How to Fix the NTLDR Is Missing Error Message in Windows XP

Fixing the "NTLDR is missing" error can be frustrating.

Fixing the NTLDR is missing error message is one of the most common problems people need help with. The NTLDR file is critical for Windows XP to load properly, and if Windows can't find it, then it will simply refuse to load. There are several reasons this could occur. The most common is the simplest to fix--you have a disk or memory card which Windows is attempting to use to boot which is not bootable. Just remove it and Windows should load. If the file really is missing or corrupted though, it requires more effort to fix.

Things You'll Need

• Windows XP disk

Instructions

1. Reboot your computer and insert your Windows XP disk.

2. Press any key when shown the prompt "Press any key to boot from CD."

3. Press the "R" key on your keyboard when asked whether you want to install or repair Windows.

4. Press "1" and then press "Enter." This will allow you to log into Windows.

5. Enter your administrator password if you have one.

6. Type the following commands at the command prompt:
   "copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\"
   "copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\"

Tips & Warnings

• There are several other possible reasons why the "NTLDR" file may be reported as missing or corrupt. For example, Microsoft mentions that the problem may be related to too many files being loaded to the root directory. This however is rare as programs do not typically write to the root directory.

• It is also possible that the "boot.ini" file has the wrong information, in which case you will need to open the file using an editor such as Notepad and look to see where it says that "NTLDR" is. This is again rare since few programs will edit the "boot.ini" file.

• Another possibility for the problem is corruption of your hard drive's file system. If the above fixes don't work, you can try booting with your "Windows XP" disk and then using the "Windows Recovery Panel" to run the following programs: "fixboot" and "fixmbr."

• Finally, if all else fails, use your Windows XP disk to get into the hard drive, copy your important files, reboot your computer and re-install Windows XP from scratch. A clean install should fix the problem, though it will erase your hard drive as part of the process.

• Be sure to put the files into the correct location by closely following the instructions.

References

• Computer Hope: NTLDR is Missing
• Microsoft: Windows May Not Start Because There Are Too Many Files in the Root Directory

Resources

• Microsoft: NTLDR is Missing Error Message