Bios Problems "ntldr Is Missing"

STAC|Tom

ok i tried updating my BIOS through the DFI website. After that, computer loads and says ,
"NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart"

how can i fix thiS? i cannot go onto windows ever since. i have no Backups of the bios before n used some program called Winflash because i dont have a Floppy drive.
I used this site Simple "ntldr is missing" fix with boot floppy, CD-R, or USB flash to try resolve the problem, the only way i can get onto my pc is by leaving a CD in my pc whenver it boots. Is there any other way i could just start off with the basic BIOS i had before?

temeteus82

it's not BIOS issue for some reason your boot drive don't have the NTLDR file in the root folder.
To fix this you need XP's CD and boot from it and go to the recovery console and fun "fixboot C:" command.

[hobo]eclipse

first check to see if flashing the bios reset the boot drive, be sure it is set properly in the bios.

CDsDontBurn

you can also go through this but a bit easier as well. you still need the winXP CD, but just go through as if you were to install winXP again, but then choose the "repair" option and go through windows installation > press F8 > detect previous installations of windows > select your winXP install > and repair from there!\

jp306

That's the deal dude(it happened to me before), just go into the bios and make the boot drive what it was before the flash and if you're unsure just change until you get it right. Unless you only have 1 hard drive then do the XP CD thing...

Tipstaff

Of note, if you are using an SATA drive as your primary drive be sure that it is plugged into the right port on the motherboard. Sometimes a system will install just fine when a drive is placed on, say, SATA port 2, but once a change in the bios is done to the boot order, it will no longer go directly to that drive. In which case you have to choose the drive as part of the boot order in order to get it working again.

Also (and this is just for info sake, but something to consider), if you have 2 hard drives, had both hooked up when you installed the operating system, but the drive you choose to install the OS to was the 2nd drive, then the boot information would be on the first drive. If the boot order got changed in the bios it could be trying to directly boot from the 2nd drive, and it wouldn't work since the boot information isn't there. In this case you would have to change the boot order in the bios to the other drive.

BTW, and I know this is gonna sound.. well.. obvious, but you do have a floppy drive? If so, there isn't a floppy in there right now, is there? The reason I ask is that it's a very common thing to overlook, and can give the same "ntldr is missing" error if the floppy isn't bootable.

cozumel

Follow the advice of temeteus and CDsDontNurn shown above. Your copy of XP has somehow been corrupted. Ntldr can no longer be located and it is vital for a successful boot into your OS. You will need to repair your installation either by doing what is shown in the two posts above or by doing a whole new fresh install. If you're ending up with a fresh install then you may as well re-format too lol.

On a sidenote it always is a bad move to flash BIOS with windows program. On most machines you can also flash with CD, zipdrive or thumb-drive.

CDsDontBurn

imo, flashing a system BIOS is still done best through good ol' floppy. and if you ask who still has one, i do!

cozumel

I still use a floppy religiously for flashing bios (it's the only time fdd is used). Better the devil you know.

STAC|Tom

Thank guys for all the support. ITS ALL FIXED! Couldnt of done it without you guys.

Tipstaff

LOL! While I'm glad you got everything fixed, could you, by chance, let us in on the solution, or at least what the problem was? Please???

I wanna find out who was right.

H3X4D3C1M4L

I put my money on the boot order being wrong. Happens every time