"NTLDR is missing"

Okay, to start off I pretty much do not know anything about computers. Here's my story, it started this afternoon when i was downloading some addons for a game that I play and apparntley it had a trojan in it. I began trying to get rid of it immeditly. My norton did nothing to get rid of it, so i asked a friend what i should do and he said to get AVG because it has a free trial and it would remove it. So i downloaded it and began scanning. While it was scanning i decided to unistall some games/ programs i no longer used or needed. Then i went into my documents and started to delete my cookies and temp internet files so that my laptop would hopefully run faster. After everything was done and the scan was over i then restarted my computer to refreshen everything. The boot up screen started then came to a screen that said, " PBR 2...done NTLDR is missing" along with a cntrl+alt+delete to restart, which all that does is come back to the same screen.

After doing a little research i found something about having to reset my BIOS, i know how to get to the BIOS screen but i have no idea of how to reset it. I also read that i might have to put in a XP boot disc of some sort? To be honest i havn't a clue where my windows disc are or if i even have them anymore and i can't ask my dad where they are untill morning because he has already went to bed.

Anyways, could someone explain to me what i am suppose to do? Thanks.

 

The MBR -- Master Boot Record -- of your hard disk is a table of entries that point to the PBR -- Partition Boot Record -- for each partition on the hard drive.

The only computer BIOS I have ever seen that even mentions the PBRs is Dell. On Dell Computers, and many others, you will find a hidden partition containing the recovery software for the installation. On the second partition is the operating system installation.

"PBR 2...done" is not a good sign. It means that there is something sufficiently wrong with the Partition Boot Record of the second partition that it took so long to read it you could see the message. The subsequent message "NTLDR is missing" confirms this. You have either corrupted the MBR, the PBR on the second Partition that contains XP, or both.

There is no BIOS setting or reset you can do to fix an issue like this.

If you could, please report back what version of XP you are using, whether you have a floppy drive, and whether you have more than one computer you can use. Most importantly: do you have a full XP installation CD, or only a Recovery Disk.

For future reference: when you have a program such as an Antivirus program running leave the computer alone until it finishes. During the scan is not the time to do other chores: "While it was scanning i decided to unistall some games/ programs i no longer used or needed. Then i went into my documents and started to delete my cookies and temp internet files so that my laptop would hopefully run faster. "

I am going to have to think about this. You clearly need to start by repairing the MBR. I think you will also have to repair the PBR for partition 2. I do not know of any way off the top of my head to do this not require you will lose your XP installation and all user data and applications.

 

Okay thank you Bill, i will get back to you later today with all the information you need. I cannot get it now because i have to leave with mom here shortly and i need to call my dad to see if he has all the XP disc or not.

 

Okay, i called my dad and he said all of the disc should be with me. I didnt actually see a box with windows on it, i looked through all the disc i had for my laptop and the only disc that seems like it would help would be one that says, " Reinstallation DVD Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with update rollup 2" i also have a disc called Microsoft office basic edition 2003. All of the other disc are dell disc that are for reinstalling system software, media direct, and tools system software.

As for the rest of the information you asked for, the verison of xp im not quite sure as i got the laptop as a present for christmas of '05, but i think it was professional. My laptop does not have a floppy drive, and the only computer i can use is the one i am on now which is also a dell and has windows xp home edition i believe.

And as for the future reference i will keep that in mind from now on. Thanks

 

You are in a tough place.
It would be fairly easy to re-install, and have everything back to the way it was when you first bought the computer and turned it on. This is likely the first choice that Dell Tech Support will make to you.

Not having a floppy hurts, in this regard.

Call Dell Tech Support and tell them what happened. That you want a repair that is non-destructive. Let them suggest solutions. One thing you want to get out of that conversation is that you would like a "Full" and not recovery CD for Windows Media Center on your computer. The cost is modest, and I think it depends in part on how nicely you ask how much they charge you. You can get this CD. You will have to pay a modest charge.
Please tell me what they answer you.

Given what you have -- CDs and hardware -- a complete wipe and reinstallation of Windows Media Center is your only choice. Get the "Full" CD, make better friends with someone running Windows XP -- any version-- and we have a fighting but not 100% chance of saving your OS, data and installed applications.

To ease your anxiety, build me an "Ultimate Boot CD for Windows." This includes some editing tools for the MBR and partition entries that we might need. To do so, go to this site: http://www.ubcd4win.com/ You can use any of your friend's computers to build this, and any of your friends "Full" XP CD to do so. It does not need to be Media Center, and it does not matter if your friend is using XP Pro or Home. It does not matter what Service Pack level the CD contains. You cannot use "Recovery" CDs, only really "Full" XP installation CDs. (Now you know why I asked you to earlier to be a better friend). The disk you create will not allow you to install a new copy of Windows, and while technicly a EULA violation Microsoft has tacitly decided to ignore PE builds for repair purposes if they meet certain conditions.

 

Before i call dell id like to understand some things a little better.

"It would be fairly easy to re-install, and have everything back to the way it was when you first bought the computer and turned it on. "

- Would this mean it would have internet explorer, windows media player, ect. and nothing more? If so, I don't really have a big problem with that because i really didnt have anything too important. All i had were a few games which i can just put back on and iTunes which i can easily put back on. Besides it would be nice to have a fresh start

"Given what you have -- CDs and hardware -- a complete wipe and reinstallation of Windows Media Center is your only choice. Get the "Full" CD, make better friends with someone running Windows XP -- any version-- and we have a fighting but not 100% chance of saving your OS, data and installed applications. "

- Would this mean that if obtain a full verison of windows XP that i might have a chance having everything back the way it was before the problem occured? If so, a good buddy of mine im sure would have no problem of letting me install his windows XP

"build me an "Ultimate Boot CD for Windows."

- If im able to get a full version of the windows do i still need to this or no?

 

With what you have now -- hardware (no floppy), and CD resources -- You could boot from the Dell Recovery CD and let it go do its thing. The end result is that your computer will look exactly like it did the first time your turned it on.

If that is acceptable to you, and quite frankly given what you have immediately available, do it. You are not showing a hardware failure or other issue that would preclude this from being a reasonable solution for you. One I am sure that Dell Tech Support will begin with telling you.

If you obtain a "Full" CD of XP Media Center Edition is that enough to resolve this issue? Would I need an Ultimate Windows Boot CD?

Unfortunately I think not. If it were not for the MBR and PBR issues, I would have said yes. The reason for the UWBCD suggestion is that it contains utilities that are not native to XP. Three allow me to examine, and if it is a wise choice, repair the MBR. If it was only an MBR issue, I could do this under Recovery Console with the XP CD. But the complaint is the Partition Boot Record on partition #2. It is unclear how bad it is messed up. There is nothing under the XP CD that allows me to edit or modify this table. There are on the UWBCD utilities such as TestDisk that give us both a fighting chance. Including, something that XP does not have a native utility to do, copy from the spare backup made under NTFS filestores and replace the corrupted entry.

Decide what you want to do. In your case, with no extensive user data files, and no extensive set of custom applications, I would insert the Recovery CD by Dell, hit whatever key it uses to choose a boot device option (usually F8 but check) and boot from the CD. Let if fix things.

Advise me as to your progress or lack of same, and best wishes.
Bill

 

"With what you have now -- hardware (no floppy), and CD resources -- You could boot from the Dell Recovery CD and let it go do its thing. The end result is that your computer will look exactly like it did the first time your turned it on. "

- Since this seems to be the easiest option (not to mention it's free) i'll go with it.

When i 1st put the disk in it comes to the same black screen with the cntrl+alt+delete to restart. I went into the BIOS Boot Sequence and made the CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive come before the hard drive saved and restarted.

I then restarted and the windows setup screen came up and began loading files. It then came to a new screen "Windows XP Professinal Setup" I pressed enter to set up windows XP and then it began to examine

A new screen came up with a list of partitions to choose from to set up windows, this is the list

75086 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR]
-: Partition1 [FAT] 39 MB < 31 MB free>
C: Partition2 [NTFS] 70284 MB < 26013 MB free>
E: Partiton3 [FAT32] 4754 MB < 422 MB free>
Unpartitioned space(with an option to press 'c' to create a new one
I chose "C: Partition2 [NTFS]"

I then chose the option "Format the partition using the NTFS file system.

The next screen had a caution: Formatting the drive will delete all files on it. I proceeded and it is now formatting as i am typeing.

When it's through im assuming i will need to start installing my other dell cd's that include the system software and tools system software. (Is there a certain order in which need to be installed?)

 

You did good, buddy.

Please see member "Rockster2U" 's checklist at post #19 in this recent thread:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=60992

Advise if you have any problems when it is done.

 

Alright sounds good, thank you very much Bill! You were lots of help and I probabaly would have ended up spending $100+ if it wern't for you, so i really appreciate all your help. And if any future problems occur I will definitely be coming back to this awesome site.

 

This is only info to BILL- one can use the latest Knoppix live cd , it has TESTDISK. Agree it is a good program to fix the MBR and Partition Boot Record/Volume Boot Record.

 

@TopFarmer

I am a KNOPPIX fan too, but wanted to avoid linux explanations for the drive for this user.

I also had several worries, for example: if not filestore NTFS, I have no backup to use for the PBR replacement.

Thank you.
I am just happy I did not have to do a walk-thru-by-forum of TestDisk.

Bill