Hi, I have surious problem with my computer.
It all started when I entered the BIOS, pressed "Default settings" then "Save & Exit". After I did that, my PC couldn't boot and gave me the same error message everytime instead of booting: "NTLDR is missing press any key to restart". So I wanted to repair windows with my Windows XP Professional CD. I put the CD in the cd rom and pressed Enter when it said "press any key to boot from cd", it loaded some stuff and after it said "setup is now starting windows" it gave me an error (bluescreen):

That error keep repeating itself everytime i boot from cd.
I don't know how to "Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption" so now I can't boot or repair windows.
What do I need to do?

Thanks,
Eyal

This post has been edited by neoeyal: May 13 2008, 01:44 PM

F is not your hard drive.
It is a virtual drive running in your memory.
You most likely have a bad memory stick.

Make an iso boot disk from here with a working computer.

http://www.memtest.org/

Let it run for a couple of hours unless you get errors right of the bat.
Then check your memory sticks one at a time.
Which means remove all but one stick.
If it passes then remove it and try the next stick.
If there is a bad one, there is no fixing it.

If there is no bad memory sticks.
-
Or even possibly the first thing to try.
Set your bios to setup defaults, not standard or another.
You can try each default settings, but make sure you are set to boot from the cd.

Are there any other cds that came with your computer.
A hardware cd possibly would fix your ntldr problem.
sometimes you have to start with the hardware cd instead of the xp cd.

What is your computer make and model?

Hi, Eyal

At the present you can't run any of the chkdsk commands (there are a number of them. chkdsk /f is just one) because you can't boot to windows nor can you run Recovery Console.

May I ask why set the BIOS in the first place. Did you have any problems? If yes, please inform. Meanwhile reset the cmos following this procedure:

Disconnect the power cable from the back of the computer. Open the side cover and carefully take out the cmos battery (looks like a silvery button). Keep it out for about 15 minutes. Reinstall and reboot. You will probably get a checksome error or some other message. If you do, enter BIOS and set time and date, save the new values and let the computer boot. There are computers in which other keys have to be used to enter BIOS. You can find the correct key when looking at the screen right after pressing the start button. Look for what key you have to press to enter setup.

Reboot normally, without the CD.

Hi
I did what you told me to do and now I don't get the NTLDR message anymore, instead it takes me to the screen where you choose how to boot - safemod, normally, last good configurations, etc... but with any choice I get the same blue screen error message that I got when I tried to boot from cd.

That looks better. Please do the following after making sure that your CD drive is first priority boot device (you set this in the BIOS).

Try to repair the problem by using Recovery Console. For this you will need xp installation CD. If you don't have the CD try to borrow one.

To get to Recovery Console insert the disk into the cd drive and reboot the computer. Setup Windows screen will show up. If it doesn't, enter BIOS and set the cd drive to be first priority boot device.

Let Setup run until three setup options are shown. Choose Recovery Console by pressing R. When asked for XP installation type 1 (assuming you have only one operating system installed). When asked for password type your password or press Enter if you don't have a passwoed. A black DOS-like screen will show up.

At the prompt type chkdsk /r (please note the space in the command). Press Enter and let the process run to the end.

Hi,
I did that and when it finished loading files it said (at the bottom line) "Setup is starting Windows" and then I got the same blue screen message:


This post has been edited by neoeyal: May 13 2008, 01:47 PM

Please right down the hard disk's manufacturer's name. I would like you to download and create a bootable CD of it's hard disk diagnostic program. Boot the computer with the CD in place and run a complete test of the hard disk. Boot normally and let us know what happened.

If you need help with a link to the program please let us know.

I have 2 hard disks

This is the primary hard disk (contains Windows files) SATA:
Western Digital 250 Gb / SATA-II
WDC WD2500AAKS-0

This is the secondary hard disk IDE:
WDC WD1200BB-00G

So the /F is a fix command and not a hard drive designation, right?

Anyways, I was having similar troubles with mine and itwas a bad stick of memory.

Good stuff, The Skeptic!

Please use this link to download Data Lifeduard Tools 11.0 for DOS (CD). Follow the instructions to create a bootable CD and run a full test. The program will identify the two disks so, at this opportunity, run the test to each of them.

This post has been edited by The Skeptic: May 13 2008, 11:30 PM

I put the cd but it says "Cannot load DOS! Any key to retry" evertime after I try to boot from that cd.
(hey i'm from israel too. ma nishma? )

This post has been edited by neoeyal: May 14 2008, 04:19 AM

Nishma Tov. glad to try to help.

Have you tried to boot with the Cd? Meaning, did you set the CD to be first priority boot device in the BIOS? It should work in DOS because you boot before windows starts loading. Please try again. If not successful we'll try the program of another manufacturer.

Yes, the CD is first priority boot device in the BIOS but i still get the same message.

Use Hitachi's tool from this site. Download CD Image (2718K) and burn a bootable CD. Boot with the new disk in the drive. I just tested it on my WD drive and it works without any problem.

When shown some options during bootup chose SCSI and ATA Drives and then ADAPTEC (the first option). Run a complete test.

Even before you run the test I would like to go somewhat back. I asked in a previous post what was the original problem that caused you to reset the BIOS to default settings in the first place. If there was no specific reason, just curiosity, that's fine with me, but I would like to know, to understand the situation better. I have never had a case in which setting BIOS to defaults caused such problems.

Please do the following:

1: Open the case and make sure that the hard disk cables, and any other cable, for that matter, is sitting properly and tightly in place. Pay special attention to the SATA cable on both the motherboard and hard disk sides. SATA connector are flimsy and tend to disconnect and crack.

2: Try to set the BIOS to Optimal Settings, or whatever it's called in your BIOS. If it doesn't help set back to defaults.

I chose to do default bios settings at first because I had a problem with windows sound scheme, I couldn't here them after removing custom sound scheme so someone told me to get into the BIOS and changed to default settings to solve the problem.
I put Hitachi's tool cd you mentioned in my pc but now I get this message:
Non-system disk or disk error
Replace and press any key when ready

This post has been edited by neoeyal: May 14 2008, 09:52 AM