NTLDR missing?

[KAM]

I am trying to format a new WD 75 GB 7200 RPM HD and the post is ok. It
sees the Floppy, the Asus CD ROM and the WD HD.

Then it sees all the PCI's and then it stops at :

NTLDR missing. Only choice is Alt Ctl Del and that comes up the same, of
course.

Going into the BIOS and make the CDROM the 1st Bootable does not get the
CDROM either, because NTLDR missing comes up.

Cannot get to the WD floppy to format or an old WIN98 SE boot disk either.
Always NTLDR missing, that is after I chage the BIOS boot order to Floppy.

What is this error? I cannot find it in the Knowledge base of WD. Never had
before a problem with installing new drives and have been with computers
since the DOS days.

I am using (want to use) WINXP but cannot get it to install because the
NTDLR missing comes up and stops the machine (desktop) not this laptop.

[Jupiter Jones]

Try it this way:
Disconnect all peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, etc)
Go to BIOS and set CDROM as boot device before hard drive.
Insert Windows XP CD and reboot.
At "Press any key to boot to CDROM" quickly press a key and follow the
prompts for a Clean installation:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp
Delete all partitions in step 5.
Partitioning and formatting will be done automatically.
All data will be destroyed, back-up important data first.

--
Jupiter Jones
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"KAM" > wrote in message
...
> I am trying to format a new WD 75 GB 7200 RPM HD and the post is ok.
It
> sees the Floppy, the Asus CD ROM and the WD HD.
>
> Then it sees all the PCI's and then it stops at :
>
> NTLDR missing. Only choice is Alt Ctl Del and that comes up the
same, of
> course.
>
> Going into the BIOS and make the CDROM the 1st Bootable does not get
the
> CDROM either, because NTLDR missing comes up.
>
> Cannot get to the WD floppy to format or an old WIN98 SE boot disk
either.
> Always NTLDR missing, that is after I chage the BIOS boot order to
Floppy.
>
> What is this error? I cannot find it in the Knowledge base of WD.
Never had
> before a problem with installing new drives and have been with
computers
> since the DOS days.
>
> I am using (want to use) WINXP but cannot get it to install because
the
> NTDLR missing comes up and stops the machine (desktop) not this
laptop.
>
>
>
>

[JimW±]

The boot sector on the floppy &/or the HD must have been formatted for =
NT/W2K/XP


KAM > wrote:
> I am trying to format a new WD 75 GB 7200 RPM HD and the post is ok.
> It sees the Floppy, the Asus CD ROM and the WD HD.
>=20
> Then it sees all the PCI's and then it stops at :
>=20
> NTLDR missing. Only choice is Alt Ctl Del and that comes up the same,
> of course.
>=20
> Going into the BIOS and make the CDROM the 1st Bootable does not get
> the CDROM either, because NTLDR missing comes up.
>=20
> Cannot get to the WD floppy to format or an old WIN98 SE boot disk
> either. Always NTLDR missing, that is after I chage the BIOS boot
> order to Floppy.=20
>=20
> What is this error? I cannot find it in the Knowledge base of WD.
> Never had before a problem with installing new drives and have been
> with computers since the DOS days.
>=20
> I am using (want to use) WINXP but cannot get it to install because
> the NTDLR missing comes up and stops the machine (desktop) not this
> laptop.

[Geoff Hirst]

"KAM" > wrote in message
...
> I am trying to format a new WD 75 GB 7200 RPM HD and the post is ok. It
> sees the Floppy, the Asus CD ROM and the WD HD.
>
> Then it sees all the PCI's and then it stops at :
>
> NTLDR missing. Only choice is Alt Ctl Del and that comes up the same, of
> course.
>
> Going into the BIOS and make the CDROM the 1st Bootable does not get the
> CDROM either, because NTLDR missing comes up.
>
> Cannot get to the WD floppy to format or an old WIN98 SE boot disk either.
> Always NTLDR missing, that is after I chage the BIOS boot order to Floppy.
>
> What is this error? I cannot find it in the Knowledge base of WD. Never
had
> before a problem with installing new drives and have been with computers
> since the DOS days.
>
> I am using (want to use) WINXP but cannot get it to install because the
> NTDLR missing comes up and stops the machine (desktop) not this laptop.
>
>
>
>
KAM,

I am going to assume that you have no blank or other floppy disk in your
drive and also no CD in your CD drive. OK.

I have this exact problem. Different HD. But I think same problem.

I have an oem copy of WinXP, its legit, but I am starting to wonder about
the supplier who are not delivering what I ask for. Never mind that for now.

Are you doing a clean install, ie not over another operating system? If you
are then I would definately say you have the same problem as I do.

What happens is when windows installs itself, lots of files get copied to
the drive it is installing on. This causes an area of the disk called the
Master File Table, or MFT as you will get to know it as, to expand. When
these files are deleted this area doesn't shrink.

Now, when NT/2K/XP boot, they have a little process and they look for a file
called NTDETECT which in due course looks for ntldr. If your MFT has
expanded, ntldr will be written to an area of disk that NTDETECT won't
expect, hence ntldr is missing. It's not, but it thinks it is.

Now, the solution to this, I am told is, an application called bcupdate2 and
you can only get it directly from Microsoft. It doesn't exist ANYWHERE on
the net!!!! You might find bcupdate on the french site if you go looking,
but it won't help with XP.

My current solution is to retain my WinXP install CD in one of my DVD
drives. This finds ntldr and does the business. Its not ideal but at least I
can use my pc.

HTH

G.

[JimW±]

ntldr is the first file the MFT looks for
ntldr loads ntdetect, but ntldr keeps control for quite some time while =
booting

There are also at least 2 different versions of ntldr (2000 and XP) & =
the right one has to be found



Geoff Hirst > wrote:
> "KAM" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I am trying to format a new WD 75 GB 7200 RPM HD and the post is ok.
>> It sees the Floppy, the Asus CD ROM and the WD HD.
>>=20
>> Then it sees all the PCI's and then it stops at :
>>=20
>> NTLDR missing. Only choice is Alt Ctl Del and that comes up the
>> same, of course.
>>=20
>> Going into the BIOS and make the CDROM the 1st Bootable does not get
>> the CDROM either, because NTLDR missing comes up.
>>=20
>> Cannot get to the WD floppy to format or an old WIN98 SE boot disk
>> either. Always NTLDR missing, that is after I chage the BIOS boot
>> order to Floppy.=20
>>=20
>> What is this error? I cannot find it in the Knowledge base of WD.
>> Never had before a problem with installing new drives and have been
>> with computers since the DOS days.
>>=20
>> I am using (want to use) WINXP but cannot get it to install because
>> the NTDLR missing comes up and stops the machine (desktop) not this
>> laptop.=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
> KAM,
>=20
> I am going to assume that you have no blank or other floppy disk in
> your drive and also no CD in your CD drive. OK.
>=20
> I have this exact problem. Different HD. But I think same problem.
>=20
> I have an oem copy of WinXP, its legit, but I am starting to wonder
> about the supplier who are not delivering what I ask for. Never mind
> that for now.=20
>=20
> Are you doing a clean install, ie not over another operating system?
> If you are then I would definately say you have the same problem as I
> do.=20
>=20
> What happens is when windows installs itself, lots of files get
> copied to the drive it is installing on. This causes an area of the
> disk called the Master File Table, or MFT as you will get to know it
> as, to expand. When these files are deleted this area doesn't shrink.
>=20
> Now, when NT/2K/XP boot, they have a little process and they look for
> a file called NTDETECT which in due course looks for ntldr. If your
> MFT has expanded, ntldr will be written to an area of disk that
> NTDETECT won't expect, hence ntldr is missing. It's not, but it
> thinks it is.=20
>=20
> Now, the solution to this, I am told is, an application called
> bcupdate2 and you can only get it directly from Microsoft. It doesn't
> exist ANYWHERE on the net!!!! You might find bcupdate on the french
> site if you go looking, but it won't help with XP.
>=20
> My current solution is to retain my WinXP install CD in one of my DVD
> drives. This finds ntldr and does the business. Its not ideal but at
> least I can use my pc.
>=20
> HTH
>=20
> G.