kengibson
asked on
"ntldr is missing" error on new XP install after failed win98 install
Here is the issue:
New barebones system that I bought and installed memory and hard drive in.
The system:
Mobo-NF7-M
512Mb PC2100
Cd-Rom
40gb hard drive (out of working fire wire drive on my other machine).
I cleared the 40GB drive and reformatted it in XP (right click>format) NFTS format
Here is what I did to it. Since I have an XP pro upgrade disk that isn’t used, I tried to install win98 from a “system restore disk” of an older machine I am replacing (I know..very stupid, but I needed a previous version of windows on the drive to upgrade it to XP). Well, It got about half way through the win98 install and said something to the effect that ”this computer is not brand XXXX, can’t install windows”
I quit, go buy a full version of XP home edition and try again. But now, after the bios clears, I get the “ntldr is missing” error and must restart. (I didn’t get this before the filed win98 install). With booting from the CD, I get to the winXP setup page, try to set-up, but then it says that it can’t detect the hard drive.
I have:
Reinstalled and Flashed the bios
Reformatted the 40Gb machine twice in my other computer (XP right click>format). -----Both times it was installed as a slave.
-The 40GB drive will now only work back in the first machine if the jumpers are set at slave (they were at master previously). It sits in an external fire wire case in the first machine.
I spent about 15 hours on google trying everything. Any Ideas?
Thanks a bunch!
New barebones system that I bought and installed memory and hard drive in.
The system:
Mobo-NF7-M
512Mb PC2100
Cd-Rom
40gb hard drive (out of working fire wire drive on my other machine).
I cleared the 40GB drive and reformatted it in XP (right click>format) NFTS format
Here is what I did to it. Since I have an XP pro upgrade disk that isn’t used, I tried to install win98 from a “system restore disk” of an older machine I am replacing (I know..very stupid, but I needed a previous version of windows on the drive to upgrade it to XP). Well, It got about half way through the win98 install and said something to the effect that ”this computer is not brand XXXX, can’t install windows”
I quit, go buy a full version of XP home edition and try again. But now, after the bios clears, I get the “ntldr is missing” error and must restart. (I didn’t get this before the filed win98 install). With booting from the CD, I get to the winXP setup page, try to set-up, but then it says that it can’t detect the hard drive.
I have:
Reinstalled and Flashed the bios
Reformatted the 40Gb machine twice in my other computer (XP right click>format). -----Both times it was installed as a slave.
-The 40GB drive will now only work back in the first machine if the jumpers are set at slave (they were at master previously). It sits in an external fire wire case in the first machine.
I spent about 15 hours on google trying everything. Any Ideas?
Thanks a bunch!
ASKER
thanks sunray...i have seen most of this but will try the xop recovery console ideas. Still..I am troubled that I can't "see" the hard drive after the bios loads.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
>It sits in an external fire wire case in the first machine.
If there's another drive in this machine chances are you're trying to read the boot sector from that.
If the computer's BIOS has IEEE 1394 boot support and onboard fire-wire, make sure the BIOS is set to boot from that device, if not, you'll have to get your boot sector onto the boot device.
If there's another drive in this machine chances are you're trying to read the boot sector from that.
If the computer's BIOS has IEEE 1394 boot support and onboard fire-wire, make sure the BIOS is set to boot from that device, if not, you'll have to get your boot sector onto the boot device.
ASKER
Chicagoman,
Sorry, I need to clarify. the IEEE 1394 drive was the the drive that I took from the first machine to put into this new machine. So the new machine (the one I am having the trouble with) recognized the drive in the bios (it sees the 40Gb, as master) but it wont recognize it past that point (a DOS boot disk creates a ramdrive as C:)
Sorry, I need to clarify. the IEEE 1394 drive was the the drive that I took from the first machine to put into this new machine. So the new machine (the one I am having the trouble with) recognized the drive in the bios (it sees the 40Gb, as master) but it wont recognize it past that point (a DOS boot disk creates a ramdrive as C:)
ASKER
Howie_ly,
The bios does recognize the drive as the bios is "booting up" (40GB, master), but at the end of the bios I get the "ntldr is missing error" if I don't have the machine boot from a floppy (DOS) or CD. If I do have it boot from floppy or CD, it then wont be able to read the C drive (DOS actually creates a ramdrive for C).
The bios does recognize the drive as the bios is "booting up" (40GB, master), but at the end of the bios I get the "ntldr is missing error" if I don't have the machine boot from a floppy (DOS) or CD. If I do have it boot from floppy or CD, it then wont be able to read the C drive (DOS actually creates a ramdrive for C).
Yep on the right track (i hope). You won't see the drive contents because you can't read ntfs partitions in dos.
After boot using a floppy or cd, in your ramdrive (c:) prompt type fdisk /fixmbr. It should detect that yes there is a hard drive there, and fix the boot record accordingly.
Failing that, there's the repair console for xp (get in via the xp installation cd then R for repair console). Help and cycle until you find the command to repair the boot sector of your drive (if you can't find it i'll have a lookie tomorrow.. bit late now.. it's midnight in australia hehe).
Cheers
After boot using a floppy or cd, in your ramdrive (c:) prompt type fdisk /fixmbr. It should detect that yes there is a hard drive there, and fix the boot record accordingly.
Failing that, there's the repair console for xp (get in via the xp installation cd then R for repair console). Help and cycle until you find the command to repair the boot sector of your drive (if you can't find it i'll have a lookie tomorrow.. bit late now.. it's midnight in australia hehe).
Cheers
Failing that.. you can install windows xp over itself. New installation (not repair), and you won't lose any of your programs (i have a feeling you'll end up doing this anyway but you'll need a non-upgrade i.e. full retail version to do so). I'm not a fan of upgrades =(
Check the "A"ctive partition. Bootup a diskette and make sure the partition that XP is sitting on is marked Active.
cheers
cheers
ASKER
Howie/Ly,
Thanks for the advice on fdisk/fixmbr. I will try it this evening after work and let you know. So this will work, despite the fact that c: is a booted up ramdrive out of DOS? Regrading the second option ("Failing that.. you can install windows xp over itself. New installation (not repair), and you won't lose any of your programs"). I did try this already with a full XP-home version, but when i select "new install" it then says that it can't detect a hard drive!
Thanks for all the help guiding me through.
Ken
Thanks for the advice on fdisk/fixmbr. I will try it this evening after work and let you know. So this will work, despite the fact that c: is a booted up ramdrive out of DOS? Regrading the second option ("Failing that.. you can install windows xp over itself. New installation (not repair), and you won't lose any of your programs"). I did try this already with a full XP-home version, but when i select "new install" it then says that it can't detect a hard drive!
Thanks for all the help guiding me through.
Ken
ASKER
Since I can setup this 40Gb drive as a slave in my other machine (running XP home) is there anything I can fix that way that I can't in the new machine?
You could zero the drive out with something like wdclear.exe, put it back in the other machine and do a fresh install.
ASKER
chicagoan,
I will try wdclear.exe with the drive set back in my primary machine if fdisk/mbr doesn't work as howie_ly suggested.
ken
I will try wdclear.exe with the drive set back in my primary machine if fdisk/mbr doesn't work as howie_ly suggested.
ken
ASKER
Howie_Ly,
I owe you a beer!! I am up!
This is what I did. I noticed that the HD was booting up as "secondary master" in the bios. The barebones kit I bought (without the HD) had the CD-ROM in IDE1 on the mobo. I just plugged in my hard drive into IDE2. Yes…rookie mistake, but this is my first go around. So I switched the HD to IDE1 and CD-ROM to IDE2. (Don’t know if this helped or not).
I then booted with win98 boot disk, I ran fdisk and deleted the single NTFS partition on the 40GB HD. I then ran fdsik/mbr from c:
I then rebooted, ran the XP home install disk (full version) and it recognized the unformatted drive and away to the XP install I went. It is running like a champ!
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!
I owe you a beer!! I am up!
This is what I did. I noticed that the HD was booting up as "secondary master" in the bios. The barebones kit I bought (without the HD) had the CD-ROM in IDE1 on the mobo. I just plugged in my hard drive into IDE2. Yes…rookie mistake, but this is my first go around. So I switched the HD to IDE1 and CD-ROM to IDE2. (Don’t know if this helped or not).
I then booted with win98 boot disk, I ran fdisk and deleted the single NTFS partition on the 40GB HD. I then ran fdsik/mbr from c:
I then rebooted, ran the XP home install disk (full version) and it recognized the unformatted drive and away to the XP install I went. It is running like a champ!
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!
haha... a beer would be nice at the moment!
Thanks for the A mate!
Thanks for the A mate!
ASKER
No prob, you deserved it
http://oldlook.experts-exchange.com/questions/20770353/Missing-NTLDR.html
Sunray