NTLDR IS MISSING IS COMPRESSED (Windows XP Home Edition)

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HELP everyone!!!!!!!!! This is Nancy (Mystcal1) not on her computer. Something happened after I cleared my hard drive to give me more space. The screen resolution was only 4 bit and I didn’t know what happened so I decided to do a non-destructive recovery. This is what I get now NTLDR IS COMPRESSED PRESS CONTROL ALT DELETE TO RESTART, but when I do that it just keeps coming back to the same error message. I cannot afford to do a full recovery because I have business documents in there that I have not backed up. I have 7 cd roms from Hewlett Packard, and I do not know which one can help me find the NTLDR file to put it back. I don’t have the Windows XP Home Edition CD Rom because the computer is OEM. Please help. You can email me still at thesinger@comcast.net I can get my email from this computer.

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Hi Nancy,

I found this here but haven’t a clue how to tell you to use it.
But FWIW here it is. Maybe someone in the lounge more savy about these things can assist you further.

NTLDR Missing press a key to reboot:
This is a core file which must be in the root directory, and the fact that it cannot find it may mean other files are also missing, however to fix this problem perform the following:

Boot the system with a DOS bootable floppy disk (if it is a FAT partition). If it is a NTFS partition use the NT boot disk shown in the above step
In the i386 directory of the CD-ROM there will be a file NTLDR._, which is the compressed version of NTLDR.
You can expand this file using expand.exe that comes with DOS and Windows for Workgroups expand d:i386ntldr._ c:ntldr.

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Hi Nancy,

I found this here but haven’t a clue how to tell you to use it.
But FWIW here it is. Maybe someone in the lounge more savy about these things can assist you further.

NTLDR Missing press a key to reboot:
This is a core file which must be in the root directory, and the fact that it cannot find it may mean other files are also missing, however to fix this problem perform the following:

Boot the system with a DOS bootable floppy disk (if it is a FAT partition). If it is a NTFS partition use the NT boot disk shown in the above step
In the i386 directory of the CD-ROM there will be a file NTLDR._, which is the compressed version of NTLDR.
You can expand this file using expand.exe that comes with DOS and Windows for Workgroups expand d:i386ntldr._ c:ntldr.

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Found a bit more. It seems as though you must have deleted the NTLDR file and that’s NECESSARY to start XP !!!

“If the hard disk on the system does not contain an active partition, or if the master boot code cannot locate the boot sector of the system volume so that it can start the operating system, the MBR displays messages similar to the following:
Invalid partition table.
Error loading operating system.
Missing operating system.

If the active partition exists and the master boot record locates the boot sector of the system volume, the master boot code loads the boot sector of the active partition and transfers CPU execution to that memory address. On computers that are running Windows XP Professional, the executable boot code in the boot sector finds Ntldr, loads it into memory, and transfers execution to that file. However, if the boot sector cannot find Ntldr, which is the file that loads the operating system files from the boot volume, Windows XP Professional cannot start. Windows XP Professional might be unable to find Ntldr in these circumstances:
If Ntldr is moved, renamed, or deleted.
If Ntldr is corrupted.
If the boot sector is corrupted. ”

This from another source is one solution…..

Question
Jeff is the technical expert in charge of system recovery of his Windows 2000 network. He configured each Windows 2000 Professional computer with a separate system partition and boot partition, which is formatted with NTFS. In the afternoon he reboots one of the computers and receives this error message: “NTLDR is missing, press any key to restart”. Jeff must install a new NTLDR and must ensure that he does not loose any previous system configuration settings. Which of the following processes should he use?

Explanation
The answer is “Start system with the CD-ROM and choose to repair the installation. Then use the Recovery Console to copy the NTLDR from the CD-ROM to the system root”

Windows 2000 will not boot if the boot sector cannot find NTLDR, which can be caused by moving, renaming, or deleting NTLDR, corruption of NTLDR, or corruption of the boot sector. Under these circumstances, the computer might not respond to input or might display one of the following error messages: A disk read error occurred, NTLDR is missing, or NTLDR is compressed. You can fix this problem with the Recovery Console or the Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). You cannot copy a file from the local hard disk to a floppy disk. However, you can copy a file from a floppy disk or a CD-ROM to any hard disk, and from one hard disk to another.

Or look here.

As a last resort, contact HP Support to see if you can use any of those 7 CDs for anything but coasters.

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Found a bit more. It seems as though you must have deleted the NTLDR file and that’s NECESSARY to start XP !!!

“If the hard disk on the system does not contain an active partition, or if the master boot code cannot locate the boot sector of the system volume so that it can start the operating system, the MBR displays messages similar to the following:
Invalid partition table.
Error loading operating system.
Missing operating system.

If the active partition exists and the master boot record locates the boot sector of the system volume, the master boot code loads the boot sector of the active partition and transfers CPU execution to that memory address. On computers that are running Windows XP Professional, the executable boot code in the boot sector finds Ntldr, loads it into memory, and transfers execution to that file. However, if the boot sector cannot find Ntldr, which is the file that loads the operating system files from the boot volume, Windows XP Professional cannot start. Windows XP Professional might be unable to find Ntldr in these circumstances:
If Ntldr is moved, renamed, or deleted.
If Ntldr is corrupted.
If the boot sector is corrupted. ”

This from another source is one solution…..

Question
Jeff is the technical expert in charge of system recovery of his Windows 2000 network. He configured each Windows 2000 Professional computer with a separate system partition and boot partition, which is formatted with NTFS. In the afternoon he reboots one of the computers and receives this error message: “NTLDR is missing, press any key to restart”. Jeff must install a new NTLDR and must ensure that he does not loose any previous system configuration settings. Which of the following processes should he use?

Explanation
The answer is “Start system with the CD-ROM and choose to repair the installation. Then use the Recovery Console to copy the NTLDR from the CD-ROM to the system root”

Windows 2000 will not boot if the boot sector cannot find NTLDR, which can be caused by moving, renaming, or deleting NTLDR, corruption of NTLDR, or corruption of the boot sector. Under these circumstances, the computer might not respond to input or might display one of the following error messages: A disk read error occurred, NTLDR is missing, or NTLDR is compressed. You can fix this problem with the Recovery Console or the Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). You cannot copy a file from the local hard disk to a floppy disk. However, you can copy a file from a floppy disk or a CD-ROM to any hard disk, and from one hard disk to another.

Or look here.

As a last resort, contact HP Support to see if you can use any of those 7 CDs for anything but coasters.

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Nancy–

Ntldr is an essential file in the XP (and Windows 2K kernel OS boot sequence) along with Boot.ini, ntdetect.com, bootsec.dos, Ntoskrnl.exe, Hal.dll, Nttbootdd.sys. The first area on a hard drive accessed in booting is the MBR, and if it’s not found you get a message Missing Operating System. After the system finds an MBR, it loads it into memory, processes it, and passes control onto the OS and that control is passed to a file called Ntldr. This file displays the boot system, detects the hardware, and initializes any adapters that may be needed to boot the system. Ntldr detects the file system (FAT32 or NTFS) and loads the appropriate driver so it can continue to read info off the hard drive. It does a number of other tasks, the final one being to load and run the NT kernel.

There is a KB with this title after upgrading from 95, 98, ME but I don’t think it applies to your situation.

This error like most has a number of causes. The most common is when an NT, 2K, or XP installation fails to complete. It also occurs when the partition table or the drive becomes corrupted. I’d also make a quick check of cables and your BIOS boot order to see if it’s correct.

Booting with boot disks is one solution that works in a number of situations if the partitions are not too damaged, and you can use the RC to copy it, or possibly make a copy from another system.

How to Repair Ntldr and the Boot Sector

307654: HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

You can also change the bios order to boot from the XP CD-ROM repair install and choose to do a repair install, but I would try a simpler rememdy first. I’ve put directions for doing both below, and you definitely want to go for System Restore through Safe Mode with a Command Prompt or Last Known Good Configuration first before you use boot floopies or a repair install simply because it’s quicker and easier and if it works it will save a lot of time.

F8 Key to Safe Mode With a Command Prompt For System Restore[/u]

307852: HOW TO: Start Your Computer by Using the Last Known Good Configuration Feature in Windows XP

Try to use the F8 key to boot to the so-called Windows Advanced Options menu and choose Safe Mode with a Command prompt and try to run system restore in safe mode:

304449: HOW TO: Start the System Restore Tool from a Command Prompt in Windows XP

Also see: Posts 284723, 284948 in this thread

How To Do a Repair Install In Windows XP[/u]

Screen Shots on Repair Install XP Xand the Windows Advanced Options Menu: Scroll Down

How To Do a Repair Install Windows XP by Michael Stevens

315341: How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP

hth and good luck,

SMBP

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Hi Everyone: All these suggestions are great, but I don’t have the XP CD Rom, I only have the 7 recovery CD’s that came from Hewlett Packard, and I cannot get past the error message. It will not even get me into Safe Mode. I can only get into the BIOS. When I put the recovery cd in, it won’t even boot off the cd rom, it goes right to the error message NTDLR is compressed. Any suggestions how I can get past the error message to get in?

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If you tap F8 on trying to reboot can you get to the Windows Advanced Option Screen–and what did HP send you–did they give you some kind of Recovery Disc Nancy? In order to boot off any CD Rom, you’re going to have to go into the Bios and change the boot order there. The CD is going to have to be first in the boot sequence, before the A drive and the hard drive, and it possibly isn’t right now. Take a look and change it and then try to boot from any CD-Rom and what do these OEM’s like HP with Carley Fiorina supposedly a brilliant woman send for gosh sakes for the money you pay them? Doesn’t look like Carley is giving a lot of thought to boot problems with Windows operating systems.

SMBP

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If you tap F8 on trying to reboot can you get to the Windows Advanced Option Screen–and what did HP send you–did they give you some kind of Recovery Disc Nancy? In order to boot off any CD Rom, you’re going to have to go into the Bios and change the boot order there. The CD is going to have to be first in the boot sequence, before the A drive and the hard drive, and it possibly isn’t right now. Take a look and change it and then try to boot from any CD-Rom and what do these OEM’s like HP with Carley Fiorina supposedly a brilliant woman send for gosh sakes for the money you pay them? Doesn’t look like Carley is giving a lot of thought to boot problems with Windows operating systems.

SMBP

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Find someone who’s handy with the insides of a computer and also runs Windows XP. Have them attach your hard drive to their system and save your work files onto a CD (or whatever). Then do whatever it takes to rebuild your system, recognizing that things might get more mucked up in the process, but at least you will have a backup. Oh, don’t forget your Outlook or Outlook Express mailbox files!

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This is a very good idea–I hope I can make it happen if I ever need to. Thanks.

SMBP

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This is a very good idea–I hope I can make it happen if I ever need to. Thanks.

SMBP

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Find someone who’s handy with the insides of a computer and also runs Windows XP. Have them attach your hard drive to their system and save your work files onto a CD (or whatever). Then do whatever it takes to rebuild your system, recognizing that things might get more mucked up in the process, but at least you will have a backup. Oh, don’t forget your Outlook or Outlook Express mailbox files!

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Hi Everyone: All these suggestions are great, but I don’t have the XP CD Rom, I only have the 7 recovery CD’s that came from Hewlett Packard, and I cannot get past the error message. It will not even get me into Safe Mode. I can only get into the BIOS. When I put the recovery cd in, it won’t even boot off the cd rom, it goes right to the error message NTDLR is compressed. Any suggestions how I can get past the error message to get in?

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Nancy–

Ntldr is an essential file in the XP (and Windows 2K kernel OS boot sequence) along with Boot.ini, ntdetect.com, bootsec.dos, Ntoskrnl.exe, Hal.dll, Nttbootdd.sys. The first area on a hard drive accessed in booting is the MBR, and if it’s not found you get a message Missing Operating System. After the system finds an MBR, it loads it into memory, processes it, and passes control onto the OS and that control is passed to a file called Ntldr. This file displays the boot system, detects the hardware, and initializes any adapters that may be needed to boot the system. Ntldr detects the file system (FAT32 or NTFS) and loads the appropriate driver so it can continue to read info off the hard drive. It does a number of other tasks, the final one being to load and run the NT kernel.

There is a KB with this title after upgrading from 95, 98, ME but I don’t think it applies to your situation.

This error like most has a number of causes. The most common is when an NT, 2K, or XP installation fails to complete. It also occurs when the partition table or the drive becomes corrupted. I’d also make a quick check of cables and your BIOS boot order to see if it’s correct.

Booting with boot disks is one solution that works in a number of situations if the partitions are not too damaged, and you can use the RC to copy it, or possibly make a copy from another system.

How to Repair Ntldr and the Boot Sector

307654: HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

You can also change the bios order to boot from the XP CD-ROM repair install and choose to do a repair install, but I would try a simpler rememdy first. I’ve put directions for doing both below, and you definitely want to go for System Restore through Safe Mode with a Command Prompt or Last Known Good Configuration first before you use boot floopies or a repair install simply because it’s quicker and easier and if it works it will save a lot of time.

F8 Key to Safe Mode With a Command Prompt For System Restore[/u]

307852: HOW TO: Start Your Computer by Using the Last Known Good Configuration Feature in Windows XP

Try to use the F8 key to boot to the so-called Windows Advanced Options menu and choose Safe Mode with a Command prompt and try to run system restore in safe mode:

304449: HOW TO: Start the System Restore Tool from a Command Prompt in Windows XP

Also see: Posts 284723, 284948 in this thread

How To Do a Repair Install In Windows XP[/u]

Screen Shots on Repair Install XP Xand the Windows Advanced Options Menu: Scroll Down

How To Do a Repair Install Windows XP by Michael Stevens

315341: How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP

hth and good luck,

SMBP

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Nancy–

There is also an alternative way to make a bootable disc from system files, but it will take going to another computer with Windows XP installed. Make sure first you have gone to Tools>Folder Options>View>Show All Hidden Files and Folders and also remove the check mark from “Hide all operating system files (Recommended” and click Apply>OK. You’ll need to do that to see boot.ini, a file made when Windows XP is installed on that machine. Navigate to the root or C folder using Windows Explorer or My Computer and put a blank floppy disk in the A Drive and copy the following system files to the floppy disk. If you’re having any trouble copying the files, then right click them, click properties, and remove the check mark from the Read Only Attributes:

Boot.ini
NTLDR
Ntdetect.com
bootsect.dos
ntbootdd.sys files

These are the boot system files used in the boot sequence that should help you boot and you can use the disc with those files copied like you would any other boot disk. Using this, though you would make sure the Bios boot order is set so that A is firs, so that you can boot off the floppy.

SMBP

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Nancy–

There is also an alternative way to make a bootable disc from system files, but it will take going to another computer with Windows XP installed. Make sure first you have gone to Tools>Folder Options>View>Show All Hidden Files and Folders and also remove the check mark from “Hide all operating system files (Recommended” and click Apply>OK. You’ll need to do that to see boot.ini, a file made when Windows XP is installed on that machine. Navigate to the root or C folder using Windows Explorer or My Computer and put a blank floppy disk in the A Drive and copy the following system files to the floppy disk. If you’re having any trouble copying the files, then right click them, click properties, and remove the check mark from the Read Only Attributes:

Boot.ini
NTLDR
Ntdetect.com
bootsect.dos
ntbootdd.sys files

These are the boot system files used in the boot sequence that should help you boot and you can use the disc with those files copied like you would any other boot disk. Using this, though you would make sure the Bios boot order is set so that A is firs, so that you can boot off the floppy.

SMBP

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Nancy,

In post 293965 I suggested a search command to locate all the large files on your system so we could try to understand where the space had gone. The intention was that you could tell us what the big files were and we could discuss which could be safely deleted. I see from post 294305 that you have deleted a lot of files to recover disk space.

I suspect that you have probably deleted a large number of files that are critical to the successful running of the windows operating system, and nothing short of a complete new install of windows will be able to sort this out.

StuartR

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Yes Stuart, you were right, I more than likely deleted critical files. Unfortunately, I had to do a complete format. The next time my hard drive is full like that I WILL FOR SURE let you know what files I intend to delete. What I mostly deleted were files that said had no association so I thought that was ok. I didn’t touch .dll files so I cannot figure out for the life of me what I deleted that caused NTLDR to be compressed.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP. I WILL CERTAINLY SAVE THIS THREAD.

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Yes Stuart, you were right, I more than likely deleted critical files. Unfortunately, I had to do a complete format. The next time my hard drive is full like that I WILL FOR SURE let you know what files I intend to delete. What I mostly deleted were files that said had no association so I thought that was ok. I didn’t touch .dll files so I cannot figure out for the life of me what I deleted that caused NTLDR to be compressed.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HELP. I WILL CERTAINLY SAVE THIS THREAD.

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Nancy

I had a similar problem but the error message was NTLDR is mssing. The fix for me was easy, I rebooted with a Windows XP CD in the drive – try borrowing one. This article may help (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;EN-US;255220%5B/url%5D), I don’t know, pity you had to reformat. I am sure it could have been fixed.

Back up!
Terry

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Nancy

I had a similar problem but the error message was NTLDR is mssing. The fix for me was easy, I rebooted with a Windows XP CD in the drive – try borrowing one. This article may help (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;EN-US;255220%5B/url%5D), I don’t know, pity you had to reformat. I am sure it could have been fixed.

Back up!
Terry

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Nancy,

In post 293965 I suggested a search command to locate all the large files on your system so we could try to understand where the space had gone. The intention was that you could tell us what the big files were and we could discuss which could be safely deleted. I see from post 294305 that you have deleted a lot of files to recover disk space.

I suspect that you have probably deleted a large number of files that are critical to the successful running of the windows operating system, and nothing short of a complete new install of windows will be able to sort this out.

StuartR

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