NTLDR missing- Urgent help please!

WishI'dReadSooner

Our main Gateway computer when turned on comes up with

Press F11 to start recovery
NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.

OK I have tried everything I can think of
Press F11 and it starts up recovery options
Full system Restore (Destructive)
Full system restore (with Backup)

Tried both of these still get the first F11 screen

Do get a screen before this with the Gateway and F2 and F10 options - again these do nothing when I try asking it to use DVD drive in which I've the Gateway System recovery DVD,

Tried pressing F8 - nothing
Tried pressing 1 enter - nothing.

Could it be the WHOLE computer that is down?
Could it just be the hard drive?

Can anyone help me to tell?

IF it's just the hard drive were can I get one quickly - like tomorrowfor not too much money (thought of Amazon using Prime but haven't looked yet)

HELP!

WishI'dReadSooner

Forgot to say - we're running windows XP & have also just put on a load of software in the last week (maybe that's why it gave up the ghost?) photo editing etc.
The Photoshop elements software was registered yesterday IF this computer is useless now does it mean they won't transfer it to another computer?? HELP!

garydeb

Sorry if it sounds obvious, but you haven't got a floppy disc / cd / usb stick in it while trying to boot have you?

If not, do you have a windows xp cd?

WishI'dReadSooner

Nope
I have a Windows XP Pro DVD but this is running XP home not Pro version.
I've put this in and get different screens but am not sure how to proceed now.
When I try and run the System recovery DVD from Gateway - nothing happens.

I continued installing the XP Pro but I haven't got a disc for the Service pack 2 which it doesn't like however it's now still setting up so in 34mins I suppose I might see if the hard drive works.
Hmmm It won't load any further as it says my code is invalid so guess I don't get to see if hard disc is OK? Although supposedly since it knows the the code is invalid it means something is right with hard disc - doesn't it?

I still can't understand why it won't take info off the Gateway System Recovery DVD - on the top of this it says Microsoft "Windows" XP Home Edition SP2.

Computers! Great when they work- a nightmare if they go wrong!
HELP PLEASE!

fwor

WishI'dReadSooner wrote: »

Hmmm It won't load any further as it says my code is invalid so guess I don't get to see if hard disc is OK? Although supposedly since it knows the the code is invalid it means something is right with hard disc - doesn't it?

No, it doesn't. If you're trying to use a licence key for XP Home with an XP Pro installation disc it will fail, saying your licence key is not valid.

You either need to get XP Home installation CD/DVD, or a licence key that's valid for XP Pro.

JJ_Egan

NTLDR is part of the boot process after the BIOS hands over .


Take it you dont have an image of your drive that you can recover to ??


Some common faults .
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

Possible solution.

http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm


I know most of the NTLDR problems i have had have only been solved by a format and clean install .


jje

Toxteth_OGrady

http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm