NTLDR files missing

R

rwswan

New Member
Hi,
I've accidentally deleted more files than I intended from the root of my C directory and now my computer won't boot up.
I get the first POST beep as usual but booting up soon stops and I get NTLDR Missing, Press Ctrl, Alt, Del (which doesn't work anyway).
I'm running Windows Home XP. Have tried using my installation disc to access the recovery console but I just get the same error message as above.
Has anyone got any other ideas please?
Cheers,
Russ:)
 
If the files were in the recycle bin you could start up in Recovery Console and navigate to RECYCLER on the C drive, and then look in the folders.
 
1.I have been ableto changethe BIOS to read CD as first boot priority
2. But the system will not read the original Windows XP OS disk. It will only recognise that there is something there and tells me to press any key to boot from CD, then just reverts to the NTLDR Missing and Press Ctrl, Alt, Del. That's as far as it goes.
3. Re the link. Can't bring up the System Recovery Console as per above. Something is seriously wrong, but I don't yet want to have to reformat the disk and reinstall Windows .... buggar!!!
4. Any other ideas please??
Russ
 
Ok if the cd is not reading the disk then either the cd or disk might be faulty,(but check the connections anyway) any chance of trying the disk in another pc or trying a different disk in your cd drive?
You could try putting the hard drive as slave in another pc and see if its recognised and run a check on it with the manufactors test tools
 
Thanks, but I've got two optical drives and it doesn't work in either one. The CD itself has been kept packaged since new and is unmarked. No scratches or anything at least that I can see.
Also when it gets to the error message already described, the keyboard doesn't work, so it doesn't appear I can even reformat the hard drive using one of the other selections F9 or F12 (other than DEL).
Have a separate old machine that uses Windows XP. Am thinking maybe using a floppy boot disk but not really very confident about making one. Found a website that might help here: http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm
but it all looks rather complicated.
Would appreciate any further ideas I might try before going down that path.
Thanks again for everyone's contributions so far.
Cheers,
Russ
 
DeviousMind. Oh... and thanks too for the suggestion about putting the hard drive into my other machine. I've just taken a look and seen there is a spare bay, molex power connector and slave IDE connector. I think I'll do just what you suggest as well. Cheers.
Russ
 
Situation so far:
Have installed Windows XP onto a 40Gb hard drive as "C"drive and made it the Master drive. The faulty 120Gb hard drive is now a Slave as "D"drive, and I can see it in Windows Explorer. Unfortunately the Recycle bin doesn't show on D drive so I can't restore the accidentally deleted files. Nor can I use system restore as it only seems to address the Active Primary "C" drive.
Any more ideas would be highly appreciated.
Cheers,
Russ
 
The RECYCLER folder is hidden, I forgot to tell you because I'm used to seeing all my files. You'll have to change it in Tools menu>Folder Options>View tab.
 
Thanks again for helping.
Have now resolved the problem.
It all had to do with my DVD reader. Didn't think it would be a problem because it would still read and play my DVD movies, but seems it wasn't reading properly when I put the Windows XP installation disc into it. Once I took the hard drive out of my PC and put it into another one, the set-up disk fired up straight away. Was able to copy both the NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM files to the hard drive... and voila! Now working :D
Cheers,
Russ
 
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