Submit a contribution
Original post : NTDETECT.COM (NTLDR) not found or missing: Fix for Windows XP.
Name
Email
Description
Get the fix to boot-related error "<strong>NTDETECT is missing or not found</strong>" and other NTDETECT.COM problems for <strong>Windows XP</strong>. <h2>About "ntdetect not found or missing"</h2> [kbintro] <h3>Description and Symptoms</h3> The error messages, alerts, warnings, and symptoms below are tied to this error. <h4>Symptom 1: ntdetect.com is missing or not found</h4> NTDETECT.com, a <a title="Windows XP Boot Components" href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/windows-xp-boot-process/">critical component of the Windows XP boot process</a>, is required for the correct operation of NTLDR, the Windows XP bootloader. If NTDETECT.COM is not found in the expected location, an error regarding ntdetect being not found or missing may be displayed. <h3>Causes of this Error</h3> This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following: <h4>Cause 1: Incorrectly-set boot disk</h4> NTLDR expects NTDETECT.COM to be located in the root of the primary boot partition. Typically, this is the active partition on disk 0. If BIOS configuration has changed, on a system with multiple drives NTDETECT may no longer be on the first boot drive, causing NTLDR to complain that it cannot be found. <h4>Cause 2: Changes to the active partition</h4> As NTLDR searches for NTDETECT on the active partition of the boot drive, if the MBR of the disk in question is updated and a new partition is made active, NTLDR will search for NTDETECT.COM on this newly-active partition. If NDETECT cannot be found, then an error stating NTDETECT was not found can be displayed. <h2>Fix NTDETECT is missing or not found in Windows</h2> <h3>Fix #1: Use Easy Recovery Essentials</h3> [easyre error="NTDETECT is missing or not found" bootscreen="xp" guaranteed="true"] <h3>Fix #2: Restore NTDETECT.COM</h3> [setupcd] If NTDETECT.COM has become corrupted, deleted, or damaged as a result of a failed Automatic Update or Windows Update or has been the target of a virus infection, the following directions will restore a working copy from the setup CD. [partial name="partial_restorefile_xp" file="ntdetect.com" command="copy D:\\i386\\ntdetect.com C:\\"] <h2>More Information</h2> <h3>Linked Entries</h3> The errors below have been verified as being associated with or related to this problem: <ul> <li><a href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/ntdetect-failed/">Resolving NTDETECT Failed</a></li> </ul> [partial name="partial_moreinfo" versions="xp,server2003"]