How to Repair "NTLDR Missing"

NTLDR is a required Windows boot file.

Microsoft Windows requires the NTLDR file to load into the operating system. The file is located in the root of the Windows directory, and it is susceptible to deletion or corruption by viruses or other poorly-tested software. The NTLDR is on the Windows installation CD and the recovery console can be used to replace the corrupted or missing file. The recovery console is an application available with any version of Windows and it is used to repair critical files when the operating system no longer functions.

Things You'll Need

• Windows installation CD

Instructions

1. Insert your Windows installation CD into the media drive on your computer. Press the "Cancel" button when prompted to install the operating system.

2. Reboot your machine with the installation CD inserted into the drive. The computer boots using the CD into an installation screen. Press the "R" key to select the recovery console.

3. Press the "1" key to choose the Windows installation directory. The recovery console prompts you for the administrator password before continuing. Enter the password and press the "Enter" key.

4. Type "copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\" into the command prompt. Replace "e" with the drive letter for your CD-ROM and replace "c" with the drive letter for your Windows installation. For most users, the "c" drive is the typical location for the Windows installation.

5. Remove the CD from the drive and reboot your machine again. Since the NTLDR file is replaced with a clean version, the machine successfully boots to Windows.

References

• Computer Hope: NTLDR is Missing Error