NTLDR is missing (I deleted the Win XP partition)

[thx1139]

This thread doesn't really match any of the forums but this seems the closest. I wanted to get rid of my old Windows XP partition, because I needed that space for my full Windows 7 partition. I tried to delete the partition in Windows 7 Disk Management but it wouldn't allow me to delete an active partition. Thus, I decided as a short-term solution, to delete as much as I could from the Windows XP partition, in order to allow it to be shrunk, freeing up space for expansion of the Windows 7 partition. I deleted most of the files in Program Files, Documents and Settings and the Windows folder. Then I went back to the Windows 7 Disk Management and noticed that I could make the Windows 7 partition the 'active partition'. I did this, and then tried again to delete the Windows XP partition. I think it said that I needed to restart the computer. After finishing what I was doing, I tried to restart and go the error:

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl Alt Delete to restart.

The recovery options on the Windows 7 disc appear to be ineffective. It doesn't find a Windows installation to repair (clearly, it isn't looking hard enough...). Is there a way that I can recover my Windows 7 installation?

I personally blame MS for not being more straight forward in their assignment of locations for boot files. They should create a very small partition especially for this purpose, and not hijack other partitions which the user is then unable to alter without borking their installation. Am I not correct?

 

[Jonathan_King]

No problem. First, mark your Windows 7 partition as active: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html

Then, force delete your XP partition. Follow these instructions, but replace the 100MB partition number with the XP number. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71363-system-reserved-partition-delete.html

Finally, run a startup repair. Your installation should be detected, and you'll be good to go.

Let us know how is works out.

 

[thx1139]

No problem. First, mark your Windows 7 partition as active: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html

Then, force delete your XP partition. Follow these instructions, but replace the 100MB partition number with the XP number. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71363-system-reserved-partition-delete.html

Finally, run a startup repair. Your installation should be detected, and you'll be good to go.

Let us know how is works out.

Does not compute! How do I perform the first two steps if I can't get into Windows (boot error: NTLDR is missing)?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Boot from the repair disc.

Read the tutorials I linked to; they should answer your questions.

 

[theog]

You need to copy boot files from XP drive to your Win7 drive, before deleting the XP drive.
Than do a startup repair.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

 

[thx1139]

Boot from the repair disc.

Read the tutorials I linked to; they should answer your questions.

Sorry - I see now, that I didn't scroll down enough.

Now, although selecting 'repair' after running the Windows 7 installation disk does not list any Windows installations (including after specifying my chipset driver (since the installation is on a SATA drive)), it is able to attempt repair. The problem is that it's the same repair every time.

If I click the link for 'diagnostic and repair details' and scroll to the bottom, it says:

Root cause found:
-----------------------
The partition table does not have a valid System Partition.

Repair action: Partition table repair
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 6208 ms

-----------------------
-----------------------

In my opinion, the repair utility interface hasn't been written properly. It says:

If repairs were successful, Windows will start correctly

If repairs were not successful, Startup Repair might run again to continue fixing your computer.

This is nonsense. If the Windows 7 installation CD is in my computer, I will be given the option to install or repair an existing installation of Windows as always. If the CD is not in the CD drive, I'll get the original NTDLR error. The interface does not tell me to remove the CD from my drive and if it did, and I followed it, how would the Startup Repair run again? If it doesn't tell me to remove the disc and I don't, how will Windows ever start correctly? Only one option is possible and it depends on whether or not the disc is in the drive.

 

[thx1139]

You need to copy boot files from XP drive to your Win7 drive, before deleting the XP drive.
Than do a startup repair.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

Is it not possible to recreate the boot files instead? The XP drive has already been deleted. It's not as though they were one-of-a-kind boot files - they were based on my hardware and Windows installation, surely? I don't know how this stuff works, but surely the software just needs to look at my hardware and where stuff is written on my HD and write whatever it needs to write, wherever it needs to write it.

I've done my fourth system repair already but every time, it's the same repair?

 

[gregrocker]

Boot into your WIn7 DVD Repair console or REpair CD, press Shift F10 at bootup or click through to Recovery Tools list to open a Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (replace # with disk # for XP HD)
LIST PARTITION
SELECT PARTITION # (replace # with XP partition #)
INACTIVE
DELETE PARTITION OVERRIDE
SELECT PARTITION # (replace # with Win7 partition #)
ACTIVE
EXIT

Now return to DVD Repair console/Repair CD Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write MBR to WIn7 partition. This will always work if Win7 is marked active and not damaged, as long as you run Startup Repair repeatedly with reboots.

The above can also be accomplished using free Partition Wizard bootable CD, which can also Resize your Win7 to recover into it the deleted XP space, in addition to marking Win7 active so you can recover the MBR using Win7 DVD/CD.

 

[theog]

You need to copy boot files from XP drive to your Win7 drive, before deleting the XP drive.
Than do a startup repair.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

Is it not possible to recreate the boot files instead? The XP drive has already been deleted. It's not as though they were one-of-a-kind boot files - they were based on my hardware and Windows installation, surely? I don't know how this stuff works, but surely the software just needs to look at my hardware and where stuff is written on my HD and write whatever it needs to write, wherever it needs to write it.

I've done my fourth system repair already but every time, it's the same repair?

Have a read:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

 

[thx1139]

You need to copy boot files from XP drive to your Win7 drive, before deleting the XP drive.
Than do a startup repair.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.

Is it not possible to recreate the boot files instead? The XP drive has already been deleted. It's not as though they were one-of-a-kind boot files - they were based on my hardware and Windows installation, surely? I don't know how this stuff works, but surely the software just needs to look at my hardware and where stuff is written on my HD and write whatever it needs to write, wherever it needs to write it.

I've done my fourth system repair already but every time, it's the same repair?

Have a read:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

I don't understand; how can I repair an installation of Windows 7, which wont boot, from within that installation? I can't boot unless I repair it and I can't repair it unless I boot?? :huh:

You can only do a repair install from within Windows 7, you cannot do a repair install at boot or in Safe Mode.

Boot into your WIn7 DVD Repair console or REpair CD, press Shift F10 at bootup or click through to Recovery Tools list to open a Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (replace # with disk # for XP HD)
LIST PARTITION
SELECT PARTITION # (replace # with XP partition #)
INACTIVE
DELETE PARTITION OVERRIDE
SELECT PARTITION # (replace # with Win7 partition #)
ACTIVE
EXIT

Now return to DVD Repair console/Repair CD Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write MBR to WIn7 partition. This will always work if Win7 is marked active and not damaged, as long as you run Startup Repair repeatedly with reboots.

The above can also be accomplished using free Partition Wizard bootable CD, which can also Resize your Win7 to recover into it the deleted XP space, in addition to marking Win7 active so you can recover the MBR using Win7 DVD/CD.

I tried to follow your instructions but it was not possible to do so entirely, because the Windows XP partition had already been deleted while following previous procedures. I followed the step in which I marked the Windows 7 partition as active (although, if I include the time shortly before restarting, while my installation was still functional, that would be the fourth time it's been marked as active).

The system repair continually gives the same output, every time (the only thing that varies slightly is the number of milliseconds taken):

Root cause found:
-----------------------
The partition table does not have a valid System Partition.

Repair action: Partition table repair
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0
Time taken = 6208 ms

-----------------------
-----------------------

 

[Jonathan_King]

Be sure the Windows 7 partition is active.

Then run the following from the command prompt:

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /rebuildbcd

BOOTSECT /NT60

Now, if the Windows 7 partition happens to be Logical, instead of Primary, you will have a problem. Let us know if that is the case, and we can show you what to do.

 

[thx1139]

Be sure the Windows 7 partition is active.

Then run the following from the command prompt:

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /rebuildbcd

BOOTSECT /NT60

Now, if the Windows 7 partition happens to be Logical, instead of Primary, you will have a problem. Let us know if that is the case, and we can show you what to do.

Hi. Thanks. I'm certain that the partition is a primary one.

X:\Sources>bootrec /fixboot
Element not found.

X:\Sources>

Should I continue with the other commands or stop?

 

[Jonathan_King]

Did the repair disc detect your installation?

 

[thx1139]

Did the repair disc detect your installation?

I didn't use the dedicated repair disc, but rather the Windows 7 installation disc (just in case there's a difference). Even after loading the SATA drivers, it does not list any installation in the System Recovery Options window. It stays blank, like this one: http://mywindowslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/system-recovery-options.png

When I try to load the SATA drivers a second time, I get the error: 'Installation has failed' but that might be a normal response to try to load the same drivers after they were successfully loaded the first time... or it may indicate that they weren't and can't be loaded??

 

[Jonathan_King]

It sounds as if your partition is not active.

You may also try running BOOTSECT /NT60 C: from a command prompt.

The repair disc is just a lighter version of the installation disc. It just doesn't have the actual installation files on it.

 

[thx1139]

It sounds as if your partition is not active.

You may also try running BOOTSECT /NT60 C: from a command prompt.

The repair disc is just a lighter version of the installation disc. It just doesn't have the actual installation files on it.

But, I really have marked the partition as active several times.

Here's what I get from this command:

C: <\\?\Volume|107df338-4dc5-19df-8b7b-806e6f6e6963>>

        Successfully updated FAT filesystem bootcode.

Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes.

How should I respond?

 

[SIW2]

FAT fs?

At the command prompt, type:

diskpart

lis vol

( make a note of what it says)

exi

Post up exactly what it said.

 

[thx1139]

FAT fs?

At the command prompt, type:

diskpart

lis vol

( make a note of what it says)

exi

Post up exactly what it said.

Oh, I think I see what you're getting at. Indeed, C drive is a USB flash drive and F is the letter assigned to my Windows 7 partition.

Should I try BOOTSECT /NT60 F:?

Volume ### - Ltr - Label - Fs - Type - Size - Status - Info
Volume 0 - D - GRMCHPXFREP - UDF - DVD-ROM - 3075 MB - Healthy
Volume 1 - C - SEAN 1 - FAT - Removable - 963 MB - Healthy
Volume 2 - E - SPINRITE V6 - CHUBBY - Removable - 245 MB - Healthy
Volume 3 - F - Windows 7 - NTFS - Partition - 92 GB - Healthy
Volume 4 - G - Gurtrude 50 - NTFS - Partition - 303 GB - Fit as a  fiddle

Edit: I tried BOOTSECT /NT60 F:, restarted and got the error:

BOOTMGR is missing
Press Ctrl Alt Delete to restart

The game is afoot!

 

[SIW2]

Type :

bcdboot f:/windows \s f:

press enter.

Then make sure F is marked active.

diskpart

sel vol 3

act

exi

Then restart the pc.

 

[thx1139]

Type :

bcdboot f:/windows \s f:

press enter.

Then make sure F is marked active.

diskpart

sel vol 3

act

exi

Then restart the pc.

Windows has booted, thank you, but now something perculiar has occurred. After Windows loaded, it said 'preparing your desktop' for an extended period of time, which it doesn't normally do. And right now it says at the bottom, right hand corner 'This copy of Windows is not genuine'. I believe this is a mistake. I have the official pressed CD, with an official product key print onto a label with a silvery/holographic strip running through it. Could this have been caused when I resized the partition using Partition Wizard? I resized it to incorporate the space created when I deleted Windows XP.

Also, although I can hear activity on the HDDs, I have no interface with which to interact. Just a cursor on a blue background with:

Windows 7
Build 7600
This copy of Windows is not genuine

(which I'm quite certain isn't true - it's never said this before and has been validated many time in order to download updates - the disc itself has a holographic portion around the edge - it smacks of quality; not like something someone printed and stuck on)

Edit: I can get the task manager, looking very Windows 95-esque, if I press Ctrl Alt Delete and select Task Manager. From Task Manager, I can access a 'Run' dialogue, but some programs wont run. Internet Explorer wont run. Notepad will run.