[netoster]

Hi all, my problem is i installed Linux a long ago, i was very newbie when i was installing it so i think i didnt do it right. Anyways the boot thing screwed up (the boot manager did not detect Windows, various errors when booting etc.) , and i made a low level format, i installed Windows and Linux again with no problems, suddenly i get this "Cannot find NTLDR" or NTLDR missing message when im booting. When i enter without floppy the Nvidia Boot Agent starts to make something but it never ends.

I deleted linux partitions, but nothing. I can only boot with this floppy, that contains the following files:
-NTDETECT.COM
-BOOT.INI
-NTLDR

I just made a Repair Install but didnt work. Please help me, its horrible to be floppy-dependant!

Information that u guys may need:
Linux: Ubuntu (last version, breezy something)
Windows XP PRO Sp2
Maxtor 200GB Diamondback
AMD 64 3700+
Corsair 512MBx2 XMS 3200XL
nvidia eVGA 6800 Ultra 128mb
Aspire AS500W power supply
MSI LanParty NF4 Ultra-D
(i just want to boot without floppy, i dont want to know anything about linux)

Also, anything that needs a restart to be done before Windows load up cannot complete, for example i tried to make a partition (partition magic), when its about to start windows just load up like ignoring the partition thing.

I have tried downloading another "boot-fix" and load with floppy, "fdisk /mbr" but it just didnt work.

Please HELP :*(

Also, i have a question, is it normal that the hard disk make noise (like when its writing something) when its idle? i mean sometimes im like in bed or watching TV and the hard disk starts making noise like if i were running antivirus or something.

thanks in advance for your help

PD: i have asked this here before, but i got no answers, i could not find my old thread.

Edited by netoster, 04 March 2006 - 02:38 PM.

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I can't say that this may be the problem but i thiught it might be the problem.

Fault Tolerance

NTFS repairs hard disk errors automatically without displaying an error message. When Windows XP writes a file to an NTFS partition, it keeps a copy of the file in memory. It then checks the file to make sure it matches the copy stored in memory. If the copies don't match, Windows marks that section of the hard disk as bad and won't use it again (Cluster Remapping). Windows then uses the copy of the file stored in memory to rewrite the file to an alternate location on the hard disk. If the error occurred during a read, NTFS returns a read error to the calling program, and the data is lost.

From microsoft KB315224

If Linux Is Not Still Installed
NOTE: The following procedure is not supported by Microsoft and is performed strictly at the discretion of the user. Microsoft assumes no liability for lost or corrupted data. This procedure should be performed only as a last resort.

IMPORTANT: Running fdisk /mbr removes the disk signature from the MBR. If the drive is a member of a Windows fault tolerance set, the drive is no longer recognized as a member of that set.

I know it is a PITA but i would try running another low level format and again fdisk/format and reinstall XP. I would use the maxblast software to write all "0"s to the drive( low level format) before even using Fdisk. I may be wrong here but it does sound like you have lost the MBR because windows has marked where the mbr is as a bad sector.

SRX660

[SRX660]

I can't say that this may be the problem but i thiught it might be the problem.

Fault Tolerance

NTFS repairs hard disk errors automatically without displaying an error message. When Windows XP writes a file to an NTFS partition, it keeps a copy of the file in memory. It then checks the file to make sure it matches the copy stored in memory. If the copies don't match, Windows marks that section of the hard disk as bad and won't use it again (Cluster Remapping). Windows then uses the copy of the file stored in memory to rewrite the file to an alternate location on the hard disk. If the error occurred during a read, NTFS returns a read error to the calling program, and the data is lost.

From microsoft KB315224

If Linux Is Not Still Installed
NOTE: The following procedure is not supported by Microsoft and is performed strictly at the discretion of the user. Microsoft assumes no liability for lost or corrupted data. This procedure should be performed only as a last resort.

IMPORTANT: Running fdisk /mbr removes the disk signature from the MBR. If the drive is a member of a Windows fault tolerance set, the drive is no longer recognized as a member of that set.

I know it is a PITA but i would try running another low level format and again fdisk/format and reinstall XP. I would use the maxblast software to write all "0"s to the drive( low level format) before even using Fdisk. I may be wrong here but it does sound like you have lost the MBR because windows has marked where the mbr is as a bad sector.

SRX660

[netoster]

are low level formats bad for the disk??