Help my NTLDR is missing -FOUND

[Anna Michele]

My son tried to download a game and added a bazillion pc clean up etc programs so i deleted them like i always do and must have deleted something I shouldn't have. Anyone?

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[bhlombardy]

What version of Windows? And do you have an original Windows install disc that came with your computer?

If you DO have the precise version of Windows on CD that is installed on your PC, you can do a repair.

IMPORTANT: it must be the PRECISE version of Windows... for example:
if you have Windows 7 Home Edition, 64-bit OEM version installed on your PC, then you MUST have a Windows 7 Home Edition 64-bit OEM disc

If you bought a retail Windows disc, an upgrade or installed it yourself, you can use that disc also.

You can't go and borrow someone's else's disc if it's even slightly different. (if they have Windows Pro versus your Home edition, or they have 32-bit versus your 64-bit, or they bought a retail copy, and your is OEM, etc)


Also, if your PC came with Windows 7, but you upgraded to Windows 8 via online download, you CANNOT do this. Also, if you bought a PC with Windows 8, and recently upgraded to 8.1 -- you can't do this either.


However, assuming that you qualify... then arrange to BOOT from the disc. (how you do this will vary by PC, but sometimes when you first turn the computer on, it will say to press a specific key to bring up the boot-menu... it might be F9, or F10, or F11... or F2... or ESC... or some such.)

Insert the disc into the DVD drive and choose to boot from it. (Pay attention, you will be asked to strike any key to boot from the disc)

Once it boots, an option will be presented to run a repair... do so. It will scan your harddrive and notice you are missing NTLDR and attempt to replace it, as well as any other system files you might have purged in your "cleanse".

If it can't repair it, it won't harm anything, but it will advise you that it cannot.

(see next post for further warnings)

[bhlombardy]

A word about versions:

Don't go and buy a retail copy to replace the one that came shipped with your PC to perform the repair. The Retail copy varies from the OEM version in the licensing and validation for repairs. This would be a waste of money to simply perform the repair.

Even if you know the exact version of Windows you have, the OEM version will be different than the retail edition.



Another Word to the wise:

If you can't do the repair... STOP right there and seek the help of a professional. What you'll want to do is have a professional recover any data (documents, pictures, music, etc) from the PC, and have a clean re-install performed.

Regardless what your friends might say... DO NOT opt to re-install your OS over your existing installation. This can (and will) cause you way more problems than you can imagine. This used to be a viable solution years ago with Windows 95 and 98... but these days, it's not so cut and dry.

As an IT professional, I see people who do this all the time and have no idea what problems surface as a result. This makes it more problematic to recover your data.

[lilo0003]

agreed with above. DH works in IT security and it was a nightmare when the kids downloaded minecraft. Even he had a hard time getting all the data back.

[Anna Michele]

A word about versions:

Don't go and buy a retail copy to replace the one that came shipped with your PC to perform the repair. The Retail copy varies from the OEM version in the licensing and validation for repairs. This would be a waste of money to simply perform the repair.

Even if you know the exact version of Windows you have, the OEM version will be different than the retail edition.



Another Word to the wise:

If you can't do the repair... STOP right there and seek the help of a professional. What you'll want to do is have a professional recover any data (documents, pictures, music, etc) from the PC, and have a clean re-install performed.

Regardless what your friends might say... DO NOT opt to re-install your OS over your existing installation. This can (and will) cause you way more problems than you can imagine. This used to be a viable solution years ago with Windows 95 and 98... but these days, it's not so cut and dry.

As an IT professional, I see people who do this all the time and have no idea what problems surface as a result. This makes it more problematic to recover your data.

I dont have the disc so off to the repair shop i must go


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[Anna Michele]

$50 and its as good as new