NTLDR is Missing

Ok i keep getting this and it is so annoying... I recently upgraded from a 40GB Maxtor to this 250GB Western Digital HDD.. I got Windows XP Pro working with the help of a bootdisk from another support site.

Below is what my Boot.ini file says

[Boot Loader]
timeout=30
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows

[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect 1 /sos

In my C: drive it has the WINDOWS folder.. the Program Files folder, the Documents and Settings folder and it also has ntldr, ntdetect and boot.ini..

Ive already tried going into Recovery Console and using "fixmbr" and "fixboot" commands. Any ideas... Need more info?

 

Try this for a boot.ini

[Boot Loader]
timeout=30
Default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[Operating Systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /sos

If that fails issue this command at the rwocivery console command prompt: bootcfg /rebuild

 

Done and done... Neither worked.. I now get "Error reading from disk".

I tried the windows repair for that install and i still get the error reading from disk thing... I can still boot fine using the floppy though... Which i definitely DONT want to keep doing.

 

You are going to have to copy some files from your installation CD to teh HDD.
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How to repair NTLDR Missing
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Please print out these instructions so that you can operate with All Browser Windows CLOSED.
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1. Use the Windows XP CD-ROM to restart the computer.

2. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to repair the Windows XP installation.

3. Press C to repair the Windows XP installation by using the Recovery Console.

4. Type the number that corresponds to the Windows installation that you want to repair, and then press ENTER. For example, type 1, and then press ENTER.

5. Type the Administrator password, and then press ENTER.

6. Type map, and then press ENTER. Note the drive letter that is assigned to the CD-ROM drive that contains the Windows XP CD-ROM.

7. Type the following commands, pressing ENTER after you type each one, where drive is the drive letter of the drive from step 6:

copy drive:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy drive:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
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If you are prompted to overwrite the file, type y, and then press ENTER.

NOTE: In these commands, there is a space between the ntldr and c:\, and between ntdetect.com and c:\.

8. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:

type c:\Boot.ini
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A list similar to the following list appears:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
​

If you receive the following message, the Boot.ini file may be missing or damaged:

The system cannot find the file or directory specified.
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9. If the Boot.ini file is missing or damaged, create a new one. To do so, follow these steps:

a. Use a text editor, such as Notepad or Edit.com, to create a boot loader file similar to the following boot loader file:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
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b. Save the file to a floppy disk as Boot.ini.

c. Type the following command at the Recovery Console command prompt to copy the Boot.ini file from the floppy disk to the computer:

NOTE: If you used Notepad to create the file, make sure that the .txt extension is not appended to the Boot.ini file name.

copy a:\Boot.ini c:\
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10. Type exit, and then press ENTER. The computer restarts.

 

Fixed... Turned out all i had to do was delete partitions, reformat and install windows again... Odd how the things you dont think of usually fix what you need fixed....

 

If you followed the above instructions you wouldn't have lost all your settings! Especially with this particular problem - it is very easily resolved. Don't just reformat because you've got one or two problems! If you've got the means to you should try fixing things before starting over.

 

The only reason i did another fresh install and reformat was because tehre was nothing on the drive... I have everything backed up on my 40GB and i just finished transferring all my files onto the 250GB.. Yay! So much new room for more games! Huzzah!