Windows XP problem
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 1
From: North of Boston MA
Windows XP problem
My nieces and nephews computer crapped out on them again. All the computer experts here bailed me on on fixing it last year so I know someone can give me the straight scoop and let me know what I can do to save the kids some grief. Of course since I recovered the machine last year they never bothered to back up anything so they are all fussing about lost pictures, schoolwork,, etc. Anyway....
So, now it won't boot and is giving the error message "NTLDR is missing, Press any key to restart". When I press the any key it gives me the message "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key".
I am no XP expert but I am assuming the operating system went belly up. The system recovery is also on the hard drive but it gives the same errors when I try to enter that. We don't have recovery CD's as they didn't come with the machine.
When I enter the BIOS, it is recognizing the hard drive so it doesn't look like a disk failure to me.
Any thoughts? Is it possible I can take this drive out, slave it into my machine and at least try to extract files? Any ideas on getting it running? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
Ray
So, now it won't boot and is giving the error message "NTLDR is missing, Press any key to restart". When I press the any key it gives me the message "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key".
I am no XP expert but I am assuming the operating system went belly up. The system recovery is also on the hard drive but it gives the same errors when I try to enter that. We don't have recovery CD's as they didn't come with the machine.
When I enter the BIOS, it is recognizing the hard drive so it doesn't look like a disk failure to me.
Any thoughts? Is it possible I can take this drive out, slave it into my machine and at least try to extract files? Any ideas on getting it running? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
Ray
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 1997
Posts: 23,165
Likes: 18
From: Enjoying the real world.
Get someone to make an NT boot floppy with their XP system. Boot it and from the command prompt:
fdisk /mbr
That repairs the master boot record. If that doesn't fix it... you'll need to use disk utility software to fix it.
fdisk /mbr
That repairs the master boot record. If that doesn't fix it... you'll need to use disk utility software to fix it.
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 1
From: North of Boston MA
I am assuming that I can make a boot CD since their computer doesn't have a FDD. I am running XP on my machine so I can do that easy enough. It has been years since I had to make a boot disk - what is the current procedure? Thanks again...
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 1997
Posts: 23,165
Likes: 18
From: Enjoying the real world.
I'm not 100% certain for making a boot CD, but I think:
My Computer -> right click on the CD drive
Select format. Select the option for making the CD bootable.
At least that's the procedure for a floppy. My CD drive shows "format" as an option but I don't have a blank CD handy to test it.
My Computer -> right click on the CD drive
Select format. Select the option for making the CD bootable.
At least that's the procedure for a floppy. My CD drive shows "format" as an option but I don't have a blank CD handy to test it.
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 164,379
Likes: 82
From: MA
Originally Posted by Nitramjr
So, now it won't boot and is giving the error message "NTLDR is missing, Press any key to restart". When I press the any key it gives me the message "Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key".
I am no XP expert but I am assuming the operating system went belly up. The system recovery is also on the hard drive but it gives the same errors when I try to enter that. We don't have recovery CD's as they didn't come with the machine.
When I enter the BIOS, it is recognizing the hard drive so it doesn't look like a disk failure to me.
Any thoughts? Is it possible I can take this drive out, slave it into my machine and at least try to extract files? Any ideas on getting it running? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
Ray
I am no XP expert but I am assuming the operating system went belly up. The system recovery is also on the hard drive but it gives the same errors when I try to enter that. We don't have recovery CD's as they didn't come with the machine.
When I enter the BIOS, it is recognizing the hard drive so it doesn't look like a disk failure to me.
Any thoughts? Is it possible I can take this drive out, slave it into my machine and at least try to extract files? Any ideas on getting it running? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
Ray
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320397/en-us
What you can also do is put their HD into your pc as a slave..
Then run a virus scan on their drive to see if that was the cause..
You can even backup their pictures, docs and anything else they want to your HD so they don't loose anything...
If you have an External HD enclosure you can connect it that way via USB..
Let me know if you need any other help..
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 547
Likes: 0
From: Northwest Indiana
Here is some info... As always Google is your friend.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 1
From: North of Boston MA
Originally Posted by donjamer
What you can also do is put their HD into your pc as a slave..
Then run a virus scan on their drive to see if that was the cause..
Then run a virus scan on their drive to see if that was the cause..
Here is some info... As always Google is your friend.
Thanks a bunch - I'll let you know how I do.
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,269
Likes: 0
From: Where's my map???
http://www.bootdisk.com/popfiles.htm
Try this site. For $4.00 you get everything you need to get it up and running again.
Try this site. For $4.00 you get everything you need to get it up and running again.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 1
From: North of Boston MA
I can't buy a break with this machine. I took it apart so that I could slave their harddrive to mine to try to get the files off and found out that their harddrive is Serial ATA and my machine is EIDE. I'm sure my local Best Buy is going to have THAT adapter. 
I guess it could be worse - it could be MY machine that was in pieces on the table....
Oh well, the recovery disks from HP will be here tomorrow. Hopefully I can fix the OS without a full reformat. Maybe I will just put a new drive in it too and then I can slave their old to the new. Think this will work?
Thanks for the responses and a place to vent my frustrations.
I guess it could be worse - it could be MY machine that was in pieces on the table....
Oh well, the recovery disks from HP will be here tomorrow. Hopefully I can fix the OS without a full reformat. Maybe I will just put a new drive in it too and then I can slave their old to the new. Think this will work?
Thanks for the responses and a place to vent my frustrations.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 547
Likes: 0
From: Northwest Indiana
Normally when you go to install XP and there is an existing copy on the target drive, the install program will give you the option of trying to repair the existing system.
If you do buy a second SATA drive and the kids computer does not already have a second SATA cable, make sure the new comes with the cable, or order a second cable. Each drive needs it's own cable.
Have fun, good luck, your a nice uncle!
If you do buy a second SATA drive and the kids computer does not already have a second SATA cable, make sure the new comes with the cable, or order a second cable. Each drive needs it's own cable.
Have fun, good luck, your a nice uncle!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
Originally Posted by Nitramjr
I'm sure my local Best Buy is going to have THAT adapter.
Also, vendor supplied recovery disks generally want to do a reformat. There may not be a repair option, because this is easiest for the vendor to implement and support. After all, they have no reason to care about your data.
What you really need to do, IMO, is get your hands on a Windows XP cdrom. Boot the computer off it, and you will find an option to repair your XP installation after the first couple blue screens.
A virus could be the cause, but I've also seen Windows machines eat the boot loader for no good reason.
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 1
From: North of Boston MA
Originally Posted by andym
There won't be an EIDE to SATA adapter, but you can buy a SATA controller for less than $40. Remember, you can only spread a virus by executing a program, so simply plugging a virus-infested into your system won't do any harm until you actually run something off the infected disk.
Also, vendor supplied recovery disks generally want to do a reformat. There may not be a repair option, because this is easiest for the vendor to implement and support. After all, they have no reason to care about your data.
What you really need to do, IMO, is get your hands on a Windows XP cdrom. Boot the computer off it, and you will find an option to repair your XP installation after the first couple blue screens.
A virus could be the cause, but I've also seen Windows machines eat the boot loader for no good reason.
Also, vendor supplied recovery disks generally want to do a reformat. There may not be a repair option, because this is easiest for the vendor to implement and support. After all, they have no reason to care about your data.
What you really need to do, IMO, is get your hands on a Windows XP cdrom. Boot the computer off it, and you will find an option to repair your XP installation after the first couple blue screens.
A virus could be the cause, but I've also seen Windows machines eat the boot loader for no good reason.
Being the impatient and hardheaded type, I can't wait for one to get to me. Looking to get this thing running sooner, rather than later.As for the bootable CD, I am still hoping to find an easy way to make one. I checked out the links from the other posts and didn't find anything that I could make heads or tails of. My machine is running XP and I have a CD and DVD burner but apparently it isn't as easy as in the old days if DOS - "format a: /s"
Plugging away - I'll get there sooner or later. I'll find out tomorrow if the recovery disks have a repair option. HP has been pretty good about that from my experience. Hopefully it is the case this time. Otherwise, the new drive goes in, gets the OS and the old one gets slaved.
Thanks for the virus tip - I hate taking chances with my stuff so I will run a scan on it just in case I do end up with their drive in my machine.
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 164,379
Likes: 82
From: MA
Why not just put a windows XP disk in. Then boot to that..
When asked to repair using the recovery console select that option..
This will bring up a window similar to dos and then you can copy the files to the hard drive..
Watch out on command sintax... If you are not good with DOS commands then forget it.. This is a crude utility and needs to have the exact command syntax.
When asked to repair using the recovery console select that option..
This will bring up a window similar to dos and then you can copy the files to the hard drive..
Watch out on command sintax... If you are not good with DOS commands then forget it.. This is a crude utility and needs to have the exact command syntax.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,245
Likes: 0
Boot using the Windows XP install CD.
Press "R" after it loads to select the repair option.
Select the Windows install you want to repair (if prompted)
Enter the admin password if prompted.
Type FIXMBR c: (it does the active boot disk by default, but just in case it doesn't it doesn't hurt to specify the drive)
Let it do its thing then reboot. Assuming that hard disk corruption wasn't what killed NTLDR, that should fix it. If not, tell them to stop downloading crap they don't need and ignoring the messages to update Windows.
Press "R" after it loads to select the repair option.
Select the Windows install you want to repair (if prompted)
Enter the admin password if prompted.
Type FIXMBR c: (it does the active boot disk by default, but just in case it doesn't it doesn't hurt to specify the drive)
Let it do its thing then reboot. Assuming that hard disk corruption wasn't what killed NTLDR, that should fix it. If not, tell them to stop downloading crap they don't need and ignoring the messages to update Windows.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post