RE: NTLDR is Missing....

I had a computer that came in with some similar (but not identical) symptoms.
In that case, the MBR was hosed and I was able to use mbr fix (and I can't
remember the exact syntax either--I seem to look it up each time I use it) to
recover some data. However, the system was pretty much hosed.

"Lyoncoeur" wrote:

> This system was upgraded to Windows XP Home edition, from 98, when the
> owner called with this problem, I figgured that it was the typical
> Q314057 problem... However. I don;t think so anymore.
>
> My reasons...
>
> 1. The upgrade was successfull, it worked for several days and the
> owners were highly pleased with the results.
>
> 2. Before the problem reared it's ugly head, the owner had read email,
> then closed outlook express and the desktop was all "messed up" so they
> restarted the system. that's when the error started.
>
> 3. The full error never shows on the screen, just NTLDR is Missing, and
> a flashing curser. no "press any key to restart" and the HD access
> light is on steady... for over 24hrs it was left like this.
>
> When I booted the system using the XP CD and got to the recovery
> console, I was horrorfied to find that there were no files to be found
> on the drive, BUT more then 7gb of space being used by somthing. This
> is a 70+ GB drive partitioned into to relatively equal parts.
>
> I Used a Win98 Boot disk and went into Fdisk to examine the partitions,
> it listed the two partitions as expect however I was suprised to find
> that they were FAT32 {I diden't realise that XP would install on
> Fat32...but I guess you learn somthing every day}
>
> I tried putting the drive into a working XP system to see if I could
> read the contens that way, same thing, two roughly equal partitions,
> one empty and unused, the other "empty" but 7GB used.
>
> I tried using a freeware {Disk Investigator} to try to read the raw
> data from some of the used clusters and did find some data, but why is
> it not visiable to the system, as either files or folders?}
>
> I suspect a rather nasty virus that the user got when reading that last
> email session...that's then the troubles seemed to manifest. but
> perhaps I am missing somthing? I invite suggestions and insight on this
> matter. and is there any idea wf what I can do to recover the data?
>
> Cheers!
> Eric Malain
>
>
.

Relevant Pages

  • NTLDR is Missing....
    ... The upgrade was successfull, it worked for several days and the ... Before the problem reared it's ugly head, the owner had read email, ... BUT more then 7gb of space being used by somthing. ... I Used a Win98 Boot disk and went into Fdisk to examine the partitions, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • NTLDR is Missing....
    ... The upgrade was successfull, it worked for several days and the ... Before the problem reared it's ugly head, the owner had read email, ... BUT more then 7gb of space being used by somthing. ... I Used a Win98 Boot disk and went into Fdisk to examine the partitions, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: NTLDR is Missing....
    ... Before the problem reared it's ugly head, the owner had read email, ... > I Used a Win98 Boot disk and went into Fdisk to examine the partitions, ... > that they were FAT32 {I diden't realise that XP would install on ... 3- From the Repair console answer to the questions: ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: FIXMBR redux
    ... > of my master hard drive with Drive Image 7, ... > choice between normal start-up and Recovery Console, ... Although PartitionMagic is great at managing partitions, ... you save the contents of the MBR. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: Default support for GPT
    ... The MBR on a disk with GPT is expected to be a protective ... >>not like MBR partitions with GPT, but it could be made less picky. ...
    (freebsd-current)