NTLDR Error and its Resolution!

Dear members,





NTLDR!


Additional Information:


Short of NT Loader, NTLDR is a program loaded from the hard drive boot
sector that displays the Microsoft Windows NT startup menu and helps
Microsoft Windows NT load.





NTLDR is Missing!





NTLDR Error Message


There are few different ways that the "NTLDR is missing" error may
present itself, with the first listing being the most common:





"NTLDR is missing


Press any key to restart"





"NTLDR is missing


Press Ctrl Alt Del to restart"





"Boot: Couldn't find NTLDR


Please insert another disk"





Steps to Resolve the NTLDR is Missing Error in Windows XP.





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an outdated BIOS, and damaged or loose IDE cables.





Fixes for NTLDR Errors





Restart the PC. The NTLDR error could be a fluke.





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.





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.





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.





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.





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.





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





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.





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 Occasionally, an outdated BIOS version can cause the "NTLDR is Missing" error.





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.





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 loose them all if you continue with a clean installation of
Windows XP.





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.





NTLDR Errors Apply To





This issue applies to the Windows XP operating system, including
Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. Windows Vista does
not utilize NTLDR.





Muhammad Afzal Meo