NTLDR is missing
After switching on your computer or after restarting Windows XP you receive an ‘NTLDR is missing‘ error message and cannot get into Windows.
You will usually have no choice but to switch off the computer or restart by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL.
This article describes several possible solutions to solving the NTLDR is missing error and get your Windows XP PC up & running again.
Symptoms
You receive the NTLDR error message when starting or rebooting your computer:
NTLDR is missing. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart.
Explanation
The NTLDR is missing error message is usually caused when the following conditions exist although there are other causes of NTLDR errors:
- The primary partition is formatted with the FAT32 filesytem
- The computer starts by using INT-13 extensions
- The heads value in the FAT32 BIOS Parameter Block (BPB) does not match that of the physical disk drive
NTLDR Solutions
Step 1 – Remove non bootable media
- Remove any floppy disks, CD’s or USB sticks from your computer and restart.
- If NTLDR is missing error appears again, proceed to step 2
Step 2 – Copy new system files
- Boot the computer using a Windows 95/98/ME startup boot diskette or bootable CD – If you haven’t get one then use one of these Windows Recovery Discs
- Backup MSDOS.SYS by issuing the following commands at the command prompt (pressing ENTER after each command):
attrib -h -r -s c:\msdos.sys
rename msdos.sys msdos.old
- Now copy new system files across by issuing the following command and pressing ENTER at the command prompt:
sys c:
Note: Sometimes the above command fails if you are using a Windows ME boot disk. If it does following solution ERROR: Cannot find the system file in the standard locations on drive C
- Rename MSDOS.OLD back to MSDOS.SYS by issuing the following commands and pressing ENTER after each at the command prompt:
attrib -h -r -s c:\msdos.sys
copy msdos.old msdos.sys
- Remove the boot disk/CD and insert your Windows XP CD
- Restart the computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL
- Ensure you boot the system from the CD. The system will then boot into the Windows XP Setup.
- At the welcome screen press ‘R’ to enter the Recovery Console
- At the recovery console, select your Windows XP installation and enter your Administrator password if requested
- At the command prompt issue the following commands and press ENTER after each command:
fixboot
fixmbr
- Remove your Windows XP CD and restart the computer
- If the NTLDR is missing error appears again after reboot, proceed to Step 3 below.
Step 3 – Windows Repair
- After Step 2 above, it is sometimes necessary to run or re-run the Windows XP Setup repair process
- If step 2 did not solve you issue re-insert your Windows XP CD and run Windows Setup again
- If NTLDR is missing error appears again, proceed to Step 4 below.
Step 4 – Download & Run BCUPDATE2
Occasionally this NTLDR error is caused by too many files in the root folder and an issue with an out of date windows version.
BCUPDATE2 is an official Microsoft fix for the NTLDR problem but is difficult to find and cannot be downloaded directly from Microsoft without first contacting support.
This can be solved by downloading and running BCUPDATE2.EXE as follows:
- Download BCUPDATE2.EXE by clicking here (this will open in a new window/tab)
- Copy BCUPDATE2.EXE into the root folder of a Windows 95/98/ME boot diskette or CD
- Boot the computer using the boot diskette or bootable CD
- At the command prompt issue the following command and press ENTER:
bcupdate2.exe C: /F
- When prompted to update the volume press Y
- After you receive a confirmation message, remove your bootable diskette or CD and restart your computer.
hello and thank you. very clear explanation. actually, more informative than what I’ve found at ms.
i have no cd drive to do that please help me………………
sir plz hlp me ntldr are show in your pc solve your problom
After Step 2 above, it is sometimes necessary to run or re-run the Windows XP Setup repair process
If step 2 did not solve you issue re-insert your Windows XP CD and run Windows Setup again
i have no cd drive to do that please help me………………
Hi Sharon, You’ll need to create bootable USB thumb drive if you’ve no CD. See how to do that here: http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm
Then copy the bcupdate2 file to the root of the thumb drive and try that.
Let me know how you get on.
R.
I fixed this by actually plugging my hard drives power supply back in.
NTLDR IS MISSING IN MY PC
PLZZZZZZZZZZZ
HELP ME
Mr Gupta if message showing NTLDR missing your system plz Insert the XP cd in your Cd ROM & restart the computer after comming welcome option plz press R
After commming Command promt press 1 than press Enter key
after press enter key wants admin password plz type password & again enter
then enter xcopy cdrom driver name(D):\i386\ntldr c:\ then press enter after this process your ntldr missing file restore & system will be worked fine……………..ashish
i dont hav adm password.???
i dont hav adm password.???
For me, I had to boot using a rescue disk I’d made before (BartPE) and copy NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM from my Windows XP Upgrade disk to C: (not C:\WINDOWS).
when i enter “rename msdos.sys msdos.old” it says there is no file named msdos.sys!!!! Help Me!!
dear,sir plz sent solutions for the below problems
NTLDR is missing. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart
people just google fix ntldr and find the floppy diskkett or usb image burn it to your device boot from it and your good to go. )
when iam inserting the xp-cd..press any key to boot from cd is displaying ….i press the enter key then displays the same msg.how i rectify this problem…plz send me…
what if you dont have a boot disk/how can i make one?
What boot disk would like? Floppy disk, CD or USB? Let me know and I’ll write an article on it.
Rosco
the problem is that i cannot boot a windows cd or usb.
the ” press any key to boot from cd ” message does not appear.
please help
Hey George…sorry for the delay in response…I’ve been busy getting married
Did you sort this out? If not, let me know and I’ll see if I can help you out a bit.
R.
Rosco,
I have a dell inspiron 510m laptop. “NTL DR is missing” message keeps coming up. I press F12 to go to boot menu. I insert my dell
cd “Drivers and utilities”. I select to boot from cd-rom.
This gives me 4 choices
1. Run 32 bit dell diagnostics
2. Open a DOS session
3. Reboot the system
4. Quit without any action.
I try 3. and it just comes back to ntldr is missing again. Press ctrl+ Alt etc. Help please
Peter…option 3 is doing exactly what is said it would do – reboot the system. What you need to do is open a DOS session and follow the steps in Step 4 – Download & Run BCUPDATE2 from the article above.
R.
Rosco,
I downloaded this from the article above and put it onto
a blank CD. I set up a DOS session from the the boot disk
and typed in ” bcupdate2.exe C: /F ” when I was prompted
and I got the following reply:
CDR103: CDROM not HIGH Sierra or ISO-9660 format reading
Drive D Abort, Retry, Fail?
I did have to format a cd to copy the file on to. As I
could not find a root file on the boot disk.
i think your disc doesn’t work
Congratulations !
Fortunately, i have solved the problem, thanks !
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Hi when i start my laptop its giving the error msg saying that NTLDR is missing, press ctrl,alt del to restart. My laptop is lenovo think pad SL510.
after inserting windows XP cd , after checking all files it giving some error msg say check for viruses or hard drive somthing like that.. i jus want to recover some of my data.. please can you tell me how to do that???
Awaiting your response
Manoj
Hi,
am looking for a solution from you. Am using acer aspire one..
in which i don’t have cd drive. I am using pen drive to boot.. and whenever i open it says ntldr is missing…. please please please help……
Hi rooney…what exactly have you got on the pen drive? What happens when you boot from the hard drive?
Step 2 doesn’t work.
It just appear blue screen after boot form bootable CD>..
hi,
my friend’s system is giving error message “NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart”…..he got this problem while trying to install the OS, which he failed due to corrupted CD… i have no other options ….. i have tried setting BIOS priorities……could some one please help me…..he has two dvd drives in it (of which one doesn’t works)…. and a FDD…
Thanks so much, just fixed it, now i can get back on to wow >:)
My system is giving error message “NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart”… I got this problem while trying to install the OS, i have no other options ….. i have tried setting BIOS priorities……could some one please help me…..Ihave dvd drive in it but doesn’t work also don’t have FDD…
Plz help me someone….
Hi Dattatray,
You mention that you go the problem while trying to install the OS. How were you installing the OS?
Was it from a CD/DVD?
Rosco
Rosco I want to know that I have no window because I formmated all the 4 partition hard disk now i tried to intall vista it said something like this:
Boot from CD:
NTLDR MISSING
Press Ctrl+alt+delete to restart
Hey Kenny…can you give me more then that? How did you format? Can you boot off CD/DVD and start the Vista installation?
Its automatically says boot from CD:
NTLDR Missing
P[ress ctrl alt delete to restart :S
OK Kenny…Answer these q’s:
1) What’s your PC make/model?
2) How did you format the disk?
3) Have you ever booted successfully from CD?
4) Do you know how to get into the BIOS?
5) Do you see any message on screen when you turn on the PC asking you to press a key to select a start-up device?
Thanks
R.
1. My pc is armed
2. I use a xp disk and i went to the part where you divide your partion and there were 4 partition and i press delete to each.
3. Well the pc was formatted my an adult of my father.
4. The bios is the something blue stuff? Yesterday I press optimized default setting Bios O.O
5. Well yess F8 for something i dont remember
F9: Select boost device
DEL: Something like setup where its appear blue stuff
I mean is installed succesfully xp by an adult
Kenny, the problem for you is simple:
when you get the “press any key to boot from the CD” you have to quickly press a key. if you don’t, and wait too long, then you’ll recieve the “NTLDR is Missing” error message.
once it boots to windows setup, select repair.
its that easy!!!
Even with or without CD is appear that thing
OK great, so with the CD in, can you press F9 to select a boot device and the select the CD drive?
I did select the CD of window vista but then it appear
Boot From CD:
NTLDR Missing
Press Ctrl Alt Delete to restart
Yesterday I dont know what I did.
Now even i press F9 it doesnt happen Anything i Can only press DEl for the Bios setup
OK Kenny, seems like you have XP installed successfully…so I suggest you follow STEP 3 above which is to perform a Windows XP Repair using your Windows XP CD. Insert the CD, press F9 and choose to boot from it until you get into the Windows Setup and then choose the option to Repair.
But the stuff is that Now I cant press F9 Because i doesnt takes action i dont know what i did yesterday that Now only DEl buttom function me T.T
I dont know with what CD did that adult use to install xp before T.T
Please Rosco Help me please
Hi again Kenny, It seems that you are indeed in a muddle. Is there anyone there that can help you?
If you cannot press F9 and access a boot menu then there is very little you can do here.
1) Is there a floppy drive in the PC? If so, have you a bootable floppy?
2) If no floppy option, do you have an alternative bootable CD to try?
3) When you hit DEL and get into the BIOS, do you see Startup Options or Boot Order? What are they set to?
The bottom line here Kenny is that you need to boot the PC from removal media (CD, DVD or floppy) somehow before you can make the hard disk bootable.
Even I bott the CD It will occur the following:
Boot from CD:
NTLDR MISSING
Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to restart
hi rosco I am able to perform up to step 2 where I boot using my windows xp CD and then I choose “r” to repair windows xp installation. It then bring me to the window xp recovery console (black screen) with the C:\> thing. But when I tried to keyed in the command “attrib” as stipulated in step 2, it says there is no such command. Any advice?
Dear,
i am installing Windows 7 in my macbook air and facing the problem on “NTLDR is missing……”. what can i do to fix it.
thanks
Rock
Hey Rock. It’s highly likely that this is being caused by something entirely different than documented in this article.
How are you trying to install windows 7? Are you using bootcamp?
please me news letter every day
this is my e-mail address:khan57@shaw.ca
where can i get the disk/cd i think i accidentally put ntldr on the trash-.-
hi rosco,i have same problem like Kenny …can u help me…and kenny if u got solution pls let me know
Hi Ankur…I’m not sure about Kenny’s problems. He saved to have many and may have been unrelated to the NTLDR problem described on this page.
Can you describe your issue in a bit more detail?
Thanks
Rosco
hi Rosco…,
i am using acer laptop with windows xp sp2 in it.
its dvd rom is unable to detect any cd/dvd.
Actually when i used to switch on the laptop it says to choose one operating system from windows xp and professional. then i edited boot.ini file to not to show that option. and it was succesfully done.
At last when i was closing that edit program, after closing i mistakenly deleted that file.
Due to that my laptop shows ntldr is missing press ctrl+alt+del to restart error.
now i have to solve it through usb or a floppy.
How should i do ??
Pls help me..
thanks
Hi Rosco! Ive got the same problems as all the rest of the peeps picking your brains so Ive read your advice & Im guna give it a go . Ive have read pages & pages just like this but I have gota say you are doing a grand job! So patient!!
Hi Debi….why thank you for your kind words! Hope you sorted everything out!
Rosco
ok i get the ntldr ctrl+alt+delete restart deal, the hd is blank tho no windows and it will not let me install windows iv tried using the ultimate boot disk sigh i was a a lil lost on that one and i got no where so how in the world do i repair it? i tried partitioning the thing and as far as i can tell got no where any suggestions?
Hi Robert,
Will it boot from your Windows CD and begin Windows Setup?
Under what circumstances are you getting the error? i.e., CD in, No CD, etc?
Rosco
what it does is this it starts loading files from win cd disk then it gets to the point of recovery, install or exit then when ya hit install it says it cant find the hd, well, i know it is there the bios reads it i used the ultimate bootdisk but hell, i dont knwo enough of what im doing to use the blasted thing and now im debateing on drinking and i dont drink!
Sounds like you are not having a good time of it alright!
OK, if the Windows CD is booting and getting to the Windows Setup stage then that’s OK. If Windows Setup is not seeing the HD then it’s likely that there is a problem with the hard disk (even if the BIOS sees it) OR you are missing drivers for the HD or you need to change a BIOS setting.
Can you tell me the exact error from Windows Setup? Is it the error: “Setup did not find the hard disk”?
If so, have you tried this article: http://www.proposedsolution.com/solutions/windows-xp-setup-setup-did-not-find-any-hard-disk-drives/
Rosco
Setup did not find the hard disk”? that is exactly what it says and i do nto know why corrupt disk? or bios setting is wrong one of the two no i have not looked at article but i shallright now!
also if this helps at all, there is no OS upon the hd which makes me suspect that it is corrupt but if you do have any ideas i would ever be so grateful
Setup did not find the hard disk”? that is exactly what it says and i do not know why corrupt disk? or bios setting is wrong one of the two no i have not looked at article but i shall right now!
ok read article and copied and pasted it so when i get home i can look at what im reading while i subject myself to more mental torture!lol im trying to be funny and thank you for your help it is so much appreciated
Robert,
you may need to type format /s at the dos prompt on the drive that you want to install the OS. you’ll need two hard drives. transfer over any importaint data first with the copy *.* to d: where d: is the the second hard drive.
it could also be that you have a faulty hard drive with bad sectors and may need another one.
if you don’t have a problem with the hard drive and you have a a: drive for a diskette, then you can create a boot diskette from windows 95/98/ME and at the a drive prompt, type sys c: where c is you main hard drive where your trying to install your operating system. or just copy them over manually: at a: copy *.* c:
ok, i thought that i would leave a update upon previous computer prob i was and still am having, first nothing worked at all, xp or trying to re install vista which makes me believe that this hunk of junk of a lap top a sony viao is a instrument of satan! so i told my brother as it belongs to him that the deal is the bios as there is something in there and it is just all messed up and i cant change that or i do not know how anyways, so thank you for your help!
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I am having dificulty in fixing NTLDR is missing. I do not have a recovery discs and I cannot access anything, the pc is coming up NTLDR is missing and thats all I get, I cant type in any commands absolutley nothing, nay suggestions besides throwing it off the top of a building
Hi Basil,
Option 4 on this page (BCUPDATE2) is your most likely solution.
To run it, you’ll have to create a bootable disk or CD and then copy bcupdate.exe onto that bootable disk or cd. You’ll have to do this on another PC.
Rosco
I have an Acer Aspire One AOA150 and I keep getting the message NTLDR is missing press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart and it just does it over and over. I don’t have a disc drive so I am trying to get some help using my usb drive. I have eRecovery built in but that doesnt work and ends up getting an error. So I need some help on what to do.
Thank You,
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany,
Your options are indeed limited –
Option 1) You could borrow or buy an external usb CD/DVD drive and borrow a Windows XP CD and boot to the recovery console using that.
Option 2) You could attempt to create a bootable USB flash drive. To this you’ll need another PC to work on, a Windows XP cd, a USB thumb drive and software to make it. You could try Win2Flash http://wintoflash.com/home/en/ …there are probably others.
Rosco
i have a problem with my Acer Aspire One ZG5. when im trying to format my laptop an error occurred and restoration failed. it says that i should restart my computer and when i did there’ this Ntldr is missing press ctrl+alt+del to restart. please help me in fixing this one