Help!! NTLDR error has got me stuck.

S

speedred3

New Member
I think my PC had a bug that kept restarting it at very random intervals, so I decided to reinstall Windows XP Pro on my hard drive, when the installer program crashed half way through. I now get the 'NTLDR is missing ... Press CTRL ALT DEL to restart" error when I try to re-run the Windows installer (I can't even get to that screen now). I later discovered that the CD had a deep scratch on it. Luckily I have another copy of windows available to me but when I try to boot from this CD, I still get the NTLDR error and I am stuck in a state where I can't install Windows on my hard drive to get me back up and running.

What can I do to resolve this??
 
Make sure you are booting from the CD. You should not get the missing NTLDR error unless you have a burned copy of the Windows installation disk that is not bootable (i.e. someone goofed when making it), or you are still booting from the hard drive. Either enter the boot menu just after post and select the CD, or change you device boot order in the BIOS so the CD drive is first. If, after you have tried one of those and you still get the NTLDR error, I suggest you get another Windows installation disk.
 
Yes, I am booting from the CD first. Even when I try the 1st 'damaged' CD I have, I can not get back to the point that I was at previously. I was able to format the hard drive, and then have progress made on the Windows install before it crashed on me.

If I am royally hosed and have no way out, is it feasible to erase the hard drive completely and start over (I backed up my files prior to this debacle so I don't mind doing it)? I have a SATA hard drive ... the other PC in my house only supports USB or IDE ... is there is a SATA to USB or IDE converter so I can be able to hook it up ?
 
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