NTLDR is Missing Press Ctrl Alt Delete to Reboot Promise Technology Inc. Ultra IDE Controller PCI Slot1 PCI Bus3 Device 0 Function 0 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318728How to troubleshoot the "NTLDR Is Missing" error message in Windows 2000 View products that this article applies to. Article ID : 318728 Last Review : November 21, 2005 Revision : 3.3 This article was previously published under Q318728 On This Page SUMMARY How to Troubleshoot the "NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message Verify That the BIOS on the Computer Is Current Method 1: Use a Boot Disk to Start the Computer Method 2: Use the Recovery Console Method 3: Use the Windows 2000 CD-ROM If Setup Cannot Locate Windows 2000 Additional Resources Perform a Parallel Installation of Windows 2000 REFERENCES APPLIES TO SUMMARY
This step-by-step article describes methods that you can use to troubleshoot the "NTLDR Is Missing" error message that you may receive when
you try to start Microsoft Windows 2000.
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How to Troubleshoot the "NTLDR Is Missing" Error Message
When you start your Windows 2000-based computer, you may receive the following error message:
NTLDR is missing
Press any key to restart
This problem may occur if the basic input/output system (BIOS) on your computer is outdated, or if one or more of the following Windows boot
files are missing or damaged:
Ntldr
Ntdetect.com
Boot.ini
To resolve this issue, verify that the BIOS on your computer is current, and then use one or more of the following methods, as appropriate
to your situation, to repair the Windows 2000 startup environment.
IMPORTANT: Microsoft recommends that you fully back up your data on a regular basis. This is the best defense against data loss, and it must
be a part of any disaster recovery plan.
Verify That the BIOS on the Computer Is Current
Make sure that the latest revision for BIOS is installed on the computer. Contact the computer manufacturer to inquire about how to obtain,
and then install the latest BIOS update that is available for the computer.
For information about how to configure and how to verify the correct BIOS settings for the computer, see the computer documentation or
contact the manufacturer of the computer. For information about how to contact your computer manufacturer, click the appropriate article
60782 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/60782/EN-US/) Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z For additional information about how to contact BIOS manufacturers, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft To repair the Windows startup environment, use one or more of the following methods, as appropriate to your situation.
Method 1: Use a Boot Disk to Start the Computer
1.
2. Create a Windows 2000 boot disk that contains the following files:
Ntldr
Ntdetect.com
Boot.ini
Ntbootdd.sys
For additional information about how to create a boot disk, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge
additional information about how to create a boot disk, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 311578 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311578/EN-US/) How To Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows 2000 4. Insert the boot disk into the computer's floppy disk drive, and then restart the computer. 5. Copy the Ntldr file, the Ntdetect.com file, and the Boot.ini file from the boot disk to the system partition of the local hard disk. Method 2: Use the Recovery Console
1. Use the Windows 2000 Setup disks to restart the computer, or use the Windows 2000 CD-ROM to restart the computer.
2. At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to repair the Windows 2000 installation.
3. Press C to repair the Windows 2000 installation by using the Recovery Console.
4. 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 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229716/EN-US/) Description of the Windows Recovery Console 5. Type the Administrator password, and then press ENTER. 6. 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. 7. 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:\.
8. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
type c:\Boot.ini
A list similar to the following list appears: [boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
If you receive the following message, the Boot.ini file may be missing or damaged:
The system cannot find the file or directory specified.
9. If the Boot.ini file is missing or damaged, create a new one. To do so, follow these steps:a. Use a text editor, such as Notepad or
Edit.com, to create a boot loader file similar to the following boot loader file:[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 102873 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/102873/EN-US/) BOOT.INI and ARC Path Naming Conventions and Usage 301680 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301680/EN-US/) How To Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows b. Save the file to a floppy disk as Boot.ini. NOTE: If you used Notepad to create the file, make sure that the .txt extension is not appended to the Boot.ini file name.
c. Type the following command at the Recovery Console command prompt to copy the Boot.ini file from the floppy disk to the computer:
copy a:\Boot.ini c:\
10. Type exit, and then press ENTER. The computer restarts.
Method 3: Use the Windows 2000 CD-ROM
1. Insert the Windows 2000 CD-ROM into the computer's CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and start Windows 2000 Setup.
2. On the Welcome to Setup page, press R.
3. On the Windows 2000 Repair Options page, press R.
4. When you are prompted to select one of the repair options, press M.
5. Press the UP ARROW, press the UP ARROW again, to select Verify Windows 2000 system files, and then press ENTER to clear the selection.
6. Press the DOWN ARROW to select Continue (perform selected tasks), and then press ENTER. The following message appears:
You need an Emergency Repair disk for the Windows 2000
installation you want to repair.
7. Do one of the following, as appropriate to your situation:• If you have an Emergency Repair Disk, follow these steps:a. Press ENTER.
b. Insert the Emergency Repair Disk into the computer's floppy disk drive, and then press ENTER.
c. Follow the instructions to repair the installation, and then restart the computer.
-or-
• If you do not have an Emergency Repair Disk, follow these steps:a. Press L. You receive a message similar to the following:
Setup has found Windows 2000 in the following folder:
drive:\WINNT "Microsoft Windows 2000"
b. Press ENTER.
Setup examines the disks, and then completes the repair process.
For additional information about the emergency repair feature, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
If Setup Cannot Locate Windows 2000
If you do not have a Windows 2000 Emergency Repair Disk, and if Setup cannot locate the Windows 2000 installation, follow these steps: 1.
Start Windows 2000 Setup.
2. On the Setup will install Windows 2000 on partition page, select Leave the current file system intact (no changes), and then press ENTER.
3. Press ESC to install Windows 2000 to a new folder.
4. In the Select the folder in which the files should be copied box, type \tempwin, and then press ENTER.
Setup installs a new copy of Windows 2000.
5. Log on to the new copy of Windows 2000.
6. Click Start, and then click Run.
7. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
8. At the command prompt, type drive:, where drive is the boot drive of the computer, and then press ENTER. For example, type c:, and then
press ENTER.
9. Type attrib -h -r -s Boot.ini, and then press ENTER.
10. Type edit Boot.ini, and then press ENTER.
Edit.com opens a Boot.ini file that is similar to the following file:[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\TEMPWIN
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\TEMPWIN="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
11. Replace all instances of TEMPWIN with WINNT. The Boot.ini file that appears is similar to the following file:[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
12. Press ALT+F, and then press S.
13. Press ALT+F, and then press X.
14. Type attrib +h +r +s Boot.ini, and then press ENTER.
15. Type exit to quit the command prompt.
16. Restart the computer.
17. At the Please select the operating system to start screen, use the ARROW keys to select Microsoft Windows 2000, and then press ENTER.
18. Start Windows Explorer, locate the following folders, and then delete them:
Tempwin
All Users.Tempwin
Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable
This issue has been known to be caused by a loose or fault IDE/EIDE cable. If the above recommendation does not resolve your issue and your
computer hard disk drive is using an IDE or EIDE interface. Verify the computer hard disk drive cable is firmly connected by disconnected
and reconnecting the cable.
If the issue continues it is also a possibility that the computer has a faulty cable, try replacing the hard disk drive cable with another
cable and/or a new cable.
New hard disk drive being added
If you are attempting to add a new hard disk drive to the computer make sure that drive is a blank drive. Adding a new hard disk drive to a
computer that already has Windows installed on it may cause the NTLDR error to occur.
If you are unsure if the new drive is blank or not try booting from a bootable diskette and format the new hard disk drive.
Windows XP users
Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM
drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer.
copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.
Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file
Edit the boot.ini on the root directory of the hard disk drive and verify that it is pointing to the correct location of your Windows
Operating System and that the partitions are properly defined. Additional information about the boot.ini can be found on document CH000492.
Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT32
If you are getting this error message while you are attempting to upgrade to Windows 2000 or Windows XP from Windows 95, Windows 98, or
Windows ME running FAT32 please try the below recommendations.
Boot the computer with a Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME bootable diskette.
At the A:\> prompt type:
sys c: <press enter>
After pressing enter you should receive the "System Transferred" message. Once this has been completed remove the floppy diskette and reboot
the computer.
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