NTLDR or g System Missing Press Any Key to Restart
Following are my experiences with repairing XP. I will not assume any responsibility for problems that may occur to your
system from using any of these suggestions. It is always prudent to backup important data before you make any changes to
your operating system.
Windows Update Site Problems - Jupiter Jones MS MVP
Repair System Restore - Bert Kinney MS MVP
How To Uninstall SP2 Using the Recovery Console - S Raj Kumar Rathi (scroll to August 17, 2004)
How To Use The Automatic Recovery Feature to Recover From a Bad SP2 Install - Microsoft
How To Remove SP2 using a Repair Install
How To Access Safe Mode
How To Access Last Known Good Config
How To Backup, Edit and Restore the Registry - Microsoft
How To Create a Boot Disk to Start Windows XP
How To Create a Slipstreamed version of XP
How To Fix :NTLDR is missing press any key to restart - From Miles Cromer
How To Fix and "Invalid Boot.ini" or "Windows could not start........Hall.dll "error - Microsoft Knowledgebase
Cannot Start Windows XP if the System or Software Hive Is Missing or Damaged - From Kelly Theriot
Password Problems and Windows XP - From Kelly Theriot
How To Fix The Cryptographic Service Error - Fix for "Error:Setup could not verify the integrity of the file Update.inf.
Make sure the Cryptographic service is running on this computer"
System Cannot Access CD-Rom, CD-Recorder or DVD Devices
Error Messages After Removing Easy CD Creator from XP
Introduction to using System File Checker - SFC /SCANNOW
SFC (System File Checker) has a problem running - SFC /SCANNOW keeps asking for the XP CD
How to log on to Windows XP if you forget your password
How To Take Ownership of a File or Folder
How To Access Recovery Console
Recovery Console in Windows XP - From Kelly Theriot. This is a must read
How To Backup, Edit and Restore the Registry in XP - Microsoft Knowledgebase Article.
How To Create a Set of Emergency Floppies - If your computer can not boot from a CD-Rom create a 6 floppy disk set that
corresponds to your version of Windows XP. Click here for Home Edition Click here for Pro Edition
How To Create a bootable CD to access the Recovery Console - this 7Mb .iso will give you a bootable Recovery Console
rather than using the 6 floppy set above. Unzip and burn the .ISO file to disc. You can boot the CD and run the Recovery
Console
How To Repair Boot sector
How To Format
How To Partition
How To Exit the Recovery Console
How To Run a Repair Install
How To Uncover Windows XP Product Key
How To Change The Product ID
A better boot diskette for WinNT/2000/XP
Has XP Been Activated?
NTFS Reader for DOS (freeware) - lets you access an NTFS partition from a floppy and copy files off it
Known Issues with Windows XP Service Pack 1
AIDA32 - AIDA32 is a professional system information, diagnostics and benchmarking program running on Win32 platforms. It
extracts details of all components of the PC. You can even uncover your Windows XP and Office 2000/XP Product Keys with
this freeware app. READ the FAQ!!!
Tweaks&Fixes - From Kelly's Korner this is a fantastic set of registry hacks and fixes.
NTBackup Is Missing From My OEM version of XP (download)- Some OEMs don't include NTBackup - Bob Cerelli has it at his
site in his Windows XP Tips section
Knoppix - Ok this might appear to be blasphemy on a site dedicated to Windows but if your system is really hosed and you
are desperate to get data off the drive then give Knoppix a go. The download is a whopping 700MB but you get an ISO that,
when burned to CD, creates a version of Linux that runs directly off the CD and doesn't require installation to your Hard
Drive. With this CD Operating System you can access your NTFS or FAT partitions and with it's built in CD Burning
software copy your important data off the drive . Or if you have a network you can transfer files to another system. This
is a must have!
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PDAView Full Version : NTLDR missing due to hd SIZE CHANGE
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TopKen14th Sep 2003, 12:12 PM
Hope this isnt redundant. Been working on this problem for over two hours. Built a system disk several months ago. The
BIOS was config'd for a 3.2 gig when I replaced with a 100gig. setup O/S etc been running fine for months. Tonight I went
into BIOS and did auto config for HD ident and it switched to 100g drive. Now I get the NTLDR missing error. What is the
best way to clear this up. I am trying recovery console now but having password problems.
PC is PIII 800 with 256mb
MoBrd is a Gigabyte GA-6VXE7+ F4
Plz any ideas or procedures you may be aware of for this???
ThX all
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TopKen14th Sep 2003, 12:18 PM
Am looking at Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 318728 but afraid it may not apply specifically to my situation.
Again any input will be greatly appreciated
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103198214th Sep 2003, 01:40 PM
The article you are looking at has all the info you can get.
Are you using Windows 2K, NT, or XP?
Password problems? What is the problem with that? I thought all a PW did was protect the system from intrusion and
accessibility. You should be able to do anything with the ADMIN PW.
PW = password
ADMIN = Administrator
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TopKen14th Sep 2003, 01:56 PM
Bios sees drive as 17.1g drive, if I use IDE HD Auto detect in Bios it sees it as 102g but when i reboot after saving
then bios sees it as 17.1. sys then comes back with NTLDR missing msg.
Ive run recovery and repair to no avail. And I havent been able to use user setting to set drive back to 3.2gig
Been here 7 hours now
Helllllppppppp
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103198214th Sep 2003, 02:22 PM
Did you set the 100 GB HDD to be master?
If so, how did you setup/transfer the OS and stuff over?
Is the partition active?
Do you have ICQ, AIM, or Yahoo IM?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian Wong14th Sep 2003, 02:46 PM
Hello TopKen,
What operating system are you using? :think:
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TopKen14th Sep 2003, 02:57 PM
Used user specs in Bios to set drive back to 3.2 g but now how do I get the system to recognize 100g drive????????
btw O/S is Win2000 Pro, drive is master.
When I originally installed I installed new drive, forgot to change bios and booted via Win2000 disk. Must have missed
partition info, formatted and installed O/S etc. Been working great up to now. Just happened to notice tonight that it
was stating 3.2g at startup so I went into BIOS auto detect and it discovered 102g. When i reboted I started getting the
NTLDR msg.
Working now but how do I get back to 100g??
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103198214th Sep 2003, 03:02 PM
If the BIOS can't see it properly, I don't know. Sorry.
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Adrian Wong14th Sep 2003, 04:05 PM
TopKen,
You have a rather old system. Have you updated your motherboard BIOS yet?
Your BIOS may not be able to recognize your hard disk's total capacity properly without the proper BIOS update.
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How to access Safe Mode:
Reboot your computer while holding down the F8 Key. At the Advanced Options Menu select the option for Safe Mode and
press Enter.
How to access Last Known Good Configuration:
Reboot your computer while holding down the F8 Key. At the Advanced Options Menu select Last Known Good Configuration.
How to access the Recovery Console: - take this link for more information
The Recovery Console is a set of tools which run from a Command prompt. If your system is formatted as NTFS then these
tools can help you manage the partition. You can learn more about the Recovery Console through Help and Support or
Click here for information about the different commands and their functions .
To run the Recovery Console from CD boot with the Windows XP CD (or with the optional 6 floppy disk set) and select "R"
at the Welcome Screen.
The screen will switch to black and you will be asked which installation to log on to. If you only have one installation
you will press "1". Remember that numlock is off at this time.
Next you'll be prompted to enter your Admin password. By default it is created blank so just press Enter.
At the C:\Windows command prompt type "Help" for a list of commands you can use.
How to Repair the Boot Sector:
If XP won't start it may be due to a damaged boot sector or a missing or corrupt ntldr or ntdetect.com files.
To replace damaged ntldr and ntdetect.com you can copy fresh files from the XP CD using the COPY command. Boot with the
XP CD and enter the Recovery Console (as above). At the Command Prompt type the following (where "X" is your CD-Rom drive
letter) allowing the files to overwrite the old files
COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C:
COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C:
To repair a damaged Boot Sector at the command prompt type FIXBOOT and press Enter. Then answer "Y"
How To Format using the Recovery Console (click for info on How To Access The Recovery Console)
format drive : /Q /FS:file-system
Use the above command (where /Q performs a quick format of the drive, drive is the drive letter of the partition to
format /FS:file-system specifies the type of file system to use [FAT, FAT32, or NTFS]) to format the specified drive to
the specified file system. For example the following quick formats C partition as NTFS
FORMAT C: /Q /FS:NTFS
the following will do a full format of C as FAT32
FORMAT C: /FS:FAT32
*** Note: If a file system is not specified, then the existing file system format is retained.
Type EXIT to quit the Recovery Console and restart your Computer
How Partition using the Recovery Console: (click for info on How To Access The Recovery Console)
At the command prompt type DISKPART and press Enter.
An interface is displayed which you can move through with the Arrow Keys. Press "C" to create a partition in unused
space. Pressing "D" will delete the highlighted partition.
How To Exit the Recovery Console:
You can not use Ctrl+Alt+Del to quit the Recovery Console. Instead type "EXIT" at the command prompt and Windows will be
started.
Boot to Windows.
How to Repair Install: ***Also removes Service Packs***
Sometimes the only way to repair XP is to reinstall. You do not have to wipe your partition and start over. Just as with
previous versions of Windows you can reinstall right over top of an existing setup. This has the advantage of retaining
your installed applications, data and settings. You will lose previously saved System Restore Points but System Restore
will begin creating new restore points again immediately following the Repair Install. You will need to reinstall SP2 and
any Critical Updates from the Windows Update Site. Be aware that a Repair Install will leave your system vulnerable to
the Blaster and Welchia worms. Do not go on line until you have enabled XP's firewall first. Then visit the Windows
Update Site to patch your system It is always prudent to backup important data before you make changes to XP.
There are two approaches. The first one should be used if you can still boot to your Windows Desktop. Simply pop the XP
CD into the CD-Rom drive and select Install->Upgrade[recommended]. This will install XP overtop of itself in the same way
as upgrading from a previous setup. However if your version is an OEM version then you will not have this option. If you
do not see the option to Upgrade[recommended] DO NOT choose New Install as that will either overwrite your current setup
completely or give you a dual boot setup. Also if you have an older version of XP and have upgraded to a new service pack
you will get a message stating that a newer version of Windows was found and you will not be able to run the Upgrade.
Create a Slipstream version to solve this problem
If you cannot boot to the Desktop, or you have an OEM version of XP, or you want to remove a service pack then the
following should be used to complete a Repair Install.
Boot with the Windows XP CD and at the Setup Screen press the Enter Key
You will be taken to the Windows XP Licensing Agreement. After reading the agreement press F8 to proceed.
The next screen gives you the option to do a fresh (clean) install or to repair the selected Windows XP installation. To
run a Repair Install Press "R" at this time.
***CAUTION*** if you do not see the option to repair the selected Windows XP installation DO NOT choose the option to
continue installing a fresh copy without repairing as that will overwrite your data and cause unrecoverable data loss.
Windows XP will copy the necessary files to your Hard Drive to begin the installation and will then reboot. You will see
the message that informs you to "Press any key to boot the CD". Do not press any keys this time just wait a few seconds
and the Windows Startup Screen will be displayed. Following this you will be greeted by the Windows XP Setup Screens.
When Setup has completed you should find all of your previously installed apps and settings are intact.
How To Determine If XP was Activated?
You installed XP and then can't remember if you activated it. Go to Start->Run and enter the following
oobe/msoobe /a
View Product Key XP - Visit the Keyfinder Homepage by Aleks Ozolins
If you have more than one system running XP you have obviously purchased more than one copy of the Operating System.
However you may have forgotten which Product Key you used for which system. It happens. I have 5 systems and have had all
of them running XP at times. XP does not store the Product Key in a recognizable format in the registry.
Click this link and select "Open" and your Windows XP Product Key will be displayed
Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key. has the options to copy the key to clipboard, save it
to a text file, or print it for safekeeping. It works on Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, .NET, Office 97, and Office
XP. It even has the ability by using Microsoft's own script to change the Windows XP, 98, and ME installation key. See
the Microsoft Knowledgebase article here Q328874
If your version of XP came pre-installed on your computer the revealed Product Key could be that of an image used by the
manufacturer. If this is the case you will likely be unable to use it to install another version of Windows XP such as
one purchased separately from the computer. Find an alternate location for ViewKeyXP if my link is broken.
Known Issues with Windows XP Service Pack 1
Fix Switch Identities in Microsoft Outlook Express After Service Pack 1
HP/Compaq SP1 Notice - The System Restore feature in these computers seriously conflicts with SP1
Cannot Start Windows XP After Installing Service Pack 1 and Then Performing a System Recovery Operation
Fix for SP1 Problems and Compaq Pressario 6330
Microsoft Knowledgebase Articles Pertaining to Windows XP SP1
Setup Could Not Verify the Integrity of the File" Error Message Occurs When You Try to Install SP1
'The Password Is Not Valid' Error Message Appears When You Log On to Recovery Console in Windows XP
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread. To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you
want to reply to this thread please [click here]
Author NTLDR is missing !! Please help
jan
2005-06-04, 7:21 pm
Ok,
My sons computer won't boot I keep getting the NTLDR is missing press any
key to restart.
So I go through support on the web and obviously I need a Windows/ME boot
disk.
Well I don't have one and I can't open the cd rom either because of the
problem.
I need a start up disk to get into the system and fix the ntldr file.
If you can help and possibly lead me in the right direction if I have run
astray I would appreciate it.
thanks
Jan
Mike M
2005-06-04, 7:21 pm
Jan,
NTLDR is part of NT based operating systems such as Win2K and XP and not
Win Me or other Win9x systems. Did you perhaps try to upgrade from Win Me
to XP and abort the process?
The easiest way to fix your problem is to obtain a Win Me boot floppy and
to boot to DOS using that floppy and at the A:\> DOS prompt type
SYS C:
Remove the floppy and reboot and this should hopefully now take you into
Win Me provided that the files are still present after any aborted attempt
to upgrade.
You say you have no Win Me boot floppy but seem to be able to access the net, presumable from a different PC, in which case you can download the image of a suitable floppy from [url] www.bootdisk.com.[/url] Download the Win Me OEM floppy image to your desktop and then double click and follow the prompts to copy the image to a floppy disk. -- Mike Maltby MS-MVP mike.maltby@gmail.comjan < toys@zaxpaxnospam.com> wrote: [vbcol=seagreen] > Ok, > My sons computer won't boot I keep getting the NTLDR is missing press > any key to restart. > > So I go through support on the web and obviously I need a Windows/ME > boot disk. > Well I don't have one and I can't open the cd rom either because of > the problem. > > I need a start up disk to get into the system and fix the ntldr file. > > If you can help and possibly lead me in the right direction if I have > run astray I would appreciate it. > > Please email me at jzachary@zaxpax.com> > thanks > Jan[/vbcol]
Richard G. Harper
2005-06-04, 7:21 pm
(Crossposting trimmed)
The first thing to check is that you have not accidentally left a floppy
disk in the floppy drive. If you have, remove it and try restarting the
computer.
"jan" < toys@zaxpaxnospam.com> wrote in message news:aMTce.4256$FE3.1782@fe12.lga...[vbcol=seagreen] > > > Ok, > My sons computer won't boot I keep getting the NTLDR is missing press any > key to restart. > > So I go through support on the web and obviously I need a Windows/ME boot > disk. > Well I don't have one and I can't open the cd rom either because of the > problem. > > I need a start up disk to get into the system and fix the ntldr file. > > If you can help and possibly lead me in the right direction if I have run > astray I would appreciate it. > > Please email me at jzachary@zaxpax.com> > thanks > Jan > >[/vbcol]
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PDAView Full Version : windows\system32\config\system missing or corrupt
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gtghm09-23-2003, 02:48 AM
Ok I got a guys rig here that is getting this message "windows\system32\config\system missing or corrupt" at bootup. Then
it says to put in the windows XP systems disk and type "r"...
Usualy if I control-alt-delete it will reboot and go right into XP normaly.
I tried to resolve it through software but couldn't.
I eventually told him that we need to format and reinstall - geeky would love that... lol
He was cool about it so thats what I did.
But before I did that I noticed that I was getting corruption during the formatting process so I changed IDE cables and
moved it to IDE 2. That seemd to work fine. I did a low level format and a sector scan from the data lifegard tools from
WD and all seemed ok... So I assumed that it was a flakey IDE1 port that was the problem... So I was going to put in an
ata IDE card to move his hard drive to and then move his CDroms back to IDE 2 so that every thing would be fine.
Well after 2 days of benching all seemd fine until this afternoon...
I came home after work expecting to see a rig that had completed 6hrs of 3D mark loops, which was running fine at lunch
time, like 5 hours in, and when I walked into my room the system had rebooted and the error message was there...
So now, I doubt that its the IDE I'm leaning towards memory... he did say that he thinks that its 2 differnt brands...
I'll dfeinatly look into that..., but the voltages in the PSU look ok... 1.82 for the CPU 3.28 on the 3V line 5.05 on the
5V and 12.38 on the 12V line.
Temps are 43C. I suppose that it could be a flakey PSU but what do you guys think?
Search in google and MS kb turned up almost nothing on the message except one person suggested bad ram...
What next... I have very little trouble shooting tools and no extra parts to swapp in and out... Also I can't seem to do
any one thing to duplicate the error. Seems completely random as to when it happends.
"g"
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Thrax09-23-2003, 02:52 AM
I've tried to mix RAM in my darker, darker past. This is typically the resultant error. Additionally, I've had memory
that simply didn't like the motherboard, and this was also the resultant error. Give it a check.
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gtghm09-23-2003, 02:56 AM
Cool thats what I'll check next...
"g"
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gtghm09-23-2003, 03:01 AM
So its a stick of crucal 256ddr c2.5 and a stick of kingston value ram ddr 256 c2.5
Board is a lame ass FIC AD11
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gtghm09-23-2003, 03:16 AM
Ok now an odd thing is occuring...
I take out and only put one stick of ram in dosen't matter which stick or in which dim slot.
It boots to a point that says
Updateing ESCD... Success
Building DMI Pool.................................Success
but then it stops....
I can push reset and soft boot into the system but everytime I do a hard shut down and restart I get this...
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gtghm09-23-2003, 03:16 AM
I'll try reseting the CMOS/BIOS
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Thrax09-23-2003, 03:20 AM
Clear CMOS, and try single sticks in every dimm channel. So put it in DIMM1, boot, see if it goes. No? Move it to DIMM2,
boot, see if it goes. Et. Al.
Then try the same with the other stick of RAM. Loosen the timings completely, and give it an extra .1v.
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gtghm09-23-2003, 03:42 AM
Ok after clearing the CMOS and seting to failsafe defaults all went well in both slots... with the stick of Crucal
haven't tried the Kinston yet...
Its looking more and more like just incomatible sticks of ram trying to play together. As you pointed out....
Thanks I'll update more later.
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gtghm09-23-2003, 04:20 AM
All righty then....
I had the stick of Crucal in and was running a single bench of 3d mark when towards the end like after the fish I heard a
click from the hard drive and a little change in the fans which was followed by an automatic reboot that went to a black
screen.
I pulled that stick of memory and am running the same test on it, but I'm wondering if I should be thinking PSU now...?
Would bad memory cause a reboot?
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Thrax09-23-2003, 04:37 AM
Most definitely. That Crucial stick also seems to be exhibiting similar systems to the 6 dead Crucial sticks I had that
spontaneously died 17 months ago.
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gtghm09-23-2003, 04:43 AM
Well at least I think that I might have a bead on the problem then.
I'm running loops of 3d mark now and all seems to be fine with this other stick.
If it completes I'll chalk it up a dead stick of Crucal and call it good... I hope this is the prob.... (crosses fingers)
I'll update after it completes tomorrow if that was the cause... If I post agin tonight you'll know that that wasn't the
problem... lol
Thanks guys,
"g"
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gtghm09-23-2003, 04:39 PM
Just a quick update....
Woke up this morning to a screen saver but no 3d mark results Prime95 was still running fine after 12 hours but it
appeard that sometime during the night 3d mark crashed back to the desktop...
So I change a couple of settings in the display settings and the BIOS, and am re-running the tests.
The settings changed were:
Changed to lower quality settings in openGL and Direct3D
Chagned from AGP 4X to 2X
Disabled Video Shadow in the BIOS...
I hope that helps
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Download the program DOCMEMORY and run it with only one stick in place. If that comes clean...run it with the second
stick in place but remove the first. If that comes clean...run it with both sticks in place.
DocMemory will show 1 of 2 things. A) one stick is bad or B) each stick by itself is good but incompatible together.
Hope this helps. I know it is frustrating trying to trace a problem like this.
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gtghm09-24-2003, 05:23 AM
Well, I was able to do 2-4&1/2 hour loops of 3dmark without it crashing to the desk top... One of them was with Prime95
running in the background. So I have concluded that the stick of Crucal was toast...
I was able to reload all of his software and stuff with out a single problem.
I tested his DVD drive with a copy of Dr No that ran perfectly... Also tested the burner and it worked just fine... I set
a couple of restore points and set it back home... like I said, I hope that I got it fixed.... :rolleyes: :)
Thanks for all of the speedy relpys you guys were great. :)
See ya round,
"g"
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