NTLDR Missing

[Cuc Tu]

Hello, I need help.

My desktop failed to boot up. Just after POST and Updating DMI Pool, I get the message that NTDLR is missing. Press any key...

I think this is one of the first components of Windows that starts?

I had this problem a couple of years ago after building this PC, and the PC would freeze ever so often. Eventually it was cured by swapping out memory, and it was working good for about a year. I figured it migt be timing or some motherboard problem because it was very intermittent.

Now this!

Where do I start?

XP Pro disk?

There is little likelyhood of a viral problem

[Fruss Tray Ted]

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

[Sylvander]

The "Emergency Boot CD" [EBCD] provides a number of useful programs that may be of some help:

1. The "Drive Fitness Test Utility" can test your HDD.

2. "Microsoft Scandisk" can scan the file systems [FAT & NTFS]] on each partition and fix problems found [on FAT only I believe].

3. The "Recover MBR" program does just that.

4. The "Create NT/2000/XP Boot Floppy" program will make a boot floppy that includes generic copies of "boot.ini", ntldr, "ntdetect.com".
If this succeeds in getting you into Windows, you can replace the copies of these files on the HDD with these copies.
If necessary, boot.ini could be modified/edited on some other PC.

5. "File Manager" [or the older "Volkov Commander" (doesn't display LFN's)] can be used to browse the file system [check whether files are present, and read/edit text files (boot.ini)] and make changes [e.g. copy a file into place].

6. "Memtest" used to test RAM.

7. "Un-Erase" used to recover "deleted" files [not "Erased" files].

a. How to make a free “Smart Boot Manager” floppy
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41498
This makes it easier to boot a chosen drive [particularly the one holding the EBCD].

b. How to make a free EBCD bootable CD
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41485
This has a number of useful utilities included including "Image" [for DOS, by Terabyte] & "File Manager".

Computer stops at verifying dmi pool data... (http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm)