I just fot my hard drive wiped and am trying to reinstall windows xp. When I try to boot from the cd a message says "NTLDR missing". What the hell?

First I have to assume that you are running Windows XP. This solution should work for other versions of Windows.
The "NTLDR is missing" error displays very shortly after the computer is first started, immediately after the Power On Self Test (POST) is complete. Windows XP has only initially begun to load when the NTLDR error message appears.
Causes of NTLDR Errors
There are a number of possible causes for NTLDR errors, including the most common "NTLDR is missing" error message.
The most common reason for this error is when your PC is trying to boot from a hard drive or flash drive that is not properly configured to be booted from; in other words, it's trying to boot from a non-bootable source. This also would apply to media on an optical drive or floppy drive that you're trying to boot from.
Other possible causes include corrupt and misconfigured files, hard drive and operating system upgrade issues, corrupt hard drive sectors, an outdated BIOS, and damaged or loose IDE cables.
How to Fix NTLDR Errors
1.Restart the PC. The NTLDR error could be a fluke.

2.Check your floppy and optical (CD/DVD/BD) drives for media and disconnect any external drives. Often times, the "NTLDR is Missing" error will appear if your PC is trying to boot to a non-bootable floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, or external hard drive or flash drive.
Note: If you find that this is the cause of your problem and it's happening a lot, you might want to consider changing the boot order in BIOS so the hard drive with Windows installed is listed first.

3.Check the hard drive and other drive settings in BIOS and ensure they are correct. The BIOS configuration tells the computer how to use a drive so incorrect settings can cause problems, including NTLDR errors.
Note: There is usually an Auto setting for hard drive and optical drive configurations in BIOS which is usually a safe bet if you're not sure what to do.

4. Restore the NTLDR and ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD. Restoring these two important system files from the original Windows XP CD may do the trick.

5. Repair or replace the boot.ini file. This will prevent the NTLDR error if the cause of the problem is a boot.ini file that is not configured properly for your Windows XP installation.

6. Write a new partition boot sector to the Windows XP system partition. If the partition boot sector has become corrupt or isn't properly configured, you may receive the "NTLDR is Missing" error.

7. Repair the Windows XP master boot record. NTLDR error messages may also appear if the master boot record is corrupt.

8. Reseat all internal data and power cables. NTLDR error messages could be caused by loose or malfunctioning IDE cables.
Try replacing the IDE cable cable if you suspect it might be faulty.

9. Update your motherboard's BIOS. Occasionally, an outdated BIOS version can cause the "NTLDR is Missing" error.

10. Perform a repair installation of Windows XP. This type of installation should replace any missing or corrupt files. Continue troubleshooting if this does not resolve the issue.

11. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP. This type of installation will completely remove Windows XP from your PC and install it again from scratch. While this will almost certainly resolve any NTLDR errors, it is a time consuming process due to the fact that all of your data must be backed up and then later restored.
If you can't gain access to your files to back them up, understand that you will lose them all if you continue with a clean installation of Windows XP.

12. Replace the hard drive and then perform a new installation of Windows XP. If all else has failed, including the clean installation from the last step, you're most likely facing a hardware issue with your hard drive.
NTLDR Errors Apply To
This issue applies to the Windows XP operating system, including Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition.
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista utilize BOOTMGR, not NTLDR.
Still Having NTLDR Issues?
See Get More Help for information about contacting me on social networks or via email, posting on tech support forums, and more. Be sure to let me know what steps, if any, you've already taken to fix the "NTLDR is missing" issue.

How to Fix NTLDR Errors

1. Restart the PC. The NTLDR error could be a fluke.
2. Check your floppy and optical (CD/DVD/BD) drives for media and disconnect any external drives. Often times, the "NTLDR is Missing" error will appear if your PC is trying to boot to a non-bootable floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, or external hard drive or flash drive.
   
   Note: If you find that this is the cause of your problem and it's happening a lot, you might want to consider changing the boot order in BIOS so the hard drive with Windows installed is listed first.
3. Check the hard drive and other drive settings in BIOS and ensure they are correct. The BIOS configuration tells the computer how to use a drive so incorrect settings can cause problems, including NTLDR errors.
   
   Note: There is usually an Auto setting for hard drive and optical drive configurations in BIOS which is usually a safe bet if you're not sure what to do.
4. Restore the NTLDR and ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD. Restoring these two important system files from the original Windows XP CD may do the trick.
5. Repair or replace the boot.ini file. This will prevent the NTLDR error if the cause of the problem is a boot.ini file that is not configured properly for your Windows XP installation.
6. Write a new partition boot sector to the Windows XP system partition. If the partition boot sector has become corrupt or isn't properly configured, you may receive the "NTLDR is Missing" error.
7. Repair the Windows XP master boot record. NTLDR error messages may also appear if the master boot record is corrupt.
8. Reseat all internal data and power cables. NTLDR error messages could be caused by loose or malfunctioning IDE cables.
   
   Try replacing the IDE cable cable if you suspect it might be faulty.
9. Update your motherboard's BIOS. Occasionally, an outdated BIOS version can cause the "NTLDR is Missing" error.
10. Perform a repair installation of Windows XP. This type of installation should replace any missing or corrupt files. Continue troubleshooting if this does not resolve the issue.
11. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP. This type of installation will completely remove Windows XP from your PC and install it again from scratch. While this will almost certainly resolve any NTLDR errors, it is a time consuming process due to the fact that all of your data must be backed up and then later restored.
    
    If you can't gain access to your files to back them up, understand that you will

When NTLDR is missing from your operating system it means that there is a problem with your boot loader, a bootstrap process that begins when you turn on the computer. A missing NTLDR means that your computer cannot boot to the operating system. This issue is only a problem on computers running Windows XP or previous operating systems as Windows 7 and Vista don't utilize NTLDR. Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable. Failing to enable USB keyboard support in the BIOS. Many times this error is caused when the computer is attempting to boot from a non-bootable floppy disk or CD ROM First verify that no Floppy Diskette or CD is in the computer, unless you are attempting to boot from a diskette. Fixing the missing NTLDR is relatively easy so long as you have your installation disc.
Locate your Windows XP/2000 installation disc and place it in your CD/DVD ROM drive. If you don't have this disk, then you cannot proceed further. Restart your computer. When the computer restarts press any key on your keyboard when you are prompted, "Press any key to enter setup." Most computers are configured to boot to another device other than a hard drive. Since the Windows XP/2000 installation disk is bootable, you should see the prompt. However, if you don't see the prompt you may need to change your boot priority in your BIOS. To do so, enter the system BIOS by following the onscreen instructions upon startup. Then navigate to the Boot Priority menu and modify another device, such as a CD-ROM to boot prior to the hard drive. Then reboot your computer. After you have pressed any key, the Windows XP/2000 setup screen will appear. After loading, press the "R" key to repair the Windows installation. The screen will appear black. The computer requests which installation you would like to log in. Generally speaking, press "1" and "Enter." If you have more than one hard drive or more than one partition, the procedure may be different. You must know which hard drive or partition your Windows operating system is installed in. You are subsequently prompted for a password. If you haven't set up one up, you can just leave the query blank and press "Enter." The phrase "c:\WINDOWS>" and a blinking cursor subsequently appear. Type "copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\windows" (without quotes), where "D" is the letter of your CD/DVD ROM drive (your optical drive may be different, especially if you have more than one). Eject the CD from the drive and type "Exit" (without quotes) to restart your computer. The NTLDR file will be copied from the installation disc to your hard drive.

or If you've started your Windows XP computer and you see an error message to the effect that the "NTLDR" file is missing or corrupted, you've probably also noticed that the computer refuses to boot any further. This is because the NTLDR file is an integral part of the boot process and needs to be restored before the boot process can proceed normally.

Insert your Windows XP disc into your computer. Restart the computer and press any key on your keyboard when the message prompting you to do so appears. Press the "R" key to open the Recovery Console and then press "1" and "Enter" in order to select your operating system. Type in your Administrator password (if needed) and press "Enter." Type "copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\" and press "Enter" and then type "copy d:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\" and press "Enter." Restart your computer and let it boot up normally. Since the NTLDR is freshly restored, the computer boots up properly. Hope this helps.

Fixes for NTLDR Errors

1. Restart the PC. The NTLDR error could be a fluke.
   
   
2. Check your floppy and optical (CD/DVD/BD) drives for media and disconnect any external drives. Often times, the "NTLDR is Missing" error will appear if your PC is trying to boot to a non-bootable floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, or external hard drive or flash drive.
   
   Note: If you find that this is the cause of your problem and it's happening a lot, you might want to consider changing the boot order in BIOS so the hard drive with Windows installed is listed first.
   
   
3. Check the hard drive and other drive settings in BIOS and ensure they are correct. The BIOS configuration tells the computer how to use a drive so incorrect settings can cause problems, including NTLDR errors.
   
   Note: There is usually an Auto setting for hard drive and optical drive configurations in BIOS which is usually a safe bet if you're not sure what to do.
   
   
4. Restore the NTLDR and ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD. Restoring these two important system files from the original Windows XP CD may do the trick.
   
   
5. Repair or replace the boot.ini file. This will prevent the NTLDR error if the cause of the problem is a boot.ini file that is not configured properly for your Windows XP installation.
   
   
6. Write a new partition boot sector to the Windows XP system partition. If the partition boot sector has become corrupt or isn't properly configured, you may receive the "NTLDR is Missing" error.
   
   
7. Repair the Windows XP master boot record. NTLDR error messages may also appear if the master boot record is corrupt.
   
   
8. Reseat all internal data and power cables. NTLDR error messages could be caused by loose or malfunctioning IDE cables.
   
   Try replacing the IDE cable cable if you suspect it might be faulty.
   
   
9. Update your motherboard's BIOS. Occasionally, an outdated BIOS version can cause the "NTLDR is Missing" error.
   
   
10. Perform a repair installation of Windows XP. This type of installation should replace any missing or corrupt files. Continue troubleshooting if this does not resolve the issue.
    
    
11. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP. This type of installation will completely remove Windows XP from your PC and install it again from scratch. While this will almost certainly resolve any NTLDR errors, it is a time consuming process due to the fact that all of your data must be backed up and then later restored.
    
    If you can't gain access to your files to back them up, understand that you will lose them all if you continue with a clean installation of Windows XP.
    
    
12. Replace the hard drive and then perform a new installation of Windows XP. If all else has failed, including the clean installation from the last step, you're most likely facing a hardware issue with your hard drive.

How To: Fix "NTLDR is missing"

Applies to: Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP

Symptoms

When you start your computer, you receive the error message "NTLDR is missing. Press any key to restart."

Cause

The error message "NTLDR is missing" means that the Windows boot loader (NT Loader, NTLDR) cannot be found. This oftenoccurs when the computer tries to boot from a drive other than the one Windows is installed on, due to a change in the driveconfiguration or because you left a bootable disk in a removable drive. But it may also be because the NTLDR file has beencorrupted or deleted.

SolutionCheck the boot drives

First, check the boot drives to make sure that the computer is not trying to boot from a different drive to the one thatcontains Windows.

• Check that there are no CDs or DVDs in the CD/DVD drives.
• Check that no removable drives are plugged in to the USB ports.
• Check the boot order in the BIOS Setup to ensure that the computer boots from the drive containing Windows before any other bootable devices.

If this does not resolve the problem, you will have to repair the NT boot loader.

Fix NTLDR

The easiest way to fix the "NTLDR is missing" error is to use Spotmau PowerSuite.However, if your computer is using Windows XP and you have a Windows XP installation CD you may be able to boot from this anduse the Recovery Console to fix NTLDR manually instead.

Use Spotmau PowerSuiteInsert the Spotmau PowerSuite CD and start the computer. The main menu will appear.

• Click 2. Windows Recovery.

• When the Windows Recovery tool starts, click Windows NT/2000/XP/2003.

• On the Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 Recovery dialog, click Recover NTLDR and NTDETECT.

• On the Recover NTLDR and NTDETECT dialog, select your operating system (e.g. Windows XP) and then click Recover.

The tool will repair the file and report "NTLDR and NTDETECT have been recovered successfully."

• Remove the Spotmau PowerTools CD from the drive and click Restart to reboot the computer.

Here link of the program Spotmau PowerSuite 2010 + Serial Download
Here link of the program Spotmau PowerSuite 2010 v5.1.1.4846 Download

Please Rate Me

If you are attempting to install Windows XP and are receiving this error message as the computer is booting verify that your computer BIOS has the proper boot settings. For example, if you are attempting to run the install from the CD-ROM make sure the CD-ROM is the first boot device, and not the hard disk drive.
When the computer is booting you should receive the below prompt.
Press any key to boot from the CD
Important: When you see this message press any key such as the Enter key immediately, otherwise it will try booting from the hard drive and likely get the NTLDR error again.

You need to either reinstall windows, or take the hard drive out, hook it up as a spare drive to a working computer and copy NTDLR to the root of the laptop hard drive. It would be much easier to reinstall windows. You can always use the recovery portion of Windows, but if I were you I would just do a format and reinstall. NTDLR is just a startup file for Windows XP, that does not mean your hard drive is gone or anything. Please don't forget to rate!..Thanks

Did you simply swap hard drives? "Couldn't find NTLDR" basically means the PC cannot find any version of Windows installed because the boot file is missing. This could be because you have a CD in the drive or the hard drive is missing or broken.


If you put in a new hard drive to replace your older smaller one you need to reinstall Windows on that new 40GB drive or it just won't work. If you have some PC Tech friends they should be able to move the data which is tricky or help you out.

Fixes for NTLDR Errors

1. Restart the PC. The NTLDR error could be a fluke.
   
   
2. Check your floppy and optical (CD/DVD) drives for media. Often times, the "NTLDR is Missing" error will appear if your PC is trying to boot to a non-bootable floppy disk or CD/DVD.
   
   Note: If you find that this is the cause of your problem and it's happening a lot, you might want to consider changing the boot order in BIOS so the hard drive is listed first.
   
   
3. Check the hard drive and other drive settings in BIOS and ensure they are correct. The BIOS configuration tells the computer how to use a drive so incorrect settings can cause problems, including NTLDR errors. There is usually an Auto setting for hard drive and optical drive configurations in BIOS which is usually a safe bet if you're not sure what to do.
   
   
4. Restore the NTLDR and ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD. Restoring these two important system files from the original Windows XP CD may do the trick.
   
   
5. Repair or replace the boot.ini file. This will prevent the NTLDR error if the cause of the problem is a boot.ini file that is not configured properly for your Windows XP installation.
   
   
6. Write a new partition boot sector to the Windows XP system partition. If the partition boot sector has become corrupt or isn't properly configured, you may receive the "NTLDR is Missing" error.
   
   
7. Repair the Windows XP master boot record. NTLDR error messages may also appear if the master boot record is corrupt.
   
   
8. Open your computer's case and ensure that the cable that connects the hard drive to the motherboard is firmly in place. If this does not resolve the issue, try replacing the cable. NTLDR error messages could be caused by loose or malfunctioning IDE cables.
   
   
9. Update your motherboard's BIOS. Occasionally, an outdated BIOS version can cause the "NTLDR is Missing" error.
   
   
10. Perform a repair installation of Windows XP. This type of installation should replace any missing or corrupt files. Continue troubleshooting if this does not resolve the issue.
    
    
11. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP. This type of installation will completely remove Windows XP from your PC and install it again from scratch. While this will almost certainly resolve any NTLDR errors, it is a time consuming process due to the fact that all of your data must be backed up and then later restored.
    
    If you can't gain access to your files to back them up, understand that you will lose them all if you continue with a clean installation of Windows XP.
    
    
12. Finally, if all else has failed, including the clean installation from the last step, you're most likely facing a hardware issue with your hard drive. Replace the hard drive and then perform a new installation of Windows XP.

Hi,


NTLDR or NTDETECT Is Missing or Corrupt Error Message









Table of Contents Start the Recovery Console Repair the Missing NTLDR or NTDETECT File » Start the Recovery Console

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD or DVD drive.
   
2. Restart the computer.
   
3. While the computer is starting, repeatedly press F12 every 3 seconds to access the one-time boot menu.
   
4. When the one-time boot menu appears, press the Down Arrow to highlight the CD-ROM option that appears, which is one of the following options: Onboard CD-ROM Drive or Onboard USB CD-ROM Drive.
   
5. Press Enter.
   
6. When the computer boots to the CD-ROM drive, press R to enter the Recovery Console.
   

» Repair the Missing NTLDR or NTDETECT File

1. Boot the system to the Windows XP Recovery Console.
   
   
2. Type map, and press <Enter>. Make note of the drive letter assigned to the optical (DVD or CD-ROM) drive.
   
   
3. Type copy x:\i386\ntldr c:\ (where x is the drive letter for the optical drive), and press <Enter>.
   
   
4. Type copy x:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\ (where x is the drive letter for the optical drive), and press <Enter>.
   
   
5. If you are prompted to overwrite the file, type y, and press <Enter>.
   
   
6. Type exit and press <Enter>.
   
   
7. As the computer restarts, remove the Windows XP CD.

The files have been restored and the error message should be fixed.

You can check this website for further details.
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=B93824605BF646F98FDFACA51E3A9B55&journalid=4F6F8BC06C3B5014E040AE0AB5E121D2&Query=TlRMRFIraXMrbWlzc2luZw==&SystemID=LAT_PNT_PM_D600&ServiceTag=&contenttype=-1&os=-1&component=-1&lang=-1&doclang=en&toggle=false

Pls let me know asap if we did resolve it.

Dont forget to rate me Fixya....

Cheers.