NTLDR is missing (again, again, again etc)

12quidkidinnit

I hate to say this, and I know I've seen other people say it in posts on here and elsewhere, but I wasn't sure where to put this. I don't think it's a software problem as such because it's happened so many times . . . . . . . . . . . .

My AMD 4000 socket 939 computer keeps failing to boot, and comes up with the NTLDR is missing message. I formatted the hard drive, reinstalled windows (XP Pro, SP2) twice, and it still does it. What happens is, the new installation finishes, and it all seems ok, UNTIL I restart the machine, then it says NTLDR is missing. I've just tried another known good hard drive, and it's done the same thing again.

Any ideas ? Is a faulty bit of RAM or a dodgy processor likely to cause this ? It's getting a bit boring now having to reinistall windows so many times. If it carries on like this, I'll probably be so used to it I'll able to do it with the monitor turned off.

Confused

zlim · Joined: Mar 11, 2005 Posts: 2629

http://www.tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm

goretsky · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:55 am Post subject:

Hello,

There are a number of reasons this can occur, ranging from a low CMOS/RTC battery not preserving the correct settings for the hard disk drive's geometry in the BIOS to missing files to loose cabling or components inside the chassis to a failing power supply.

Was the computer working and then it just stopped, all-of-a-sudden, was this a brand new operating system installation, were there any recent hardware changes to the computer or was the computer moved recently?

Knowing more about the computer's environment from before the problem occurred may provide additional information which can be used to solve the problem.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

BudDurland · Joined: Dec 05, 2002 Posts: 474

There's quite a few things that could cause this. The last time it happened to me (installing Vista) I finally figured out it was bad RAM. But I've seen it be something a trivial as a bad hard drive cable.

digilan · Joined: Jan 04, 2009 Posts: 3

I have encountered this when I was loading Win XP on my newly assembled
computer. I later found out that my Win XP CD does not have SP2. For some newer computer motherboard it seems that the Win XP CD must have minimum SP2.

You mentioned that you install XP SP2. Are you sure you XP CD have SP2
included.

Alan

AdamR · Joined: Mar 05, 2008 Posts: 1

I actually currently have this issue on one of my machines. It's temporarily fixed by going into Windows Repair (on either XP or Vista) and running a fixmbr command.

My issue is because I have two separate hard drives. Whether or not this is your issue, but my problem is that Windows isn't currently installed on the designated "system" drive which holds the boot record. When booting into Windows, it may be seen as mistakenly allocated space, and Windows clears the index, which is what causes it to happen again when you reboot.

There's no way to switch the system drive without reinstalling Windows, unfortunately. You'd have to reassign the drive you're going to install Windows on as the system drive by deleting and recreating the partition entirely, not simply formatting it.

It in theory shouldn't need to be this way--that is, you should be able to have the boot record on a completely separate drive, and indeed, it works fine in a dual-boot scenario--but unfortunately when there's no OS on the system drive it can cause issues.

Hope this helps.

- Adam

12quidkidinnit · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:31 am Post subject:

Thanks again for all your replies. I managed to fix it by resetting the bios to 'load optimized defaults'. I don't know why but it works fine now, and I'm sure I hadn't changed any bios settings anyway . . . . Rolling Eyes

rddrgn2 · Joined: May 22, 2004 Posts: 81

how old is the computer? sounds like you should replace your motherboard battery
mike

digilan · Joined: Jan 04, 2009 Posts: 3

Hi 12quidkidinnit,

I have the same problem too about a week ago and I solve it
using your method. I reset the BIOS to default and it works.
I do not find that I have change any setting on the BIOS anyway.
How it can resolve the problem I don't know.

Regards,
Alan