NTLDR is missing

When my computer boots up, I get the blue screen of death. I can't do Anything. It all started when a pcpitstop driver utility informed me that I needed to upgrade my drivers for my nForce3 250 chipset. I went to the gigabyte website and downloaded the supposed 'update'. When I installed it, the system crashed and I got the NTLDR is missing, push CTRL ALT delete to restart. However nothing happened. My OS (XP) won't load and I get the same message. I can enter the BIOS okay, I set it to boot from CD, and put in the XP disc. I get to the screen to press any key to enter boot from CD, but when I start hitting keys, I get a string of dots, one for each time I hit a key, then it goes to the NTLDR is missing screen. I have taken out my hard drive, and put in another, so I wont erase all my data if I can get XP reinstalled. I figure to install XP on the second hard drive, and then save all my data to DVD, before doing a system reinstall on the oroiginal hard drive. Gigabyte K8 Triton GA-KNS nForce3 ATA motherboard AMD Athelon 64 3000+ processor 2 GB RAM OS- hoping for XP

Hello,
Do you have your windows XP CD? If you do, I want you to put it in and turn on your computer. When you are given the message press any key to boot from cd…, press a key and Windows Setup will start. At the first screen where you have to enter input, hit R to enter the Recovery Console. Then you will have to hit 1 to log into your windows installation and then just hit Enter for the Administrator password because it is normally blank unless you changed it. Once you are at the command prompt C:\WINDOWS I want you to type each of the following, hitting enter after each line:

• attrib -s -h -r c:\boot.ini
• del c:\boot.ini
• bootcfg /rebuild
• fixboot

Now type Exit and take your XP CD out. Your computer will reboot itself. Post back how things are going.

I entered bios, and set it to boot from CD, but when I got the 'Press any key to boot from CD', I pressed and pressed. After the 'Press any key' message, every time I press a key I get a dot after the message, Like 'Press any key to boot from CD'………. then it says, 'NTLDR is missing', and says to 'Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart'. I press Ctrl+Alt+Del, but nothing happens.

Can you please tell me about the computer; What make and model number? Have you made any hardware changes to it? Do you have any USB devices hooked up to it?

My computer is a 'watcherduck, garage special" All components from ZipZoomFly and NewEgg. I posted the motherboard and chipset info above. The computer has been working fine for a couple years. No new hardware changes, except for a mouse a couple months ago. I have the original install CD. All that is plugged in, is the screen to the screen connector, the mouse to the mouse connector (not the usb), and the Keyboard to the usb.

Please do not be offended by this question, You did have a disc in the CD yes? Could be that your CD is not working.

When I am in trouble, I don't consider Any question as dumb. Yes, I have the CD from the original installation on that machine. Also, I have the original XP CD from the previous PC I had. Also, there are two disc players. I originally used a CD writer/DVD read only, and have added a CD/DVD Reader/Writer. I tried both XP discs in both players, with the same result. I have seen some stuff about resetting the CMOS, but am hesitant to start shorting pins without more info. Also, I would like to express my thanks for taking the time to help me. Thanks!

Well, resetting the CMOS didn't do it. It was really easy to do, once I found the directions for my particular motherboard. Maybe it's the keyboard, I am getting a new one today, but I strongly suspect the software.

If the keyboard doesn't fix it, there are a couple things you can check.

Can you boot the XP CD in another computer? If yes, then check the boot sequence again, especially since you loaded the default CMOS settings.

If it still won't boot then replace the CD drive (borrow from your other computer?) and if still no good, the IDE cable connecting it to the system board.

Edit: Are you using a USB keyboard? If so, that may be the problem. Try a PS2 keyboard.

Okay I'll try it. I couldn't get into town today, but will go tomorrow. All of these different ideas are really appreciated. Sometimes I just run out of ideas. Thanks!

There turned out to be 2 problems. One was the keyboard wasn't working right, and the other was the fact I was using an upgrade disc. I had forgotten I installed an old copy of ME then upgraded. The problem now, is that it won't connect to the internet, although my laptop does, and never needed an install disc.

Hello, To clairify, you can now boot the machine but the Internet connection is not working?

You need to install the NIC driver and/or the Chipset driver for that mother board. You said it's a

Gigabyte K8 Triton GA-KNS nForce3 ATA

but is it actuallyt a

Gigabyte K8 Triton GA-K8NS nForce3 ATA?

Ztruker, It is a GA-K8NS. I have the chipset disc. HFCG, It boots up, but doesn't go on the internet. I looked in the device manager, and it doesn't show a network adapter. I looked on the install disc, and couldn't find the driver for it. So I tried the upgrade, even though the new one I installed is with SP3, and the upgrade is pre-SP1. It installed, but still no network adapter. I tried connecting via ethernet, and usb, but without a network adapter……

Windows does not "see" the network adapter because there is no software for it. Did you get a disc with the motherboard? That disc would have all of the drivers for the motherboard components.