Description
After switching on your computer or after restarting Windows XP you receive an 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 get your Windows XP up & running again.
Symptoms
You receive the following error message when starting or rebooting your computer:
NTLDR is missing. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart.
Explanation
The above error messages are usually caused when the following conditions exist although there are other causes:
- 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
Solutions
Step 1 – Remove non bootable media
- Remove any floppy disks, CD’s or USB sticks from your computer and restart.
Step 2 – Copy new system files
- Boot the computer using a Windows 95/98/ME startup boot diskette or bootable CD
- 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:
- Rename MSDOS.OLD back to MSDOS.SYS by issuing the following command and pressing ENTER 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 the system will 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
sys c:
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
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
Step 4 – Download & Run BCUPDATE2
Occasionally this error is caused by too many files in the root folder and an issue with an out of date windows version. This can be solved by downloading and running BCUPDATE2.EXE
- 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:
- When prompted to update the volume press Y
- After you receive a confirmation message, remove your bootable diskette or CD and restart your computer.
bcupdate2.exe C: /F
Thank you very much…
I found your blog doing a search for PC repair.
Interesting. I wish I could help more with the discussion.
I solved my problem so my systems are working fine at the moment.
Hi Ann..
Thanks for you comments. I’m considering opening a forum on the website but it seems that there are plenty out there already. What do you think?
Perhaps continuing to write high quality articles is a better approach. I know there’s not enough of those!
Take Care
Rosco
Hi
I am having this problem as well
I had a new hard drive fitted in my computer, it worked ok for a few days, then I got the message
NTDLR is missing
I pressed ctrl-alt-del but it wouldnt start up at all
I took it back to the reapairer and it works fine at his workshop
It still wont work when I bring it home
What can I do, I am inn despair
I am using my sons PC in the meantime
Hi Shirley…Sorry for the delayed response – I’ve been away.
Sounds like it could be loose cabling to the hard disk if it works sometimes and not others without changing anything on the software side…have you checked that all cables are firmly in place?
What was different about the repair shop compared with your home? External hardware shouldn’t cause this message…
R.
Hi Rosco
Thanks for your reply
I am still having the same problem
The tech guy I take it to is doing all he can, he has checked the hard drive and its all fine
He has it back in his workshop again, and he actually got the same problem there a few times.
He is checking everything else now and I must say he is very fair, not charging me at all.
I am so fed up with it.
Its a HP Media centre PC. and the mother board was replaced while it was still under warranty.
Thanks for your info. I will let you know the results
Regards\
shirley
thanks. I’ll try to repaired now
Adi, I hope you have better results than me
I got another tech guy in to repair my PC
He did a reformat, and it cost me $195.
After that it wouldnt recognise me as the administrator,I rang them and told them and they said they were looking into it and would ring me when they found a solution.
I am still waiting for that phone call after 2 months!
Then it did the same thing again. This time I reformatted it myself with a recovery disc. So I could have saved my money
hello i have the same problem with the NTLDR file is compressed i had the hard drive of m computer replaced/cloned the same original OS just different HD my brother gave me the comp. with the OS already istalled i dont have repair disks or CD’s. is there any way that i can decompress this files through DOS its a compact i can go to the Sysem Repair but it does a repair and still the same thing. i’ve tried many of the things that i find on the web but non seem to work plz help.
or is there a way to copy information like pictures through the DOS. i want my family pics. once i have that i can format the disk completely
i dont care much for the information i have, all i want is the pics.
thank you,,,
Desperately need help…