of possible causes for NTLDR errors, including the most common "NTLDR is missing" error message. The most common reason for this error is when your PC is trying to boot from a hard drive or flash drive that is not properly configured to be booted from; in other words, it's trying to boot from a non-bootable source. This also would apply to media on an optical drive or floppy drive that you're trying to boot from.

    Other possible causes include corrupt and misconfigured files, hard drive and operating system upgrade issues, corrupt hard drive sectors, an outdated BIOS, and damaged or loose IDE cables.

    Fixes for NTLDR Errors

    1. Restart the PC. The NTLDR error could be a fluke.

    2. Check your floppy and optical (CD/DVD) drives for media. Often times, the "NTLDR is Missing" error will appear if your PC is trying to boot to a non-bootable floppy disk or CD/DVD.

    Note: If you find that this is the cause of your problem and it's happening a lot, you might want to consider changing the boot order in BIOS so the hard drive is listed first.

    3. Check the hard drive and other drive settings in BIOS and ensure they are correct. The BIOS configuration tells the computer how to use a drive so incorrect settings can cause problems, including NTLDR errors. There is usually an Auto setting for hard drive and optical drive configurations in BIOS which is usually a safe bet if you're not sure what to do.

    4. Restore the NTLDR and ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD. Restoring these two important system files from the original Windows XP CD may do the trick.

    Enter Windows XP Recovery Console.

    When you reach the command prompt, type the following two commands, pressing Enter after each one:

    Code:
    copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\
    
    copy d:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
    In the command listed above, d represents the drive letter assigned to the optical drive that your Windows XP CD is currently in. While this is most often d, your system could assign a different letter. Also, c:\ represents the root folder of the partition that Windows XP is currently installed on. Again, this is most often the case but your system could be different.

    If you're prompted to overwrite either of the two files, press Y.

    Take out the Windows XP CD, type exit and then press Enter to restart your PC.

    Assuming that missing or corrupt versions of the NTLDR and/or Ntdetect.com files were your only issues, Windows XP should now start normally.


    5. Repair or replace the boot.ini file. This will prevent the NTLDR error if the cause of the problem is a boot.ini file that is not configured properly for your Windows XP installation.

    6. Write a new partition boot sector to the Windows XP system partition. If the partition boot sector has become corrupt or isn't properly configured, you may receive the "NTLDR is Missing" error.

    Enter Windows XP Recovery Console.

    When you reach the command, type the following command and then press Enter.

    Code:
    fixboot
    
    The fixboot utility will write a new partition boot sector to the current system partition. This will repair any corruption that the partition boot sector may have and will undo any partition boot sector configurations that may be causing your problems.

    Take out the Windows XP CD, type exit and then press Enter to restart your PC.

    Assuming that a corrupt or unstable partition boot sector was your only issue, Windows XP should now start normally.


    7. Repair the Windows XP master boot record. NTLDR error messages may also appear if the master boot record is corrupt.

    Enter Windows XP Recovery Console.

    When you reach the command prompt, type the following and then press Enter.

    Code:
    fixmbr
    The fixmbr utility will write a master boot record to the hard drive that you're currently using to boot into Windows XP. This will repair any corruption or damage that the master boot record may have.

    Take out the Windows XP CD, type exit and then press Enter to restart your PC.

    Assuming that a corrupt master boot record was your only issue, Windows XP should now start normally.


    8. Open your computer's case and ensure that the cable that connects the hard drive to the motherboard is firmly in place. If this does not resolve the issue, try replacing the cable. NTLDR error messages could be caused by loose or malfunctioning IDE cables.

    9. Update your motherboard's BIOS. Occasionally, an outdated BIOS version can cause the "NTLDR is Missing" error.

    You can restore your BIOS to its default settings simply by removing the motherboard battery for a few minutes.


    10. Perform a repair installation of Windows XP. This type of installation should replace any missing or corrupt files. Continue troubleshooting if this does not resolve the issue.

    11. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP. This type of installation will completely remove Windows XP from your PC and install it again from scratch. While this will almost certainly resolve any NTLDR errors, it is a time consuming process due to the fact that all of your data must be backed up and then later restored.

    If you can't gain access to your files to back them up, understand that you will lose them all if you continue with a clean installation of Windows XP.

    12. Finally, if all else has failed, including the clean installation from the last step, you're most likely facing a hardware issue with your hard drive. Replace the hard drive and then perform a new installation of Windows XP.

    This issue applies to the Windows XP operating system, including Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. Windows Vista does not utilize NTLDR.
     
  10. Randy Lahey

    Randy Lahey Private E-2

    i decided to do a full system restore with backup but after the computer restarts i still get the NTLDR is missing error. could this be a problem with the hard drive or something internal that needs fixing?
     
  11. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    If you did step 11 and no joy, it is possible the drive has problems...
     

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