My computer (2.4Ghz P4)is on the fritz. Upon boot-up, I get a message “ntldr is missing” and “boot from CD”. In my infinite wisdom, I take this to mean that something is wrong with my windows installation (?). I insert my XP Home edition disk and it launchs into the setup routine. I attempt to repair the installation. When I get to the screen that asks which installation to repair (1: C:\Windows), I select “1” and nothing happens (If I select “enter” it cancels the repair and reverts to the C prompt). If I attempt to do a new installation, after I hit F8 to get past the legal mumbo-jumbo, it asks me to insert a valid CD (listing every version of windows except XP). It is already inserts, so I attempt to proceed and the screen goes blank, then reappears unchanged, asking for a valid disk (my XP HE disk is a register, valid original disk, unscratched in perfect condition). This continuous loop gets me nowhere.
I have attempted to see if a virus is the culprit, using my Norton System Works (AntiVirus) CD and going through the Emergency Virus Detection Routine, only to have it say all is fine.
I switched hard-drives to see if another drive would boot-up, and the same exact symptoms occur, leading me to belive the problem is either the Bios, Memory, CPU or Motherboard. I reset the Bios to the Load Safe Defaults; no luck.
I have exceeded the depth of my limited knowledge and could use any help offered.
Thanks,
Bob
