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- Well, I tried it. I didn't have to log on...it just took me to the DOS-like prompt when I hit the R key.
I added those two files from the XP disk. However, the error is still there.
When I type DIR, it tells me that those (ntldr and ntdetect.com) are the only two files on the C: drive and that there's only 10 megs of free space left. Which shouldn't be, since there should be about 100 gigs of free space left on that drive.
Any more help will be appreciated!
Thanks shesagordie
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Posted December 5th, 2005 02:00
maddog00Try a Repair Reinstall of Windows XP.After this, you will have to reinstall all the MicroSoft Critical Updates and, if not preinstalled with the operating system, SP-1 or SP-2.The above should work, but if Repair Reinstall does not, then run diagnostics on the hard drive and prepare for an XP reinstallation.If you received your computer after 7.15.04, then you should be able to use the following Dell PC Restore Image.
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1090151&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
Bev.- Well, this computer was purchased just before the restore function, so its not there.
Unfortunately, it does not even recognize that there's Windows XP installed on our system. The repair function insists that the only partition we have is one that is about 10 megs big...which is not the case. WinXP Home is on that hard drive somewhere...obviously lost.
Does this mean there's no recovery from this disaster? That the only way to get the computer to work again is to format and reinstall?
Obviously, once that happens, there's no recovering any data that might be left on there. I'll understand that formatting is a last ditch effort, but just want to make sure that there's nothing left to try and fix this.
Thanks. JRosenfeld
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Posted December 5th, 2005 19:00
I don't know for sure if this is the case on your PC, but on many PCs Dell installs (or used to anway) a small partition of about 10MB to store its diagnostics utilities. This is a FAT16 partition rather than an NTFS partition, and would normally not have a drive letter nor be visible from XP. I don't understand why the recovery console would see it as your C:\ partition.C:\ should be the active partition with the XP installation, most likely in NTFS format (or it might be FAT32). Obviously placing those two files into that small partition won't do anything, they have to be in the root directory of the active partition.AS Shesagordie suggests, you could see if a repair install works, as opposed to using the recovery console. Screen by screen instructions are here:(or use the link that shesagordie gives)As setup loads, and you get the choice between set up or repair using the recovery console, don't press R, but press enter.
Accept the license by pressing F8
The next screen should show an installed XP that you want to repair; if it does then press R and see if it starts the repair install. If yes, when you get to the screen to reboot, don't press any keys, just let it bypass the boot from CD and it will boot from the hard drive.If it doesn't show the existing installation, then indeed it is not finding it and I can't think of anything other than a full reinstall. As you say, this entails a format. If you haven't backed up the data files on there you have lost them. If you have another PC, and you could try moving the disk drive onto that as a second drive and see whether you can copy the files you want.
Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 12-05-2005 09:58 PM
JRosenfeld
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Posted December 4th, 2005 16:00
Insert the Windows XP bootable CD into your CD drive. Restart, it should boot from the CD
Once in the Windows XP setup menu press the "R" key to repair Windows.
Log into your Windows installation by pressing the "1" key and pressing enter.
You will then be prompted for your administrator password, enter that password. Unless you set it it will be blank (i.e. there isn't one): don't type anything, just hit enter.
You will get to a DOS like window. To copy the two files you need, in the lines below, replace x by the CD drive letter:
type
copy x:\i386\ntldr c:\
copy x:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\
Once both of these files have been successfully copied, remove the CD from the computer and reboot.
If the problem is solved, you may at some stage want to go back into BIOS to reset the boot order to what it was previously.
Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 12-04-2005 06:40 PM