Re: NTLDR is missing on bootup

"Pegasus \(MVP\)" <I.can@xxxxxxx> wrote in
news:#vtJ2NvUHHA.2212@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:


"ms" <ms@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:53ph1tF1tssdkU2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ms <ms@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in news:53jhohF1skm36U3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

W2K/SP4

My install has been rock-solid for about a year. I practically
never install anything, mainly use small executables, no problems.

I have net browsing patterns I used for years in W98SE and now W2K,
no funnies there, I browse with images/javascript disabled
normally. I only use Firefox, Xnews, DUN.

Cold boot each AM. Clean trash each shutdown, same every day.

Yesterday was a typical day, usual sites, saved usual text, edited
usual text. Absolutely nothing unusual or abnormal.

This morning, on bootup, black screen before BIOS display: NTLDR is
missing. Can't boot up,

1. Why, out of nowhere, does this happen?

2. How to fix it?

TIA

ms

Thanks to all, it's fixed, posting with it now.

I did a Google search for "NTLDR is missing", led to lots of
interesting stuff, but mainly downloading a repair file that created
a repair floppy with ntldr, ntdetect.com and boot.ini on it.

With the repair disk, it booted up fine.

I was going to copy those three files into my C root, but noticed
there
was
no NTLDR file there! Truely it was missing.

So I just copied that single file into C, that fixed it. Afterword, I
copied my actual ntdetect.com and boot.ini files to the repair disk
and tested it, it works that way too.

Famous last words, create a real W2K boot disk, back up data, etc.

One question- with my benign computing habits, what could likely have
deleted the NTLDR file from C to cause the problem?

ms

Why did you have to download ntldr? Don't you have a Win2000
installation CD? If you don't, how will you repair more serious
faults if and when they occur?

Will look on my CD, usually a file is somewhere inside a cab file, hard
to find.

I can think of two causes why c:\ntldr disappeared:
a) You did it yourself by accident. This is not easy because the
file is normally hidden and protected.
b) You became the victim of some malware you downloaded
from the Internet.

About that, not a), on b) I fairly often run AV stuff, it never finds
anything, and I *try* to be careful in what I download, but I do download
and have to really watch that.

About your backup situation: You should treat this event as a
wake-up call. Get yourself a 2.5" hard disk in an external USB
case, then back up your important files ***every*** week!

I find W2K does not have a bootdisk like W9X. I can put in the CD, and
will have to research how that helps in an emergency situation.

For system backups, I use ERUNT. For data backups, I had been using cd's,
but file count grows, so will start backups on DVD's. The external hd you
mention is nice, but somewhat spendy.

Anyway, from what you said, it may be some new file I tried, that removed
NTLSR. But I mainly use executables, seldom installs.

Comment on above?

ms




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