NTLDR is missing error

[morocco31477]

I had three HDs in my computer, C was a 130 boot drive with only windows on it. I also had a two larger storage drives. I tried booting one day and got a STOP 0x00000024 error, windows would not load (blue screen). I tried to reinstall windows XP SP2 (nLite custom disk I made) and when I got to the part where you choose the HD and format it, I would get the blue screen again. So I took out the C drive and just put windows on one of my stoarge drives. When I did this I unplugged my second drive. Now when I plug both drives in, I get a "NTLDR is missing" error. I have to use a utility called "FixNTLDR" disk to boot into windows. What is this error, how can I fix it. More importantly, how can I prevent it, I have gotten this error many times in the past after a reformat.

[LLXX]

Your hard drive may be damaged or beginning to wear out if this occurs repeatedly.

[Jeremy]

I tried booting one day and got a STOP 0x00000024 error, windows would not load (blue screen).

Read this:

0x00000024: NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM

(Click to consult the online Win XP Resource Kit article, or see Windows 2000 Professional Resource Kit, p. 1543.)

A problem occurred within NTFS.SYS, the driver file that allows the system to read and write to NTFS file system drives. There may be a physical problem with the disk, or an Interrupt Request Packet (IRP) may be corrupted. Other common causes include heavy hard drive fragmentation, heavy file I/O, problems with some types of drive-mirroring software, or some antivirus software. I suggest running ChkDsk or ScanDisk as a first step; then disable all file system filters such as virus scanners, firewall software, or backup utilities. Check the file properties of NTFS.SYS to ensure it matches the current OS or SP version. Update all disk, tape backup, CD-ROM, or removable device drivers to the most current versions.

General Discussion {KB 228888} Win 2000, Win XP

Caused by Open Handles while closing an application {KB 195857} Win NT, Win 2000, Win XP

For future reference, I got that from this website, an excellent resource in troubleshooting Windows STOP/BSOD messages.

So I took out the C drive and just put windows on one of my stoarge drives. When I did this I unplugged my second drive. Now when I plug both drives in, I get a "NTLDR is missing" error.

I'm assuming you only use those drives for storage, thus they don't have an operating system installed on them, right? This is why you get that error. You removed the drive that's bootable to Windows and replaced it with a OS-less drive. You'd need to boot to your XPCD and partition it so you could have a few GBs to install Windows thus making it bootable. Either that or try to do some maintenance on the C drive based on what that BSOD description says.

[neo]

It may be mistake of boot sequence after the made changes in HDD attachment.

Many times it comes out and I perform changes in boot sequence in BIOS.

[morocco31477]

So I took out the C drive and just put windows on one of my stoarge drives. When I did this I unplugged my second drive. Now when I plug both drives in, I get a "NTLDR is missing" error.

I'm assuming you only use those drives for storage, thus they don't have an operating system installed on them, right? This is why you get that error. You removed the drive that's bootable to Windows and replaced it with a OS-less drive. You'd need to boot to your XPCD and partition it so you could have a few GBs to install Windows thus making it bootable. Either that or try to do some maintenance on the C drive based on what that BSOD description says.

No I re-installed windows on one of my storage drives..... So instead of having three HDs I only have two, the two storage drives. I keep my HDs pretty defragmented. I tried changing the boot sequence in the BIOS, no luck. I am just leaving my computer on 24/7 so I don't have to put in the FixNTLDR disk to boot. I'm so sick of these errors. This computer is probably over three years old, I'm just gonna build an AMD M2 system in early '07 probably.

[Sonic]

I havn't really understand your problem but "NTLDR error" is about boot problem.

To restore completety the boot of a windows xp system use same version cd of your current system (e.g. use sp2 cd if you have sp2 system) and try that method:

1) Boot from Windows XP CD and choose "repair" to boot to recovery console
2) Switch to C:\ and delete "NTDETECT.COM"; "NTLDR"; "boot.ini"
3) copy D:\i386\ntdetect.com
copy D:\i386\ntldr
4) fixboot c:
fixmbr
bootcfg /rebuild

edit: Use the method above if you have the NTLDR problem with just your system hard disc plugged.

[Jaqie Fox]

it sounds like the OP decided to install another copy of XP to one of the two remaining drives while the original drive was still the boot device, thereby when he removed it the OS was still on one of the two remaining drives but the bootblock was still on the drive that was removed.

[jcarle]

Make sure the storage harddrive that has the new windows on it is Master if it's IDE, or on the SATA1 port if it's SATA.

The problem you are having IS because of the BIOS boot order, and nothing more. How do I know that? Simple... with only the new drive, which you installed a fresh copy of window on, plugged in, everything is okay. As soon as you plug in the second hard drive, bam, NTLDR error.

If the BIOS tries to boot a NTFS partition that does not have a windows on it, you will receive an NTLDR error.

By plugging in the second drive, the BIOS boot order automatically moves around because there's a new drive to account for. So when the computer boots, the BIOS checks the first drive it finds, finds an active partition which happens to be on the second drive, and tries to boot it. Being an NTFS partition but no having a windows on it, the NTLDR error is thrown.

The way to fix it is to move around the physical order of the drive connections on the motherboard. Swap Master/Slave relationships, change IDE port orders or SATA ports orders... OR ... go into your bios, set your hard drives to boot first, but here's the important part: Change the boot order of the HARD DRIVES themselves. Most modern bioses have TWO boot sections. One of the order of the boot devices by type (FLOPPY -> CDROM -> HDD) and a second section to change the boot order of the devices of a certain type (LG -> PIONEER ... OR ... WESTERN 250 -> WESTERN 320).

And think with this information in hand and a bit of toying around, you should be able to get things back in order.

[Thinkster]

Had a friend with a similar problem. I was able to resolve it by swapping out the SATA drives (which I had told him NOT to buy) with the more reliable IDE (PATA) drives and using the FAT32 File system. It's been working like a charm ever since. I don't recommend NTFS unless your in a corporate environment and really need the security.

[jcarle]

Had a friend with a similar problem. I was able to resolve it by swapping out the SATA drives (which I had told him NOT to buy) with the more reliable IDE (PATA) drives and using the FAT32 File system. It's been working like a charm ever since. I don't recommend NTFS unless your in a corporate environment and really need the security.

NTFS is IMHO a better file system then FAT32. FAT32 is a little antiquitated and is not suitable for today's large hard drives. Also, SATA hard drives are much much better then standard IDE drives any day. But like most things in life, it all has to do with how well you know your technologies.

[morocco31477]

Yeah I tried setting my boot order in the BIOS to HDD-0, 1, 2 and 3, none of them worked. I didn't think to change the cables around, that worked! Thanks for the suggestion. What a pain that error is. My BIOS doesn't not have the choice to choose the boot order and also which HD, that would be great though. I have an Asus A7n8x-Deluxe. Thanks again.

[jcarle]

Yeah I tried setting my boot order in the BIOS to HDD-0, 1, 2 and 3, none of them worked. I didn't think to change the cables around, that worked! Thanks for the suggestion. What a pain that error is. My BIOS doesn't not have the choice to choose the boot order and also which HD, that would be great though. I have an Asus A7n8x-Deluxe. Thanks again.

Glad I could help you resolve the issue.

[Sonic]

Yeah I tried setting my boot order in the BIOS to HDD-0, 1, 2 and 3, none of them worked. I didn't think to change the cables around, that worked! Thanks for the suggestion. What a pain that error is. My BIOS doesn't not have the choice to choose the boot order and also which HD, that would be great though. I have an Asus A7n8x-Deluxe. Thanks again.

A7N8X Deluxe has boot order without any problems !

Check page 52 of your english manual.

[morocco31477]

Yeah I tried setting my boot order in the BIOS to HDD-0, 1, 2 and 3, none of them worked. I didn't think to change the cables around, that worked! Thanks for the suggestion. What a pain that error is. My BIOS doesn't not have the choice to choose the boot order and also which HD, that would be great though. I have an Asus A7n8x-Deluxe. Thanks again.

A7N8X Deluxe has boot order without any problems !

Check page 52 of your english manual.

You can only choose what HDD number you want to boot from. I am a little confused as why I needed to physically change the HDD location, as opposed to just simply changing the HDD number in the BIOS. Very weird, can someone explain this? And second question, just for future reference, the boot drive needs to be HDD1? I would imaging it would be HDD 0.

[jcarle]

You can only choose what HDD number you want to boot from. I am a little confused as why I needed to physically change the HDD location, as opposed to just simply changing the HDD number in the BIOS. Very weird, can someone explain this? And second question, just for future reference, the boot drive needs to be HDD1? I would imaging it would be HDD 0.

Something that has yet to be established. Are your drives IDE or SATA?