NTLDR is missing!

[Techtu]

Sad times for me, I've got a friends parents PC in to fix and upon deleting the unneeded crap (just) from the add/remove programs and went to restart... now I have the horrible problem of not being able to boot into windows! I'd really like to think there is a fix for this, hence why I'm asking here

Anyway a format is pretty far out the question to be honest unless ofcourse I have no other choice but there is a lot of data they would like to keep so that would be painstakingly horrid for me.

Please help me

 

[zsolt_93]

Myabe there is some utility on hirens boot cd to fix this. I remember seeing it on some utility cds

 

[Law-II]

Hi

Assuming this is XP

Boot from the windows XP CD
Press any key; boot from the CD
Enter windows XP recovery console
Type the following at the command prompt
fixmbr
remove CD
type exit
press Enter to restart

atb

Law-II

 

[Techtu]

Law, that didn't work. :/

Would it make a difference to what Windows XP disc I use for example, discs with no SP or SP2?

 

[Law-II]

Hi

Law, that didn't work. :/

Maybe FIXBOOT command [should repair corrupted boot sector]

Boot from the windows XP CD
Press any key; boot from the CD
Enter windows XP recovery console
Type the following at the command prompt
fixboot
remove CD
type exit
press Enter to restart

Other possible causes may include corrupt and or misconfigured files; corrupt hard drive sectors; damaged or loose IDE/SATA cables.

Double check the bios is able to see the drive
Double check the bios make sure the hdd is set to primary boot device

Before attempting to recover the drive; remove the hdd slave it to another PC and backup all data / image the drive or write it to another hdd

Note: What was the: "unneeded crap" that was uninstalled

atb

Law-II

 

[Techtu]

That stuff was self-installing malware/spyware etc.

fixboot didn't work either, checked the BIOS and all is well there. I guess I'm just going to have to back up the data.

 

[Law-II]

Hi

That stuff was self-installing malware/spyware etc. fixboot didn't work either, checked the BIOS and all is well there. I guess I'm just going to have to back up the data.

Backup the data first;

then as a *last resort use windows repair [*I have never known this to go well and really is a last resort]

Windows XP
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.
Source here

Note: Other member of the TPU community may have better options and may be able to assist further

best of luck

Law-II

 

[Techtu]

So would you believe that's the first thing I tried but wasn't until reading it again here not long ago I noticed I was typing "1386" for the command instead of "i386" ... and specsavers say I don't need glasses anymore wtf?

Thanks once again Law! You've pointed me in the right direction a few times now.

 

[pigulici]

I haved same problem years ago, the
"copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
restart
(and if it still not working)
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\"
resolved me...if that will not work, I think you will not escape without reinstall of windows...

 

[DRDNA]

Techtu, glad its looking up for you! Law-II very nice job with your helping assistance and as usual good job.

 

[Blue-Knight]

Anyway a format is pretty far out the question to be honest unless ofcourse I have no other choice but there is a lot of data they would like to keep

You can retrieve your data using another program (e.g.: *Linux live CD) or connecting your hard drive to another machine or using the command line tools included in Windows CD. Losing your data is not going to be a problem...

And make sure your hard drive is healthy, that could be cause by faulty HDD... Or by a program, yourself, another kind of event...

Happy New Year!