NTLDR is missing ; Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart.

  • Thread starter Thread starter mikem
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mikem

I have been running sucessfully Vista Ultimate (x64) for about 6 months until
last night when coming back to the computer, I discovered the above error
message. I have tried Windows Restore, Repair Startup Files (nothing wrong),
I have deleted the two partitions but all to no avail. I have reloaded
Windows so many times that I can type in the Product Key without looking at
the disc box!. I have run chkdsk and sfc. Sfc tells me that I have corrupt
files but looking at the CBS.log file I am lost as to what it is telling me.
I have looked at the example that Microsoft gives about this file but my
descriptions bear little resemblance to those given and I can't determine
what files are corrupted. I have tried to follow the tutorial at
http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm but failed miserably to do any
of the suggestions. My computer, which I built myself, has a single 200Gb
hard disc, 2 Gb of Ram and AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core Processor 4200+. Any
advice to get the computer up and running again would be gratefully received
but I am of the older generation and grateful for any advice given to be
spelt out as simply as possible. Thanks in advance.
 
Hi,

Vista does not use ntldr in any way, shape, or form, it uses winload.exe.
The fact that the system is looking for it at boot means that either the mbr
is messed up or that the bcd file is. Open an elevated command prompt and
run bcdedit /enum and check the boot path for Vista. It should not contain
any reference to ntldr. If you are unsure of what you are looking at/for,
copy paste the results into a response.

Either that or the system BIOS has the mbr locked (boot time protection) and
is not allowing Vista setup or repair to fix it. Disabling it in the BIOS
and then running a startup repair from the Vista DVD would fix this.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Rick, Many thanks for this response. Grateful you explain what an elevated
command prompt is and how I execute it. I am afraid I am a total novice at
this. Unfortunately, I have had to come away for the w/end and won't be able
to do anything until Sun night but will obviuosly let you know how I get on.
Enjoy the w/end and many thanks for the assistance, it is much appreciated.
Mike
 
I can tell you what he means by elevated command prompt: A command prompt is
the DOS looking screen that pops up when you run cmd from your start menu.
When you open the prompt it usually says like C:/Name-of-your-computer/ Then
you're expected to type special commands.

The word elevated is used because in windows vista, they want to protect you
from using stuff you don't know about and messing up your system. From
within vista you need to right-click on the cmd icon that appears and select
"Run As an Administrator" I know you are probably the administrator on your
computer, but this step is in place as a safeguard.
 
Hi,

For an elevated commmand prompt, click the start button and type CMD into
the search line. Right click the entry that appears in the programs menu and
choose "run as administrator". Click continue at the UAC prompt. Then you
can run the bcdedit /enum command.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Thanks to both of you.

I have run the command and can confirm that ntldr is not mentioned as shown
below


Windows Boot Manager
Identifier (bootmgr)
Device partition=C:
Description Windows Boot Manager
Locale en-US
Inherit (global settings)
Default (current)
Resumeobject (301f4be9-9f7b-11dc-8960-a1ed02debfce)
Displayorder (current)
Toolsdisplayorder (memdiag)

Windows Boot Loader
Identifier (current)
Device partition=C:
Path \windows\system32\winload.exe
Description Microsoft Windows Vista
Inherit (Bootleadersettings)
Osdevice partition=C:
Systemroot \Windows
Resumeobject (301f4be9-9f7b-11dc-8960-a1ed02debfce)


I understand the next step is to go into the BIOS but I am not sure what I
should be doing once I am there.

Mike
 
Hi,

Just to give you an update as I haven't heard anything from you, I decided
to re-load Windows Xp Pro as I knew that would allow me to easily re-format
the hard drive which I did. I then reloaded Vista but to my dismay the error
message came back again to haunt me, So I do hope that someone out there can
help me out of this predicament.
 
Hi Rick,

Hate to admit this but I am sitting here having just earned a Certificate
for Muppetry and feeling highly embarrased. Directing me back to the BIOS
was correct and telling me to check that the right drive was active, was also
correct. Although I had checked the boot sequence I had not checked the boot
sequence for the internal and external drives. Somehow this boot sequence
had changed such that the computer was trying to boot from the external drive
first and not the internal. How this happened is a complete mystery to me
but once that was changed, the computer booted up correctly.

Thank you for taking the time to advise me and I am sorry that I had not
spotted this error earlier.

Best Wishes, Mike
 
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