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    Rescue & Recover yields 'NTLDR is missing'?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by stidolph, Jul 6, 2011.

  1. stidolph

    stidolph Notebook Enthusiast

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    Oh, I hope some kind and wise soul can help untangle what I think is an MBR problem ...

    I have a T61 (6459-CTO) 15.4, it's been running linux on an SSD but I needed Windows for somethign so I put the original disk back in ... but, it booted to "NTLDR is missing" *and* there was no F11 'restore' option being offered. I have flailed mightily but the current situation is:

    1. used Lenovo's 'repairmbr.iso' but it says "SafeGuard Easy was not found on this computer."

    2. Tried ThinkVantage Boot Manager Repair Program:
    Option 1 'Repair' flashes up some text (and a couple lines start with 'bad' ??) but says it completed successfully; the machine then boots to a black screen with single underline ... Option 2 (Replace) just says "Error - filters returned empty menu"

    3. Used SuperGrub2 disk to boot into the Lenovo Rescue partition, do factory reset. Reboot, just get "NTLDR is missing."

    4. Booted from XP install disks, install XP (including formatting the partition in NTFS); this works and the machine then boots into XP, but much doesn't work because it needs drivers and such, so I repeat Step 3 ... and am back to 'NTLDR is missing'.

    BTW, when I install XP from MS disks, the product key on the COA sticker on the machine is declared 'invalid' - is that normal? I can use the key on the OS disks, I guess ... but I'd like to use the key that came with the machine (that's one reason I'm trying to use Recovery, I assume it pre-activates teh operating system.)

    5. used SuperGrub2 to boot. This shows me 3 partitions:
    hd0,5 ntfs "LENOVO"
    hd0,3 ntfs
    hd0,1 fat

    And the 'Detect any OS' menu lets me select from three partitions:
    1) "Windows NT/2000/XP loader" boots to "NTLDR is missing" message
    2) "Windows Vista bootmgr" boots to the OneKey Recovery partition
    3) "Windows NT/2000/XP loader" boots to a "NTLDR is missing / Press any key to restart"

    6. From Windows Repair Console I have tried copying over the NTLDR and ntdetect.com programs, but that doesn't change anything

    Of course I suspect because there's something wrong with the MBR, but how do I fix this?
     
    stidolph, Jul 6, 2011
    #1
  2. GMAC_R60

    GMAC_R60 Newbie

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    GMAC_R60, Jul 8, 2011
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  3. stidolph

    stidolph Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks - I have tried their hint (copying the NTLDR and ntdetect.com files over from the WinXP install disks onto the target drive) and it didn't help; as soon as I run the Lenovo "restore" I am back to the NTLDR missing problem (though I can see the NTLDR file on the target drive!!)
     
    stidolph, Jul 10, 2011
    #3
  4. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

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    You will be. The restore wipes out the new NTloader. Restore the disk first, then replace netloader.

    Renee
     
    Renee, Jul 10, 2011
    #4