NTLDR compressed

Tried to use recovery mode on my xp 2005 media edition, gateway GT4016 because of a virus that killed everything. Now keep getting NTLDR compressed on the ctrl alt del restart prompt over and over. Don't have a recovery disc. Tried but can't access safe mode start.

 

A possible salvation would be to get the MS XP Setup set of floppies. That will allow you to boot to the Recovery Console (assuming you have a floppy drive).

XP Setup Disks

If you have no floppy drive, you can create a bootable CD that incorporates the MS boot floppies and still have some hope.

Recovery Console CD

 

An even easier way would be to download one of these BootLoader disk creators Choose the one that you think is most suitable. XP2P3D has the greatest number of selections. The file name indicates the configuration of boot selections that you will receive when using the creation. 2p means a dual partitioned drive while 3D means a total of 3 installed drives to choose from. That's more selections than the average user needs but trying each until booting is achieved does no harm.

The XP1P1D will work for most standard installations.

Download whichever you choose and then locate and double-click on it. It will instruct you to insert a blank floppy and it will proceed to create your boot floppy.

The beauty of booting with one of these creations is it will use its own bootloader files and not be subject to your compressed ntldr file. That will allow you to repair your ntldr file from a Windows session. Just right-click the compressed file and choose properties > Advanced > and uncheck the Compress Files box. You'll have to have your view setting set to show hidden system files. To do that:

Start > Run > type control folders > OK > select VIEW TAB

Tag the box labeled "Show hidden files and folders "

Untag the boxes labeled "Hide file extensions for known file types" and "Hide protected operation system files "

 

Thanks for ur help. I found my recover disc but still no luck. It won't allow me to choose a safe mode or any options in recovery other than destructive or non destructive. I've gone thru the bios settings repeatedly but no luck with any of the settings. I've set it to boot from every possibilty it gives me but still won't. Same message, NTDLR compressed, and over and over with the ctrl, alt, del. I've downloaded three different "fixes" from another computer including one u recommended, it doesn't even acknowledge any of them. I'm about ready to take it in to a tech. What would they have that I haven't tried?

 

You haven't said what boot media you have tried and what refusal message you got when it failed. You must share all details in order to get speedier help.

You won't get that error message if you have any of the bootable media I suggested inserted in the drive bay and have the BIOS set to check that drive before the hard drive. That supposes your chosen drive is working properly.

There are several method you can use to fix this problem:

1. Boot to the XP setup CD and invoke the Recovery Console.
2. Boot to the MS XP setup floppy set (6 floppies) and invoke the Recovery Console.
3. Boot to one of the Quick Boot floppies or CD's that I linked earlier
4. Boot to a BARTPe CD.

If you can boot to any of these methods, the rest is a cake walk.

ps. Your Recovery CD is of no value for booting to a Recovery Console. You can only do that with a full version XP setup CD or with the six MS setup floppies I mentioned earlier.