No joy solving "NTLDR MISSING".

[nelsonm]

Hi all,

I got a system in with the "NTLDR missing" error message.

I researched the issue and used most of the usual remedies but none of them worked. I.E. checking the hard drive, replacing or expanding missing files, trying to run BootCFG, repair install...

I'm just going to rebuild the system!

I was just wondering how often do you all find success in fixing this type of problem?

 

[Vicenarian]

not a boot.ini issue?

 

[MobileTechie]

Have you tried checking which partition is marked as active?

 

[Omegaspectral]

Check HDD it may have a bad sector. Also run CHKDSK if possible. Try to replace the boot files with a windows disk. It seems like the boot sector might be bad.

 

[nelsonm]

I have checked all of the above; boot.ini, partition, and hard drive.

Initially, the boot.ini, NTLDR, HAL.dll, and other files where missing. I replaced them all but still it will not boot. I ran map to make sure i had the correct partition in boot.ini. The current message is: "load needs dll's for kernel". BOOTCFG /rebuild just errors out and does not finish the scan even though i chkdsk'd the drive.

But like i asked, have you all had success with fixing "NTLDR Missing".

 

[shamrin]

Try http://www.tinyempire.com/shortnotes/files/ntldr_missing.htm it's worked a number of times for me.

 

[MobileTechie]

I have checked all of the above; boot.ini, partition, and hard drive.

Initially, the boot.ini, NTLDR, HAL.dll, and other files where missing. I replaced them all but still it will not boot. I ran map to make sure i had the correct partition in boot.ini. The current message is: "load needs dll's for kernel". BOOTCFG /rebuild just errors out and does not finish the scan even though i chkdsk'd the drive.

But like i asked, have you all had success with fixing "NTLDR Missing".

Yes I've solved it many times. But then it doesn't just have one cause. Yours might be one I've not come across. As you know it's usually down to something stopping access to the file such as the file being bad, actually missing, a file system or disk problem, the MBR being messed up, wrong partition being marked as active or the boot.ini messed.

I take it you tried fixmbr?

 

[nelsonm]

Yes I've solved it many times. But then it doesn't just have one cause. Yours might be one I've not come across. As you know it's usually down to something stopping access to the file such as the file being bad, actually missing, a file system or disk problem, the MBR being messed up, wrong partition being marked as active or the boot.ini messed.

I take it you tried fixmbr?

Yup!

If i had more time i'd get to the bottom of this just to learn but time is money and the client gave the go ahead to rebuild the system - so c'est la vie!

 

[nelsonm]

Try http://www.tinyempire.com/shortnotes/files/ntldr_missing.htm it's worked a number of times for me.

Tried this too - no joy!

 

[nelsonm]

basically, every time i replaced one file and reboot, bios would say another file was missing and so on...


Well anyway, thanks guys, maybe next time.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Do a repair install. The missing files may have been deleted by a virus scan the customer forgot to tell you about.

 

[nelsonm]

I already rebuilt the system, however, i did try a repair install. I'll try it again with an oem instead of a slip streamed disk. I saved an image of the drive before i messed with it.

 

[Shark]

Be sure that the files you replaced (expanded) were the same build version.

 

[MobileTechie]

If you had the DART cd you could do an offline SFC