Where next with BIOS

p/tBuilder

p/tBuilder

p/tBuilder

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16 Aug 2011
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35
This is following on from a previous thread where I was having problems installing an OS...

OK, I disconnected the PC from the power cable, disconnected all cables, etc, etc, from the m'board - checked, and double-checked that there was no 'completed circuit' of any kind.

I then took out the CMOS battery using a plastic implement and then pushed the PSU switch to the ON posiiton to make sure that all current was discharged (then pushed the switch back to OFF) - waited at least another minute or more and then replaced the battery. So, I had now cleared the CMOS... I then reconnected all leads, connectors, etc, making sure that all connections were not lose, etc, before replacing the side panel and reconnecting the power lead.

I then booted up and a 'no kboard' message flashed-up for a split second before the speaker bleeped twice, followed by the message 'NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.' This did nothing! So I powered down.

I then realised this was of course because USB was disabled because of the new default BIOS settings, so I connected PS2 adapters to the kboard/mouse and then connected both to the PS2 ports. Powered-up again, and this time it booted OK and there were no display artifacts of any kind (onboard VGA being used).

Then the message 'Enter setup to recover BIOS settings' followed by 'F1 to Run SETUP' and 'F2 to load default values. I selected F1, but again got the message 'NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.' Tried this again, but the system hangs, so I pressed the reset switch and it booted again and I started to press the delete key. BIOS comes up OK and again no display artifacts.

My problem is, that this message ''NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart' keeps comming up, and also in the BIOS I can't find anything that tells me what the CPU and RAM voltage is, never mind being able to change it if needed; only overclock voltage figures, but nothing that tells me the basic or 'mean' operating voltage! The boot order is also set to the right order, but I don't really know how to proceed here. Is it the default values I need, or the optimized default values?? What should I be doing now?
 
I have had nldr is missing a few times over the past few years.....I can't help as to what it is but from what I remember I have a ntldr repair disc floating around somewhere, as above said Google it...there's a lot of this error about, its what I did for my solution.
Good luck.
 
Thanks for everyone's help. I'll try reinstalling the Windows after reconfiguring the BIOS. I googled 'NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart', and info was saying a number of reasons could cause this, such as wrongly formatted HD, or wrong BIOS settings...
 
Just an update on what's happened...

Entered BIOS, all was OK, then system froze but no display artifacts. Rebooted, went back into BIOS and setup options, etc, all OK during entire time and no artifacts.

BTW - there's this option called 'Plug And Play O/S - should I set this to No or Yes?

Anyway, I carried on and then saved + exited BIOS, then 'NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart' comes up. So I pressed Reset and rebooted and loaded Win-XP cd-rom but allowed boot process to go past 'boot from cd-rom' prompt - but same result; 'NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart'.
Reset system again and this time responded to boot from cd-rom prompt. Win-XP started setup; loading files started; setup starting windows started, then it continues as normal - Win-XP Home Setup - copying files - got to copying: riodrv.sys but system freezes @ 35%, but no display artifacts.

Reset system again, 'Win setup loading files' stage comes up, then I deleted partition to start clean, then created new partition; then setup is formatting - copying files - setup cannot copy tsbvcap.sys - got to copying vsrdtea.dll but system freezes @ 52%.
I then tried again and again, - finally got as far as 'installing windows' stage but then minor display artifacts (there had been none until this point) and system freezes again!!

Continued again, etc, etc - got as far as 'product key stage' and 'date and time' settings, but then freezes again.
Reset system again, got as far as 'installing network' and 'copying files' but then freezes with no display artifacts.
Continued through same process adinfinitum - then Asus menu comes up:eek: but no response to options, and I was also getting 'not enough virtual memory......' flashing up for split-second and then blanking of screen.

So what do I do here? Obviously I have to get the windows that is on the HD off somehow by reformatting if I'm to try Win-7, but how? Also, there must be a m'board and or HD error, who knows... I'm really 'on the edge' here as it looks like RMA-ing the whole lot...
 
patience is the key to it all take a step back and think about it all and what could be possibly going wrong do you have a spare drive u could try booting to, do you have another motherboard to try sometimes just a case of trial and error :) chin up :)
 
What's the hardware?

From what you're describing it could be something like a memory issue (I had one with my last build that let me install windows fine at first, but then would keep crashing, and causing issues when i tried a reinstall).

The missing ntldlr is normally something wrong with the boot files (IIRc it's basically the part of Windows that tells it which OS to install, and where it's located).

If you've got a Vista of 7 disk you can, from memory run a memory diagnostic from the DVD, otherwise the Ultimate Boot disc has a bunch of utilities on it including memtest+ which is a good memory testing software (it's also available on it's own), and can give the memory a thorough work out but can take several hours.
 
Werewolf said:
What's the hardware?

From what you're describing it could be something like a memory issue (I had one with my last build that let me install windows fine at first, but then would keep crashing, and causing issues when i tried a reinstall).

The missing ntldlr is normally something wrong with the boot files (IIRc it's basically the part of Windows that tells it which OS to install, and where it's located).

If you've got a Vista of 7 disk you can, from memory run a memory diagnostic from the DVD, otherwise the Ultimate Boot disc has a bunch of utilities on it including memtest+ which is a good memory testing software (it's also available on it's own), and can give the memory a thorough work out but can take several hours.
Click to expand...

Initially 'right back at the beginning' there was a memory issue, which was that there were major display artifacts and the system freezing up upon the very first bootup with both RAM modules in, so couldn't even get into the BIOS. Then I swapped the modules around after powering down, etc, but same problem. Then I tried just one module and all was OK, but the other module was not OK... But because of what Asus was telling me, I thought that maybe it wasn't a memory issue but that the BIOS was setup wrong, but I've checked all the voltage settings in the BIOS and all is as it should be for the RAM, so maybe it's a memory issue after all...

I can't run a memory diagnostics tool because whether I try the Win-XP or Win-7 DVD I get the same problems, i.e not a finalized instalation - so how can I pssibly do this?
 
scottmuir424 said:
patience is the key to it all take a step back and think about it all and what could be possibly going wrong do you have a spare drive u could try booting to, do you have another motherboard to try sometimes just a case of trial and error :) chin up :)
Click to expand...

This is suggesting something is wrong with my WD 500GB and or the Asus m'board, but you try telling that to them...
 
Idleman said:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000465.htm

Try the link above and see if that helps. Or google/bing "ntldir how to repair".
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link info, problem is though is that I now no longer get this ''NTLDR is missing - Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart' message. What's happenning now is that every time I turn on the new build it keeps trying to finalize the last stages of the instalation (win-XP) but just gets stuck at some stage...
 
I'm pretty sure I've had this after removing an unwanted HDD from inside the pc. I eventually got everything working but didn't format anything, just unplugged and re-plugged the drives. I may have accidently swapped the order they were in, so it couldn't find the boot drive - can't remember.
 
Did you get a copy of Ultimateboot cd, if so, re-format your drive(this will remove the half installed xp) and then install win7.
 
Jaybe said:
I'm pretty sure I've had this after removing an unwanted HDD from inside the pc. I eventually got everything working but didn't format anything, just unplugged and re-plugged the drives. I may have accidently swapped the order they were in, so it couldn't find the boot drive - can't remember.
Click to expand...

Well due to advice on the previous thread on this problem by OC's forum staff (and much appreciated ;)) and also as suggested by Asus, I've already disconnected everything so as to clear the CMOS to set BIOS defaults, then reconnected everything. I selected everything correctly in the BIOS; checked voltages and so on but this didn't help OS install problem...:confused:
But I think it's a memory issue, so the RAM is going to be sent back...
 
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