Error - NTLDR is missing in Windows XP computer.

Since the MS Answers forum does not prompt for any system information when a new question is asked, we know absolutely nothing about your system.  This makes giving good ideas for solution extremely difficult.

Please provide additional information about your system as best you can:

What is your system make and model?

What is your XP Version and Service Pack?

Does your system have IDE or SATA drives?

Describe your current antivirus and anti malware situation:  McAfee, Symantec, Norton, Spybot, AVG, Avira!, MSE, Panda, Trend Micro, CA, Defender, ZoneAlarm, PC Tools, Comodo, etc.

Was the issue preceded by a power interruption, aborted restart, or improper shutdown?  (this includes plug pulling, power buttons, removing the battery, etc.)

Does the afflicted system have a working CD/DVD drive (internal or external)?

If the system used to work properly, what do you think might have changed since the last time it did work properly?

You can create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD (no XP media required) and boot into the XP Recovery Console.

Chances are pretty good that there is a copy of the NTLDR file on your system in another location so you can replace the missing file.

The file is supposed to be in the root c:\ folder as c:\ntldr (note there is no file extension for the ntldr file) but of course yours seems to have come up missing.

If your system came preinstalled with XP there is probably a c:\i386 folder on your system and there should be a copy of the NTLDR file in the c:\i386 folder.

If you installed Service Pack 3 from an Internet download via the Wide Wide World of Web, there will be a copy of the NTLDR file in this folder:

c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386

Once you get booted to the Recovery Console and have run chkdsk /r, I would see if these commands will work for you to replace the missing file:

copy c:\i386\ntldr   c:\

or

copy c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\ntldr   c:\

Here is how to make a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and I would run the chkdsk /r FIRST to be sure your file system is not corrupted.

Boot into the Windows Recovery Console using a bootable XP installation CD.

If you have no bootable XP media (or are not sure what you have) create a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and be sure.

This is not the same as any recovery disks that might have come with a store bought system.  

You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file and burning it to a CD.

The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:

xp_rec_con.iso 

Download the ISO file from here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ueyyzfymmig

Use a new CD and this free and easy program to burn your ISO file and create your bootable CD:

http://www.imgburn.com/

When installing ImgBurn, DO NOT install the Ask toolbar.

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk.  These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:

Press any key to boot from CD...

The Windows Setup... will proceed.

Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.

Select the installation you want to access (usually  1: C:\WINDOWS)

You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).

You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder.  This is the same as the 

C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.

The Recovery Console allows basic file commands like: copy, rename, replace, delete, cd, chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, etc.

For a list of Recovery Console commands, enter help at the prompt or read about the XP Recovery Console here:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_console_cmds.mspx?mfr=true

A good idea before starting things is to first verify the integrity of your file system using the chkdsk command.

From the command prompt window run the chkdsk command on the drive where Windows is installed to try to repair any problems on the afflicted drive.

Running chkdsk is fine even if it doesn't find any problems.  It will not hurt anything to run it.

Assuming your boot drive is C, run the following command:

chkdsk C: /r

Let chkdsk finish and correct any problems it might find.  

It may take a long time for chkdsk to complete or it may appear to be 'stuck'.  Be patient.  If the HDD light is still flashing, chkdsk is doing something.  Keep an eye on the percentage amount to be sure it is still making progress.  It may even appear to go backwards sometimes.

You should run chkdsk /r again until it finds no errors to correct.