NTLDR Is Missing - Tried all the usual

Hi all, hope someone can help me as getting a bit frustrated with it all
now.

Have been getting 'NTLDR Is Missing' on a comp I'm fixing and am struggling
to sort it. So far I have tried

1. General repair using the XP CD
2. Reinstall over the top of the last
3. Copied NTDETECT and NTLDR back from XP CD in Recovery Consol
4. Run both Fixboot and fixmbr

If I use my Win2000 recovery consol then I can see both partitions and all
the files on the drive so I know they are there. I tried to run
bcupdate2.exe but could not run it in DOS. I put the broken drive as a slave
in my computer and tried to run bcupdate2 again but in my computer I cannot
see either of the partitions on the broken drive. It just appears as an
unformatted drive.

I am basically trying to copy all the files off before I wipe the drive and
start again, I have also tried to use a util called NTSF4DOS and although
this can see the boot partition C: it cannot see any files on the drive.

Not sure what I should try next. Anyone have any ideas?

In Windows Explorer > Tools > Folder Options > View > enable "Show hidden
files and folders" and disable "Hide protected system files (recommended)"
and look for the NTLDR file in C:\NTLDR (of the unbootable HD) if the file
is not present copy it from functional XP OS or download it from
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm Or from here
http://1gighost.net/jerseyboy/xpquick.zip

To see the files in the XP HD from your computer you may neet to make sure
the jumper is in the right position which should be in the SL contacts... if
in the wrong position your system may not be recognizing it. That is if the
HD is an IDE HD, if SATA this is not necessary.

A boot disk [3-1/2 floppy diskette] can help boot the XP but you need to
edit the Boot.ini file for the double boot setup as follows.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Profesional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Profesional" /fastdetect

Have already tried to copy NTLDR from the XP boot disk but it didn't have
any effect, the file is def there. The HD is set to being slave and shows up
in the BIOS as slave OK.

Please could you explain about the boot disk a bit more though. I currently
have 2 HD's in my comp. Mine which is Master and has XP pro and system
partition is C:\. I also have my friends broken drive as slave on the same
IDE channel, this has XP Home on it and gets the NTLDR . The broken drive is
showing up as D:\ within my XP Pro but Windows thinks it is unformatted.

Are you saying that I should amend the boot.ini so that I can also try and
boot to the OS on the broken disk D:\? Sorry I am not quite clear.

I have tried several boot disks in the broken computer while the HD drive
was still in it. Although I could get to a DOS prompt I could not access the
C: partition.

Amending boot ini will not help, you cannot move a win disk to another sys
and have it boot without going through a number of loops.
You've tried the obvious? ie HD manu disk checking utility, available from
their site?

Option1: The problem may be what you have already explained: that your XP
pro does not recognize an OS installed there and sees it as an empty
partition. So My guess is the jumpers (in the back of the HDs) are not
configured properly. They should be set in the MA (master) contacts for the
XP Pro and in the SL (slave) contacts for the Home HD. [master in the end
of the IDE channel and slave in the middle) I'm not sure this will have any
effect but HD without properly configured "jumpers" are not recognized by
the main OS, so there's a good chance this can solve it.

Option2 : From from my point of view it would be more practical to install
the unbootable HD single in the Master end of the IDE channel and try to
boot it with a Boot Disk that includes the Boot.ini file edited for Windows
XP Home logon... to make the boot disk you can copy the files from your XP
Pro and modify the boot.ini file or download the appropriate package from
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm for the copy option; In your XP Pro do
a search for Boot.ini, NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM and copy them to a formated
diskette. Format the diskette in the command prompt (DOS) with the command
format a: and copy the three files but modify the boot.ini file with;

Something like this:
-----------------
[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operation systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows XP Home" /fastdetect

OR This:
------
[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operation systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Home" /fastdetect

If the previous does not work you may need to use the XP CD to access the
Recovery Console and use any of the following commands, hope one may help.

BOOTCFG = Configures and recovers the Boot.ini file
CHKDSK = Tests and makes a report of the HD condition
FIXBOOT = Writes a new boot sector in the specified partition.
FIXMBR = Repairs the master boot record of the specified drive.
MAP = Shows the assigned drive letters.
HELP = Shows a list of the Recovery Console commands.

[panto77]

Subject: Problem Fixed

I was having this problem since last 4 weeks, my computer had been lying dead all this time.

Anyways, after reading lot of blogs and talking to MicroSoft customer support, here is my solution that I fixed:

1. Boot (F12) using CD (Win XP Installation disc).
2. There are two options, either to install or to repair.
Choose to install (don't worry, the hard disk will not be formatted, repair option will show up again)
3. In the next screen, choose, repair.
From here, the whole process will take 2-3 hrs, when all the system files will be checked and updated.

Note: The drivers for attached hardware devices need to be installed again, otherwise, all other setting remains the same.
My Documents will not be lost.

Reason:
I think I cleaned up third party application or deleted NTLDR. After the sytem was restored, I saw the file in my recycle bin.

All the best for you.

Thanks for sharing what worked for you.