NTDLR is Missing - Laptop - Help!

[Landis6605]

I just installed a new hard drive and cd rom drive on a 2 year old laptop (HP-DV4000). I have the system disk from HP and put it into the drive. It boot and successfully loaded XP drivers on the bluse screen and started the Hard Drive format. Half way through it stopped and reboot and gave an error..NTDLR is missing.

I now am attempting to redo the process...put in the system disk and let it boot and install a fresh copy of XP, but nothing happens. I have checked the boot order and the CD rom is listed first. All I get is that error message. I have done a bios self hard drive test and that comes back fine.

Any ideas for next steps. I just want to load XP and get this laptop up and running. Thanks!!

 

[pscowboy]

Is the HP disc a Reinstallation cd or Recovery?

Do you have a COA and product key on the bottom of the laptop?

What flavor is the XP?

Do you have a floppy drive?

Give me that info & I'll get you through this.

 

[Landis6605]

The HP disc says Operating System CD, Windows XP Professional SP2, Contains software and drivers already installed, for software instillation and repair only. it was the one that came with the laptop. So should be the Reinstallation CD.

Yes I have the COA and Key at the bottom

No Floppy drive

The XP is Professional and SP2

Thanks for your help.

 

[pscowboy]

Go here to create a cd boot disc:

http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/cdrom/

Print out his instructions & read them twice.

You need to be at a comp which has a cd drive that can burn cd's. His program does it inside of a DOS window, so you don't need a burning app. You'll need a couple/three cd-r blanks. I would create three & save them - very handy.

Boot up with the disc. I believe you type r: to access the utilities.

At "R" type fdisk and delete all the partitions it finds.

Pop in your XP and install fresh.

 

[Landis6605]

Well, Latest progress. Have been playing with this Bart's Boot Disk tutorial and still have not been able to create one,. I am probably reading to much into it, but I also think it is poorly written. I just want to make a simple boot disk. Anyway I sent you a PM on the problems I am having. Any other help to push me along is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[pscowboy]

1. Put a blank cd-r disc in the burner.

2. Create a new folder called Downlds (if you don't have one already). And another one called BCD.

3. Download:
BCD full package
wnaspi32
BFD full package
cdromsi.zip
debug.exe (W98 version - DOS7)
fdisk.exe (W98 version - DOS7)
Google the last two to locate them. Or copy them from a 98 comp to a floppy & transfer.

4. Unpack the bcd download - directing the extraction to C:\BCD

5. Copy winaspi32.dll to C:\BCD\bin

6. Unpack bfd - directing the extraction to C:\BCD

7. Unpack cdromsi - directing the extraction to C:\BCD

8. Copy debug & fdisk into C:\BCD\cds\cdromsi\files\

9. Open a command prompt window (Start - Run - cmd). Change to the BCD folder by typing cd\bcd. Now type bcd cdromsi

When you start the bootable cd, let it go all by itself until you get an "R" prompt. Type fdisk and delete all the partitions it finds.

 

[Landis6605]

Well I followed your instructions and have done everything in the last post. I am getting to the right place, but getting an error and the DOS app is aborting. The following command text as follows. Let me know what I might be doing wrong. I appreciate all of your time.

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

F:\>c:

C:\>cd\bcd

C:\BCD>bcd cdromsi

BCD, Build CD-Rom, v1.1.1
Copyright (c) 2002 Bart Lagerweij. All rights reserved.
This program is free software. Use and/or distribute it under the terms
of the NU2 License (see nu2lic.txt or http://www.nu2.nu/license/).

BCD: Checking for required files:
BCD: Processing (main) config file "bcd.cfg"
BCD: Application set to "BCD/MKISOFS"
BCD: System set to "Win32"
BCD: Processing (CD) config file "cds\cdromsi\bcd.cfg"
BCD: Bootfile set to "cdrom.img"
BCD: No mkisofs options, adding "-J -N"
BCD: Processing bootdisk config file "cds\cdromsi\bootdisk.cfg"
BCD: Bootimage "cdrom.img" does not exist, let's create it now!
'bfd.cmd' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
BCD: Bootfile is "cdrom.img"
BCD: Bootfile "cds\cdromsi\files\cdrom.img" not found
BCD: Aborted...

Press any key to continue . . .
BCD: Exiting with return value 1

C:\BCD>

 

[pscowboy]

When you unzip cdromsi, make sure it's extracting ALL, and it's all going into C:\BCD.

Double-click cdromsi - highlight - go up to File - choose Extract All - direct the extractio wizard to C:\BCD

 

[Landis6605]

That is what I did. I did it again to make sure it all went in and the same error occurred. I have 16 files and 7 folders in the BCD properties. Am I supposed to do something with BFD? I dont know what is going on. Any other ideas, other routes to get this laptop up and able to load XP. Thanks!

 

[pscowboy]

Sorry guy!

I screwed up the definitive post a couple back. I've edited it.

You have to extract BFD to BCD as well, if you haven't done that.

Make sure cdrom.img is in files.

This should set you free.

 

[Landis6605]

Haha, OK. I got a lot farther now. I received the R: prompt. I typed in fdisk and it came back saying incorrect DOS version.

That leads me to believe that I put the wrong fdisk.exe file in the files folder. What do you think it could be. Do you have a direct link to the correct fdisk? Almost there! I hope!

 

[pscowboy]

Try the one here:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q263044

Also, one of the cab files inside of bcd has it. Just double-click them all until you find it - then unpack it and copy fdisk to files.

 

[Landis6605]

Nope, not working. Same error. I guess I should abort this process. Any other ways of formatting this disk or getting this thing prepped to take a install. Can I go out and buy an external floppy drive and download a "ready" boot disk for a floppy?

I need to get this thing back up and running. Just for a chance of my luck I put the XP CD in the drive and it loaded the blue screen installer. But when it starts to process the OS install it errors out on random files saying they are corrupt. I have tried two different XP cd's. The original one that came with the laptop and a full license version. This is driving me nuts and I do not want to take it to the GEEK SQUAD!! Haha

 

[pscowboy]

Did you use the fdisk in the cab file? Put it in the files folder inside of cdromsi? And then reburned?

Here's the site for the downloads: take fdisk - format - debug

http://www.uv.tietgen.dk/staff/mlha/Download/DOS/#FDISK

I had this work okay at least two dozen times for folks.

Make sure of the above. If not still working, I can give a DR-Dos setup.

 

[Landis6605]

Yes the fdisk-format-debug files are in the cdromsi - ->files folder. I have also extracted everything and placed the above mentioned files into there right places. I keep getting an incorrect DOS version error. I am following everything exact. I am not having trouble burning the disc at all. It is when I stick the disc into the laptop and it loads to R: Then type"fdisk" enter and it gives me that error. I am stumped.

If there are other directions towards this method you can think of please let me know. If not is there another way, I have can get through this?

 

[pscowboy]

BEFORE YOU TRY THIS ONE, PLEASE READ THE POST FOLLOWING THIS ONE.
Try this method instead:

Create a "New" folder on your "C" drive, and name it drdos.

Go to this site:

http://www.devedia.com/dosghost/dos/downl_2.asp#drdos

Scroll down until you find v703drdos Beta - click on that. You will find yourself at an ftp download site of all the drdos utilities.

You can download them all to the new drdos folder, but you only need debug.exe; fdisk.com; & format.com.

Download by right-clicking each one - choose "Save Target As" - and direct the download to the drdos folder.

You need Nero 6.

Next, go to Program Files\Ahead\Nero and locate Dosbootimage.ima and copy and paste it to the drdos folder.

Fire up Nero - choose Nero Burning Rom. Should get New Compilation. On the left side, scroll down to CD-ROM (Boot) and highlight it.

Over on the right side, click the radio button for Image File & browse to the drdos folder to locate it so that it shows in the address space.

On the bottom half, under Enable Expert Settings, make sure the four categories are: Floppy Emulation 1.44; Nero Boot Loader v6.0; 07c0; 1.

Go up to the Burn tab and make sure that Write and Finalize cd are checked. Change the Write Speed to half of what your burner is capable of, then click New at the upper right corner.

On the right side, third pane over, locate the drdos folder and click it so that all of its' files show up in the fourth pane. Drag and drop them all to the second pane. Locate the grayish cd disc with the flame on it near the top under the word Window. Click this to return to the Burn page; insert a blank cd-r disc into your burner; change Copies to two; then click burn. Quickly check off Verify Written Data at the bottom left.

OK the Data Verify success (second copy should start) - click Done (bottom left) - Exit out whereupon Nero will ask you to save this. I would, and call it drdos; for you to have in the future. Then back to your desktop.

You now have a bootable cd with which you can invoke fdisk. You will find it on the "D" drive after the cd boots up.

 

[pscowboy]

Before you give up on the Bart's.

Go into C:\BCD\cds\cdromsi\files\

Delete everything in there except autorun.bat & cdrom.img

Next, go to C:\BCD\cabs\os\md701\

In here you will find dos.cab which holds the compatible DOS files. Unpack the "bin" folder inside of this, to the files folder found under cdromsi.

Reburn the cd. I KNOW THIS WILL WORK!

 

[Landis6605]

OK, here is the latest on my end. I tried the Nero version and I was able to prompt the fdisk. It found one partition which was the entire hard drive, 80 gigs from cylinder 0 until the end. I tried the delete option and it told me to select the partition I want to delete. I proceeded to press option 1 and it then said you can not delete this partition in standard mode. This leads me to believe that there is not anything on this drive but the blank space and nothing to delete.

I also tried the modified Bart's version and got the files into the location you had stated. I am getting an error stating that the config file is corrupt and missing about 5 files that it lists; HYMEM.SYS, MEM.SYS, etc. So I looked around in the folders and found some of these files in the C:\BCD\os\md701\bin. I copied all of these files and put them into the same folder you had stated and burned again. It looks like it got passed the error not finding the files and lead me to yet another error. It is now stopping me at another error saying that a different file is not present and stops at an abort, retry warning.

How about this. Is it possible to place all of these files where they need to be and zip them or ftp them to me? Also, If I get this Bart's CD up and running is it going to give me the same error that the Nero version gave me, by not allowing me to delete anything anyways. How is this process going to help me by loading a copy of the OS. Could there be something else wrong that we are overlooking. Cuz I am completely stumped. Thanks for you persistence and efforts in my dilemna.

 

[pscowboy]

Persistence is a virtue. This Bart's thing works. Something's not happening right with the extractions to BCD.

Don't overcomplicate this situation. We're just trying to delete a corrupt partition. Fdisk or debug both work. I want you to get both cd's to work for your own edification.


BARTS
Try unpacking all the downloads again into BCD. Select all - point all the extractions (Extract To) to BCD by just clicking BCD once.

DR-DOS
Did you put debug on that cd?

If so:

At the "D" prompt, type debug. You will get a minus sign prompt ( - ) . Type in the following lines; hitting Enter after each one. There are no letter O's except in the word mov.

f 200 L200 0
a 100
mov ax,301
mov bx,200
mov cx,1
mov dx,0080
int 13
int 3
(hit enter again)
g=100
q

Remove the Dr-Dos cd; pop in the XP cd; Ctrl-Alt-Delete; and install.

 

[Landis6605]

OK, I loaded DRDOS and used debug and loaded the lines as you said. I changed discs to the OS and powered it back on. All I have now is a fast blinking curser line in the upper left hand corner. Also when the first bios prompt screen displays right at power on, it seems to change to the black screen with the blinking curser faster, less of a delay. Nothing is responding, I cant even eject a disc without using a paper clip to manual eject. What did I do now. Like I had enough to worry about!

 

[pscowboy]

Couple of things to check.

That cd of yours - are you sure it's an XP operating system disc? Or, is it a Recovery disc? If it's XP, it will say Operating System and/or Reinstallation CD. If it's software & repair only - it's a recovery disc.

Boot up with nothing in the cd drive - you should get a POST screen listing your graphics, hard drive, and memory - and then a message about installing a system disc. Do you get a POST? Or just a logo? If logo, there's a setting in the BIOS to change about a quiet post (you don't want the quiet post), so you can see the POST.

If that's a yes, does the BIOS see your hard drive? If that's a yes, then your cd is not an OS, or your cd drive just went south.

If you get no POST - and you're supposed to be able to view it - take out the cd drive. Boot again.

If you're sure your cd drive is okay, can you temporarily borrow someone's XP cd just so we can find out if everything works.

Does the DR-Dos cd boot up okay? See if fdisk sees the hard drive.

 

[Landis6605]

Thanks for all the tips. Well last night I was frustrated with the whole process so I thought of something else to try and get around the problem. I took the HD out of the laptop and put it in another. I placed the XP disc in the machine and it loaded the installer on the first run. I got the OS up and running. I then placed the HD back into the original laptop and boot to XP. Loaded the HP driver disc and installed all drivers. Computer is up and running, booting smoothly without any errors.

I now sit in reflection and want to know why the other methods did not work. I do not know if it was the hardware combination or my dumb luck. I also want to know why the other laptop took the install and the other didn't. If it was do to a bad sector and we needed to remove it with fdisk or debug, why didn't I need to do it on the other machine. Anyway, I cannot thank you enough for sticking with me through this process.

 

[pscowboy]

The debug routine worked, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten the install to go. This is better than fdisk because it blanks the 0 cylinder - boot sector & mbr.

You are welcome!

I love happy endings.