Error starting up computer

[Lionx]

My computer doesnt seem to start up anymore, all it gives is:

NTLDR is missing,
press ctrl alt delete to restart

My uncle got an update from windows and after restarting this happened, so wtf is going on? Can i get some help? Some important files are on that computer.

[Samuraid]

NTLDR is the boot loader for Windows NT/XP systems.

This site provides some instructions on how to restore the NTLDR.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

[Lionx]

Windows XP users

1. Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer.
2. When prompted to press any key to boot from the CD, press any key.
3. Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
4. Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
5. You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password.
6. Copy the below two files to the root directory of the primary hard disk. In the below example we are copying these files from the CD-ROM drive letter "E". This letter may be different on your computer.

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

7. Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.


I did that as they told me to and now i got:

Windows could not start becuase of the following file is missing or corrupt:

<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll
Please re-install a copy of the above file.

arg...and if i had to reinstall it..how do i do it so it doesnt screw the files over?

[Samuraid]

Hmm, sounds as if you are dealing with a failing or corrupted Hard Drive. You can boot from the Windows XP CD (as you did before) and there should be an option to repair a Windows installation. The repair process will restore all the Windows files (including the one you are missing).
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

However, after you get back into windows, you should back up all your important files, and run 'chkdsk' on your hard drive.

[Lawr]

To be on the safe side if you haev a Flash Drive (bows down) store all the important
files on that so you don't lose them. You shouldn't have to worry too much about space because that thing can store a lot of memory.

[Endless]

Of course, that's nice if you can boot :p Thankfully, we have live linux CDs/DVDs to salvage data when the OS fails.

[drunkymonkey]

Hmm, sounds as if you are dealing with a failing or corrupted Hard Drive. You can boot from the Windows XP CD (as you did before) and there should be an option to repair a Windows installation. The repair process will restore all the Windows files (including the one you are missing).
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

However, after you get back into windows, you should back up all your important files, and run 'chkdsk' on your hard drive.
I also recommend reformatting your PC after this, as it is likely that your PC will run irriatacly.

[o_O]

Reformatting won't fix dead hard drive. Buying a new drive will.
Just as a note, if the drive is indeed failing, put it in the freezer for a few hours, then try to boot from it. It sometimes works. I'd tend to think that it's not drive failure though, as it seems to have coincided with a Windows update.
As Endless said, live Linux discs are an excellent way to recover data.

[Lionx]

i havent had the time to fix it yet but i tried today to fix it, and according to Samuraid's link there is no way i can possibly fix this without it saying:

Format the Partition using NTFS file system

which to me means that its, reformatting. Because when i booted the thing up from the CD, i followed all the way until it said:

5.


Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.

Which means that there are two partitions, i highlighted the one i think was mine..and pressed R, nothing happened. So i selected it and the format thing appears...and if i press R nothing will happen...i dont know what to do, i need to get some data out before reformatting the thing...>>;

[crono_logical]

What do you mean you highlighted the one you thought was yours? Well, you could always try Repair on all of them one by one until something happens :p It shouldn't ask to reformat if you choose Repair successfully.

[Lionx]

1.When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

2.Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen.

3.Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.

4.In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.

5.Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.

6.Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

It said not to do so and it says something about choosing a partition and pressing C to create and D to delete afterwards, which i assume was the right screen. But then it says if i format this partition everything would be lost. I dont get it..pressing R later does nothing..