Solve : Sick Win XP Pro SP3?

1.	Solve : Sick Win XP Pro SP3?
Answer» My PC was cycling between NTLdr is missing, NTLdr is compressed and Disk read error. I have used the Recovery Console to copy NTLDR and NTDetect from my XP Pro SP3 disc. It then told me NTLdr was compressed but it's not compressed on the disk. I have tried TRANSFERRING on a stick from my other PC, same config, and it also tells me that NTLdr is compressed. Either it is not compressed OR it has been compressed after being copied OR it is not carrying out the copy. And then it will change its mind and tell me it's missing. There is no pattern to the message I get. I have demounted the hard drives and re-mounted with different cables. I don't want the hassle of re-loading Windows and then having to FIRE all the software up again. When I have been offered the Windows start-up options (only three TIMES so far) I have tried: - last known config. - didn't make any difference; - no auto restart - fired up Win and then gave me BSOD with trying to execute non-executable memory; - Safe Mode - stopped dead I then inadvertently let XP re-install (finger trouble). All I got was NTLdr Windows screen followed by BSOD "trying to execute non-executable memory" and 0x000000FC (0xB8557C34, 0x37636163, 0xB8557B70, 0x00000001). This has happened twice in succession. So even an XP re-install doesn't work. Today I have spent 4 hours trying to get inside this beast. I managed to get into Safe Mode once. I checked System Restore but there were no points recorded. I tried Event Viewer and it said that about 10 drivers had not been loaded and there was some problem with ftdisk. I renamed NTLdr and NTDetect and then copied both from my SP3 disc. They were immediately compressed. I de-compressed them. I booted and got as far as my desktop for 5 seconds and then black screen, then blue screen with same message as before and physical dump. Could someone please point me in the right direction? Could the disk controller be at fault or is it something different? When you ENTER recovery console, type cd \ press enter you will then be here: c:\> then type attrib -c ntldr press enter restart the computer and see if it boots Have you tried this method of un-compressing ntldr ?EEVIAC Thanks for the response. I had not tried using the attrib command but I had managed to decompress the two files. My problem has moved on in that I cannot get to the (normal) desktop for long enough to find out why I get the BSOD. I don't know where to look in Safe Mode since I have no idea what is blowing it out so soon after the desktop appears in normal mode. All it gives me is "trying to execute non-executable memory". I now have two installs of XP in C:\Windows and C:\Win2. The new version seems to be working OK but obviously all my software is registered to the old instance. This is obviously not what I want but how easy is it to delete an old instance of XP? Or should I attempt to analyse and repair the old install? With the new version working OK it would appear that the NTLdr and NTDetect problems have gone away (I hope) but having not identified the original problem I don't know if they will re-appear.Quote The new version seems to be working OK but obviously all my software is registered to the old instance. This is obviously not what I want but how easy is it to delete an old instance of XP? Or should I attempt to analyse and repair the old install? Well, It looks like you have done as much as you can do. IMO, this is a good time to do a image backup of your drive to another drive. Next I would use the new install of XP to run a good AV scan on the system. Just to be sure. And type CHKDSK without parameters to check the disk. Run hard drive diagnostics http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287Geek-9pm Thanks. I run ZoneAlarm Extreme Security and have run a Full Scan across all drives - clean. It had not picked up anything in normal operation PRIOR to the problems. I have also run the MS MSRT - clean. When I was having the original problems with NTLdr and NTDetect I had run ChkDsk and it corrected 4-5 problems but none since. If I create a mirror image now it will include the two instances of XP. I do not really want to carry over the original instance. JJ 3000 Thanks. I shall download the Hitachi and Maxtor tools and try them. Is there a simple way of removing the original XP? Is there a simple way of bringing my Program Files folder in line with the new XP? Or do I have to uninstall and re-install all software?Do you have access to a windows XP installation disc?Helper4789 Yes, I have a Win XP SP3 disc which is the one I have been usingQuote When I was having the original problems with NTLdr and NTDetect I had run ChkDsk and it corrected 4-5 problems but none since. If I create a mirror image now it will include the two instances of XP. I do not really want to carry over the original instance. Do it anyway. You may have a unreliable HDD. Trust me. You want to make a true copy of it as it is. Then you can chose to either try to fix the original and make it worse, or work with a new drive and fix it right. If you can nor fix the copy, you can not fix the original. But in any case, you will have a backup.What you need to do, is boot from this windows XP CD, And click enter, then F8, and then click 'R' for repair. This should do the trick. Helper

Answer»

My PC was cycling between NTLdr is missing, NTLdr is compressed and Disk read error.
I have used the Recovery Console to copy NTLDR and NTDetect from my XP Pro SP3 disc. It then told me NTLdr was compressed but it's not compressed on the disk. I have tried TRANSFERRING on a stick from my other PC, same config, and it also tells me that NTLdr is compressed. Either it is not compressed OR it has been compressed after being copied OR it is not carrying out the copy. And then it will change its mind and tell me it's missing.
There is no pattern to the message I get.
I have demounted the hard drives and re-mounted with different cables.
I don't want the hassle of re-loading Windows and then having to FIRE all the software up again.
When I have been offered the Windows start-up options (only three TIMES so far) I have tried:
- last known config. - didn't make any difference;
- no auto restart - fired up Win and then gave me BSOD with trying to execute non-executable memory;
- Safe Mode - stopped dead

I then inadvertently let XP re-install (finger trouble). All I got was NTLdr Windows screen followed by BSOD "trying to execute non-executable memory" and 0x000000FC (0xB8557C34, 0x37636163, 0xB8557B70, 0x00000001). This has happened twice in succession. So even an XP re-install doesn't work.

Today I have spent 4 hours trying to get inside this beast. I managed to get into Safe Mode once. I checked System Restore but there were no points recorded. I tried Event Viewer and it said that about 10 drivers had not been loaded and there was some problem with ftdisk.
I renamed NTLdr and NTDetect and then copied both from my SP3 disc. They were immediately compressed. I de-compressed them.
I booted and got as far as my desktop for 5 seconds and then black screen, then blue screen with same message as before and physical dump.
Could someone please point me in the right direction? Could the disk controller be at fault or is it something different?
When you ENTER recovery console, type cd \ press enter

you will then be here: c:\>

then type attrib -c ntldr

press enter

restart the computer and see if it boots

Have you tried this method of un-compressing ntldr ?EEVIAC
Thanks for the response. I had not tried using the attrib command but I had managed to decompress the two files.
My problem has moved on in that I cannot get to the (normal) desktop for long enough to find out why I get the BSOD. I don't know where to look in Safe Mode since I have no idea what is blowing it out so soon after the desktop appears in normal mode. All it gives me is "trying to execute non-executable memory".
I now have two installs of XP in C:\Windows and C:\Win2. The new version seems to be working OK but obviously all my software is registered to the old instance. This is obviously not what I want but how easy is it to delete an old instance of XP? Or should I attempt to analyse and repair the old install?
With the new version working OK it would appear that the NTLdr and NTDetect problems have gone away (I hope) but having not identified the original problem I don't know if they will re-appear.Quote

The new version seems to be working OK but obviously all my software is registered to the old instance. This is obviously not what I want but how easy is it to delete an old instance of XP? Or should I attempt to analyse and repair the old install?

Well, It looks like you have done as much as you can do.
IMO, this is a good time to do a image backup of your drive to another drive.
Next I would use the new install of XP to run a good AV scan on the system. Just to be sure. And type CHKDSK without parameters to check the disk.

Run hard drive diagnostics

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287Geek-9pm
Thanks. I run ZoneAlarm Extreme Security and have run a Full Scan across all drives - clean. It had not picked up anything in normal operation PRIOR to the problems. I have also run the MS MSRT - clean.
When I was having the original problems with NTLdr and NTDetect I had run ChkDsk and it corrected 4-5 problems but none since.
If I create a mirror image now it will include the two instances of XP. I do not really want to carry over the original instance.

JJ 3000
Thanks. I shall download the Hitachi and Maxtor tools and try them.

Is there a simple way of removing the original XP? Is there a simple way of bringing my Program Files folder in line with the new XP? Or do I have to uninstall and re-install all software?Do you have access to a windows XP installation disc?Helper4789
Yes, I have a Win XP SP3 disc which is the one I have been usingQuote

When I was having the original problems with NTLdr and NTDetect I had run ChkDsk and it corrected 4-5 problems but none since.
If I create a mirror image now it will include the two instances of XP. I do not really want to carry over the original instance.

Do it anyway. You may have a unreliable HDD. Trust me. You want to make a true copy of it as it is. Then you can chose to either try to fix the original and make it worse, or work with a new drive and fix it right.

If you can nor fix the copy, you can not fix the original.
But in any case, you will have a backup.What you need to do, is boot from this windows XP CD, And click enter, then F8, and then click 'R' for repair. This should do the trick.

Helper

Solve : Sick Win XP Pro SP3?

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