What Is the NTLDR Is Missing Error?
The "NTLDR missing" error has been around since the first version of Windows NT was released. It's one of the most common reasons why a computer with Windows won't start properly. "NTLDR" stands for "NT Loader" (NT stands for New Technology). This is the file that loads the booting sequence for all Windows operating systems from Windows NT (1993) to Windows XP (2001).
Other People Are Reading
-
The Problem
-
You'll know immediately if you have this problem with your NT-based Windows machine, because when you turn on your computer, Windows won't load. You just get a black screen with the words "NTLDR missing" in the top left corner. Since this is the very first file that will be accessed by the hard-drive to load the operating system, NTLDR must be readable and must not be damaged.
Also, due to the loader's chronological order in the boot sequence, it's impossible even to access the Safe Mode, in which many other Windows-related problems usually can be fixed, including other start-up problems. That's because the files that must be accessible to be able to enter safe mode also are unable to load. The computer is thereby completely inaccessible for use unless something is done to repair the NT loader, or an alternative source for an operating system is used.
Internal Causes
-
When the "NTLDR missing" error suddenly appears under a previously working version of Windows, it usually means something has corrupted the NT loader itself or any of the files that it relies on, such as ntdetect.com (responsible for detecting the computer's most basic hardware during the boot sequence) and boot.ini (the text-based file that stores the configuration for the boot menu, including safe mode) or the actual boot sector (the physical part on the hard drive where these files exist) to become corrupt. This can be caused by computer viruses or a sudden loss of power during a hard-disk write.
-
External Causes
-
The error can also appear after a new hard drive has been installed and the BIOS, which is the miniature operating system that exists on the motherboard of the computer itself (rather than the hard drive), has automatically reconfigured itself to load an operating system from the new hard drive, or is unable to find a keyboard connected to the computer (which is mandatory). It can also happen when the ATA cables, which transfer the data between drives and the motherboard, have been loosened from their seat, haven't been properly seated or have been damaged. Another possible cause is an unbootable diskette or CD currently in a drive that the BIOS tries to boot from before it boots from the hard drive.
Solution
-
There are four ways to solve this particular problem.
The first involves creating a boot disk with proper copies of the required files on it, to be copied to the hard drive to overwrite the current files there.
The second is to use the Windows CD to enter the recovery console (a text-based program, like MS-DOS), and use it to enter commands that will copy the required files from the CD to the appropriate location on the hard drive.
The third way also involves the Windows CD but uses an automatic repair process that checks all the files on the hard drive that are required for Windows, and then fixes or replaces bad files.
If none of these solutions work, you can also simply reinstall the operating system either on a new partition on the same hard drive, on another hard drive, or on the very same partition as the current operating system which would leave all personal files untouched and still accessible once the operating system has been installed again.
Prevention
-
To prevent this problem from occurring, or to make sure that it can be easily fixed if it ever does occur, you should:
1. Make sure your antivirus software is up-to-date and actively monitoring all file activity.
2. Check that all cables in the computer are properly seated after the computer has been moved if you suspect that, for example, a bumpy ride in a car could have caused this.
3. Manually check the hard drive for problems that possibly could spread and cause boot problems by right-clicking on each hard-drive with an operating system on it from "My Computer" and selecting "Properties" at the bottom of the list, then clicking on the "Tools" tab followed by clicking on the "Check Now" button under the "Error-checking" section.
4. Defrag the C: partition (the one that by default contains the operating system files) at least once every three months by doing the same as when checking the hard-drive for problems but instead choosing "Defragment Now".
5. Always make sure you know what you are doing and what might happen when you, for example, install a new hard-drive and want to configure the BIOS to boot from the proper one.
-
