How do I fix: "Selected entry failed.. \NTLDR missing or corrupt" ???

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duppypog

Member
I wiped partition 1 of an HDD containing three OS's to do a clean re-install of win7. Partitions 2 & 3 contain separate instances of winXP. I saved a BCD backup file, as well as a text copy of the partition table and a screenshot of the binary MBR... for safeguard.

Seems I've got a genuine mess!! There are three HDD's in the system. All show up in the BIOS. All disks are visible in win7's "Disk Management"... though the ordering is different than it was. The HDD with the three OS's *was* Disk 0... and is now Disk 2. Some Drive Letters have changed! Unfortunately, I did not screenshot the the previous layout, and, there are "21" partitions in total! (Oy.)

When I boot, and select either entry of XP, I get a message that says:

"Windows failed to start. A recent hardware of software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:"

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. Click "Repair you computer."

If you do not have disc, contact admin or manufacturer for assistance.

File: \NTDLR
Status: 0xc000000f
Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because app is missing or corrupt.


I wanted to ask here before following these instructions, because, 1. I'm not sure whether to insert the XP or the 7 disc... and 2. I read in your documentation that REPAIR INSTALLING was a "sledge-hammer to crack a nut", and might lead to other problems!

Please advise. Thanks.
 
First check your BIOS boot sequence. It sounds like the OS HDD isn't top of the pile where it should be.
When you boot directly from the OS HDD it should appear as disk 0 in Disk Management.
Then use Disk Management "change letter" to reset all of your other partitions and devices to the letters that were previously allocated in W7. (disk letters are just registry entries in the running OS. You've created a new one and it will have allocated letters in the PnP detection sequence of the hardware it finds)
When everything looks like it used to do, use EasyBCD latest build and delete the XP entry(s) from the BCD then add a new one for each of your XP systems (not auto-detect). Specify the disk letter for each that W7 now sees them as.
(Don't worry that the entry in the BCD does not have the letter you just specified - that's correct)
 
Thank you both, I will resume working on this today, and report back... I had to let go of it for a couple days to take care of some other matters.

@ SIW2, no, I was not saying the number of partitions had changed! Only that I have 21 to sort out! (and didn't screenshot a "previous" map... which would have allowed a much easier fix!)

Addendum:

okay, here's a couple screenshots of what's happening. I "reloaded" both XP entries to BCD and used "auto detect" and for whatever reason, this time they both will start... only; the XP_SP2 version on "V" drive is a corrupt mess. Drivers all out of whack, etc... but, that's ok... it's old anyway, and so, I'm willing not to mess with keeping it. I'll just copy any impt files to another drive; delete it; and start it freshly as well.

Also... the "D" drive is an old Win2K system... that I thought was "hidden"... but, is apparently not! It has never even shown up in BCD before now! I don't need it... it is deletable, but, I'm guessing based on what I can see here... is that this "D" drive contains the boot files for either one or both of the XP systems, because it's showing as "Active" and the XP systems are not!! Is that possible? How can I be sure where the boot files for those two XP systems are located?

So, what I'll ask is... what will happen if "D" does hold the boot files for the XP systems... and I delete it? I do NOT want to lose access to the "U" drive XP_SP3 system... or, corrupt it... or, have to reinstall it, as well! (but, don't mind deleting "V" drive as I said."

Thanks.

Addendum:

This is screenshot 1: