BIG BIG PROBLEM!!!

[dclive]

Originally posted by: rh535
Is any buddy there?

Go into recovery console.
Put ntldr and ntdetect.com on a floppy disk (using another XP PC).
Copy the two files into the root of C: from the recovery console.
Type EXIT to reboot recovery console and let us know if that resolves the issue.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314058

may be helpful.

First doing the 2 file copies that I mention, rebooting and testing, and then trying fixboot and fixmbr and testing - give that a shot.

 

[rh535]

Would this work?

Windows XP users
Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

 

[dclive]

That's what I suggest.

 

[birdpup]

Originally posted by: rh535
I think i am going to put a clean windows xp on my 120 GB and then just drag my files over from 160. Would this work?

I recommend this approach since it is not known which files and how many of them were originally deleted. Yes, this approach will work as long as there is not good data on the 120GB drive that is needed.

Is there data on the 120GB drive that is needed to be saved?

 

[dclive]

Problem: System says ntldr not found.
Solution: Copy over ntldr from another source.

Let's try that first. It's the simplest option and will let us know if there are other issues.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: rh535
Would this work?

Windows XP users
Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

I think the install files are compressed. If those don't exist, try the extract command to decompress them, they usually have an _ after the extension denoting compression. If there's no _, it's not compressed.

 

[dclive]

Recovery console auto-decompresses files during the copy.

Easiest just to copy the files from a working system to a floppy and then copy from floppy to hard drive in recovery console. Should take all of 10 minutes, including CD bootup.

 

[rh535]

So in the command prompt what do i type to get the info off of the floppy?

 

[dclive]

Assuming you only have those files on the floppy,

copy a:\*.* c:

That's it.

 

[rh535]

Can i put the files on cd?

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: rh535
Can i put the files on cd?

If you don't have a floppy, just copy the files from the XP CD, as you detailed above.

 

[rh535]

instead of on the floppy

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: rh535
instead of on the floppy

I have no idea what you just said, but the directions for doing everything you need to do were posted by you about 10 posts up, so I suggest trying that.

 

[rh535]

Does it matter if the files are like this?

ntdetect C:/WINDOWS/ServicePackFiles/i386
ntldr C:/WINDOWS/ServicePackFiles/i386

 

[dclive]

I suggest doing what you wrote about 12 posts above - copying the files from the Recovery Console's XP CD. That may let you fix the problem quickly and easily.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: dclive
I suggest doing what you wrote about 12 posts above - copying the files from the Recovery Console's XP CD. That may let you fix the problem quickly and easily.

Got your IM.

I still suggest the same. Did you have any other questions about this?

 

[rh535]

Sorry but im stil confused. I have put ntldr and ntdetect on floppy. Then what?

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: rh535
Sorry but im stil confused. I have put ntldr and ntdetect on floppy. Then what?

Windows XP users
Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the floppy drive letter "A". This letter probably isn't different on your computer.

copy a:ntldr c:\
copy a:ntdetect.com c:\

With edits for the floppy drive, this is exactly what you posted. That's what I suggest you do first. You could have also just copied from the CDROM, as your example showed. Either way, it would have got you bootable, if the lack of those files is the problem.

 

[rh535]

I got it to work.
Thanks to every one who helped me.

THANKS

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: rh535
I got it to work.
Thanks to every one who helped me.

THANKS

Did copying those two files fix the problem, or did another solution fix the problem?

 

[rh535]

copying the files 2 fixed the problem. I can't thank you guys enough

THANKS

 

[dclive]

Glad it worked - Recovery Console is very helpful in repairing problems like this one.

 

[Tsosczb]

Man, there sure was some terrible advice in this thread. Why would you 'fix' the MBR or try to "repair" a partition if it says a file is missing? People should go to hell....

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: Tsosczb
Man, there sure was some terrible advice in this thread. Why would you 'fix' the MBR or try to "repair" a partition if it says a file is missing? People should go to hell....

I think that's a little harsh. A lot of the skills required just take time to develop, and it isn't something that most people know or understand. When in doubt, look for the simplest solution.