I built a new box with the bare essentials. MB with onboard video, CPU, RAM Single IDE harddrive, SATA DVDRW drive. Put in my Win7 install DVD and started installation. Win7 could not find the hard drive. I then tried an old WinXP installation CD. That got me a BSOD. Then I tried "MaxBlast" since it was a Maxtor drive. The program said the Hard Drive was failing. So I switched to another Hard drive(partitioned and formatted on another PC). Now all I get when I boot is "NTLDR is missing....press Ctrl-Alt-Del to Restart" I never get to my CDROM drive and the installation disk. Checked bios and priority is set to CDROM first, second & third. If I disconnect the Hard Drive, the CD installation starts but no hard drive to install to. Tried a 3rd drive that was cleaned and formatted with the same results. How do I get around this error and install an OS? There is nothing on the drive so I should not need NTLDR yet. I am at a lost on how to solve this error.
NTLDR is missing....press Ctrl-Alt-Del to Restart on install
- Thread starter probe47
- Start date
MagnusTheBrewer
IN MEMORIAM
- Jun 19, 2004
- 24,122
- 1,594
- 126
I'm not sure what you mean by "set to active in the BIOS" The hard drive is properly recognized in the BIOS. What else should I look at. I did not change the settings from when it booted from CD then HD except to change all priorities to CDROM to try and force the PC to read the disk first.
MagnusTheBrewer
IN MEMORIAM
- Jun 19, 2004
- 24,122
- 1,594
- 126
The primary boot partition is where the MBR is located. The MBR needs to be created by the computer using it. That is why most likely you are receiving the NTLDR Missing error. Regardless of the boot order, the MBR is consulted first. Partition and format the HDD from within the BIOS.
So if I understand what you are saying correctly. I should put in a WindowsXP Boot CD and run fdisk and format the HDD from that first, Then I will be able to install to OS. Hopefully I will be able to get the CD to read first.
MagnusTheBrewer
IN MEMORIAM
- Jun 19, 2004
- 24,122
- 1,594
- 126
razel
Platinum Member
- May 14, 2002
- 2,337
- 93
- 101
WinXP bootable CD install doesn't recognize SATA HDDs unless you can BIOS can emulate IDE mode. The other way is to slipstream the correct SATA driver into a bootable WinXP disk. However, you mentioned installing Win7. It doesn't have such problems. Did you try installing Win7 again with the new working hard drive? Also check the following:
For the drive that is IDE, set to cable select. Plug your IDE drive into the primary channel and use the end-most connector to cable select it as master. For you SATA drive connect that to primary channel. Check BIOS. Ensure both are detected and are primary channels. Now check your boot order. CD-ROM should be 1st, HDD 2nd. Now install Win7. Go piss, shower or call up loved ones and when you return Win7 should be at the desktop.
Thanks for all the assistance. Razel was on the right path. I needed to modify the BIOS to set the SATA DVD drive as IDE. After I did that the PC booted from the Installation disk and no message about NTLDR. Thanks again everyone for the help
VirtualLarry
No Lifer
- Aug 25, 2001
- 56,570
- 10,202
- 126
LOL, I was starting to think I had somehow missed the "Format & Partition" options in my BIOS.
I'd like to know what the heck he is talking about...
MagnusTheBrewer
IN MEMORIAM
- Jun 19, 2004
- 24,122
- 1,594
- 126
I wonder why I've been able to do it on the last three installs on ASUS MB's then? Perhaps the first run install adds the capability to the BIOS? It doesn't appear after the OS has been installed.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 24K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 19K
-
-
-
Facebook
Twitter