How to Fix NTLDR is Missing

This is actually a pretty common error that most people may or may not experience. In most cases, this file becomes corrupt or gets deleted by viruses or even anti-virus software's. The reason why anti-virus software's may delete this file is because the virus that is infecting the computer has attached itself to the NTLDR files. The NTLDR file is a required file needed to boot windows. Without this file your computer will stall at a command prompt, telling you that NTLDR is missing and to press CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot your computer. Pressing that key combination will restart your computer and repost the same
message over and over. Here is a step by step guide to fixing this error...

1. Locate you Windows XP CD and place it in your CD-ROM drive.

2. Restart your computer, or turn it off and then back on.
How to fix NTDLR MISSING error.

3. When you computer restarts you should eventually see the words "Press Any Key to enter Setup". If you do not see these words and it goes to the screen that gives you the error message, you will have to change your boot priority in your bios settings.

Changing boot device priority

A. When you see you're the first screen, the boot screen, press delete a few times until your computer beeps. Pressing the delete key will bring your computer up into the bios settings. The key you need to press may differ from computer to computer. If the delete key doesn't work for you, contact your computer manufacturer and ask them what key you need to press to get into bios.

B. After you are in your bios settings you will need to navigate to your boot settings. Depending on which type and version of BIOS you have, this process may be different. Either way, there should be a section called Boot or Boot Priority. Navigate to that and make sure that your CD-ROM has top or first priority. After you have don't that, save and exit (press F10).

4. Once you see the "Press Any Key to Enter Setup" message, go ahead and press any key.

5. This will start the Windows Setup Process; it will take it several minutes to load.

6. After it has loaded press the "R" key to repair the windows installation. Your screen should go black and come up to a command prompt. You may see a message telling you to type EXIT to reboot your computer, just give it a few seconds. The prompt will then ask you which windows installation you want to log into, press 1 and hit enter. It will then ask for your administrators' password, enter it in here and press enter. Next you should see the following line
followed by a blinking cursor... c:\WINDOWS>

7. Type the following: copy d:\i386\ntdlr c:\windows (d is the letter of your cd-rom drive, it may be different).

8. After you have done that, remove the Windows XP CD from your CD-ROM and type EXIT to reboot your computer. Your computer should boot back into windows now.

If you're still getting the error message.
Occasionally, the above process will not work. However, you're not doomed (at least not yet). There are a few more things
you can try out.

1. Repeat steps 1-6.

2. At the prompt enter fixboot and press enter. This command will attempt to fix the boot record for your Windows installation.
After it is completed, type EXIT to reboot your computer. If this does not work, repeat steps 1-6 again and try the next step.

3. After that has finished enter fixmbr. This command will attempt to fix the boot record for your entire hard drive. Once again,
if this does not work you will need to reboot the computer and do steps 1-6 again and try the next step.

4. After that has finished enter BOOTCFG /rebuild. This command will delete your old boot file and write a new, fresh copy of it to your hard drive.

If all of the above fails you only have 2 options at this point. Either your hard drive ribbon cable that connects to the hard drive and the motherboard loose or bad, try replacing it. Or your only option is to reinstall Windows XP.

If you forgot your Administrators Password

If you purchased your computer at a store, such as Best Buy, HP or Dell, then you may not have access to your administrators account. Even if you do, then you may not know or have forgotten your Administrators password. You are still able to fix this problem without the passwords so don't worry. The process is much the same as the above with a few exceptions.

Step 1. Repeat steps 1-5
Step 2. Instead of pressing "R" to repair, press enter to continue setting up windows.
Step 3. On the next screen, select the windows installation that you mainly use and press "R" to repair the installation.
Step 4. You will see a progress bar telling you to wait while the installation is repaired.

Your computer should reboot into Windows XP without a hitch.