Thread: NTLDR...jebus

  1. #1
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    NTLDR...jebus

    This isnt my week i swear its not.

    So the other day my computer craps out, virus or something had to of been. Anyway, wiped the whole drive out, installed windows, scanned etc. It was running awsome, last night after a reboot it gives me the all time favorite:

    "NTLDR is missing, Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart".

    So i pop in my XP cd and let the computer boot normally, and windows loads right up. I take the cd out, and restart the PC. BAM, same thing.

    So today i wipe out the drive, install xp. Reboot it a few times, no probs. Then BAM, it does it AGAIN! So i load up the recovery console.

    I used the console to copy over NTLDR, no dice. So i use it to run fixboot c:, no good. Anyone got any ideas whats going on here??

  2. #2
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    I got to add, if i leave the XP cd in the drive, i dont have any problems hah.

  3. #3
    C++ Developer XSquared's Avatar
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    Try copying over 'ntdetect.com' too.
    Naturally I didn't feel inspired enough to read all the links for you, since I already slaved away for long hours under a blistering sun pressing the search button after typing four whole words! - Quzah

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  4. #4
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    is that in the i386 directory also?

  5. #5
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    tried it, no dice.

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    Look here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318728

    Use the "Repair Console" option.

    This is for 2k but should work fine for XP. If your not confident doing this, go here:

    http://support.microsoft.com/default...-us;320397#kb3

    This is a utility but you'll probably have to contact MS to get it.

  7. #7
    Just one more wrong move. -KEN-'s Avatar
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    fixmbr or fixboot. I forget which, but I've definitely answered this question here before. TRY SEARCHING!

    edit: OK, I could have sworn I answered it here...

    edit2: Woohoo, I did: http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showt...hlight=fixboot . Although I answered it somewhere else, too, and that's what I was originally thinking about.

    Anyway, I'm pretty sure that would work. It happened to me once, and it was as simple as that to fix it.
    Last edited by -KEN-; 01-06-2005 at 10:13 AM.

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    Ken,

    I really don't think fixboot will work since fixboot rewrites the boot sector and this problem is caused by a corrupt or full root folder.

    One way to prevent this error is to keep all unnecessary files out of the root folder, if it gets too full or heavily fragmented, it will write the NTLDR file to a second index and that creates this error.

    RoD, look at your root folder (C:\) and see how many objects or items are in there. If it's over 512, you've exceeded the root folder limit. If it's under 512, it's probably corrupt. Either way, you cannot fix it without doing the utility or manually as in my last post. Removing files from the root folder will not fix this, the NTLDR file cannot correct itself.
    Last edited by SpudNuts; 01-06-2005 at 12:38 PM.

  9. #9
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
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    if he formatted every time I doubt that the root folder would be the problem...I think you've got yourself some bad hardware. Either memory or a hard drive. Run memtest, if it doesn't find anything, try installing onto a diff. hard drive.
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  10. #10
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    Yea i dont see how the root folder could do it. Something came to mind however. I used to dual boot linux/win with LILO. About 4 days before i had the first crapout, i re-partitioned the HDD into one again, but never removed LILO from the bootloader. Well about three days later it would verify my DMI OK, then spit out something like this:

    L 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99
    Then freeze up. So it was at that point i wiped the whole drive to new and installed xp. 2 days later this NTLDR thing began.....ill try those ideas, thnx guys.

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    Well, based on the error and your posted idea's that you've tried. I stand by what I said. Just because I have some neg reps doesn't mean I have no clue. This error has been around since 2000 first came out. It could be a bad drive corrupting the MFT root folder or your installing XP into the root folder (naa can't be). Just look at the MS links I posted, they should lead you where you need to go to fix it.

  12. #12
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
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    That's the same thing that happens when you try to boot from a non bootable drive RoD.
    Have you tried another hard drive yet?
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  13. #13
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    No i havent had time to fiddle with it yet, im going to though.

  14. #14
    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    It sounds to me like a bad HD, like Waldo said. Although I find it weird that the same error popped up twice and that you can boot normally with the cd in. I'd still put money on the HD and I'd test the RAM too.

  15. #15
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    http://dban.sourceforge.net/
    As well as making sure there is no lingering after taste of whatever OS was on there, it's a pretty good work-out tool for the disk as well.

    #include <std_disclaimer.h>
    YES IT ERASES THE WHOLE DISK
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

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