"NDTLDR is Missing" Question

[Kilgore Trout]

I got a copy of Windows 7 on pre order and it was mailed to me on Oct 22/09.

Anyway I've just now finally gotten around to installing it on a PC.

I loaded it onto an XP machine and when I installed it there was the C: drive there with XP and a blank newly formatted E: drive which I anticipated Win 7 would load itself onto, - which it did.

So, I now have a dual boot system where XP is on C: and Win 7 is on E:.

I've never had a dual boot system in my life and anyway while I was experimenting to see what's what , I took out the C: drive, put the E: drive where the C: drive used to be and when I go to boot up I get a message "NDTLDR is Missing" and a message that I hit ctrl alt delete to restart the PC.

So, I can't get Win 7 to start as a stand alone unit. It only works when I put the C: XP drive where it used to be and return the E: Win 7 drive to where it used to be and it works fine as a dual boot system.

The question I have is whether Win 7 is now permanently married to XP as a dual boot system.
I mean is the option gone of taking out the XP drive and running it as a stand alone Win 7 machine.

Is there some way of taking out the xp drive and booting up using only a Win 7 drive without getting that killer "NDTLDR is Missing" message which makes it impossible to boot up?
Thanks for any input.

 

[enyaw]

While in xp run cmd, from dos screen type msconfig then look for boot sequence and switch the order then reboot see what happens. Last resort back up your xp shit and do a clean windows 7 install much better os anyway

 

[Horney_Senior]

I had this problem as well. Apparently there is a difference between the 'system' volume and the 'boot' volume. System volume is where the OS is installed, but the boot volume (which was your C: drive) doesn't change.

Yesterday I installed a brand new drive and disconnected all the others, then did a clean install of Win7. After re-connecting the other drives it crapped out because the CMOS had a boot order on the hard drives and I had the wrong one up first. With that fixed I'm up and running and all the old operating system is now removed.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

http://neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

or

if you're really bored you can edit the boot.ini file using bcdedit.exe

Okay, thanks.
I'll try making a boot disk and then go to repair system.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Yesterday I installed a brand new drive and disconnected all the others, then did a clean install of Win7.

I did the exact same thing an hour after I had problems with first attempt at install; but, when I entered the product key for Windows 7 on my second install attempt, it told me the product key was invalid and stopped everything.

I can't understand why a product key becomes no good especially when I never activated the Win 7 on my first install attempt. I must have a defective disc from Microsoft because there's no way a product key should not work if I'm typing it in letter for letter the way it's spelled out and as they gave it to me. Especially if the product key worked fine on my first install attempt.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Give M$ a phone call. Believe they can fix that issue for you if you talk to them.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Okay, thanks. Guess I'll have to do that.

 

[djk]

I did the exact same thing an hour after I had problems with first attempt at install; but, when I entered the product key for Windows 7 on my second install attempt, it told me the product key was invalid and stopped everything.

I can't understand why a product key becomes no good especially when I never activated the Win 7 on my first install attempt. I must have a defective disc from Microsoft because there's no way a product key should not work if I'm typing it in letter for letter the way it's spelled out and as they gave it to me. Especially if the product key worked fine on my first install attempt.

Are you trying to do a fresh install with upgrade media?

If you are, do the following:

Put no product key
Continue installing Windows 7
When it asks you about automatic updates, select no, disable them, etc.

When you follow boot into Windows 7, follow method #2 found here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

Reboot after fully completing method #2. Verify Windows is activated. Set your automatic updates and security settings to your personal preferences.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Are you trying to do a fresh install with upgrade media?

If you are, do the following:

Put no product key
Continue installing Windows 7
When it asks you about automatic updates, select no, disable them, etc.

When you follow boot into Windows 7, follow method #2 found here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

Reboot after fully completing method #2. Verify Windows is activated. Set your automatic updates and security settings to your personal preferences.

DJK, - yes I do have the upgrade package and thanks a lot for that article on how to do a clean install of Windows 7 using upgrade media.
That answered a lot of questions for me that I was in the dark about.
Thanks again.