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NTLDR Missing

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by petadove

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I have run into a problem I don't quite know how to fix. I have a Win98 machine that I upgraded to Win2K Pro. The upgrade went fine and the computer restarted. The puzzling part is that when it restarted it come up with a NTLDR Missing error, Press any key to restart. I pressed a key and nothing happened. I copied the NTLDR from the i386 folder on the cd; however, the floppy drive is disabled and so I can't copy to HD.

I know you guys have all the answers so I was opening that someone can help me figure this out. I need this computer up tonight!!!

HELP ME PLEASE!

10 replies

by petadove

I forgot to mention that the floppy drive was disabled using sharing permissions

by joseph moore

Yes, you can get around this. Make a NTFS bootable floppy. It contains a copy of NTLDR, and it will allow you to boot to XP. You can fix XP from there.

Please read this Technet article on what do to:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=119467

You only need to copy 3 files from the XP cd. The article will tell you what to do.

hope this helps

by joseph moore

Oh, the floppy drive itself does not work?
Well then you can just burn the files in the Technet article I listed to a CD, then boot off the CD. Either method, CD or floppy booting, works with that article.

by moonk

Try in this way...

1. Insert Windows 2000 install CD into a CD-ROM and boot the system with Recovery Console.
2. Move to \I386 folder in install CD.
3. Copy 'ntldr' file in CD into C:\

-- about floppy error..
I think that disabled floppy drive is not caused by NTLDR file error.
So you'd better check with Floppy drive section in CMOS bios setup.

by petadove

I understand that NTLDR missing is not connected to the floppy but because the floppy is disabled I am unable to use the floppy drive to boot the system. That's where I am asking for suggestions to enable floppy and be able to use it to help with troubleshooting.

by moonk

and.. You may need 3 more files to fix NTLDR error;Boot.ini, Ntdetect.com, Bootsect.dos(only if you use multi-booting system)

by petadove

Moonk

I am sorry that I rejected your answer; I accidentally pressed the wrong button because your solution was the most workable. I infact did most of the things you suggested before coming to you. My biggest problem is to get around the disabled floppy. If I can get beyond that, I will solve the proble.

Again, my apologies. Your solution was acceptable to me.

by dmiles

Use the Windows 2000 Setup disks to restart the computer, or use the Windows 2000 CD-ROM to restart the computer.
At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to repair the Windows 2000 installation.
Press C to repair the Windows 2000 installation by using the Recovery Console.
Type the number that corresponds to the Windows installation that you want to repair, and then press ENTER. For example, type 1, and then press ENTER. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
229716 Description of the Windows Recovery Console

Type the Administrator password, and then press ENTER.
Type map, and then press ENTER. Note the drive letter that is assigned to the CD-ROM drive that contains the Windows 2000 CD-ROM.
Type the following commands, pressing ENTER after you type each one, where drive is the drive letter that you typed in step 4 of "Method 2: Use the Recovery Console," of this article:
copy drive:\i386\ntldr c:\

copy drive:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

If you are prompted to overwrite the file, type y, and then press ENTER.

NOTE: In these commands, there is a space between the ntldr and c:\, and between ntdetect.com and c:\.
Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
type c:\Boot.ini

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