NTLDR missing.

[TheBigZ]

Hello Everyone.

Recently I m upgraded my VMware workstation 9.0.0 to 9.0.3, and now I am start my pre installed Windows 7 and it is getting an error NTLDR missing. So please guide me how can I solve the problem and start the windows 7.

Regards,

“Z”

[abhilashhb]

See if this helps VMware KB: Performing a Windows repair on a Windows XP virtual machine

Its mentioned that the steps involved in repairing windows 7 is also same.

[TheBigZ]

Thanks for the reply but no luck.

cant solve the problem to follow the giving instruction and unable to find bios.bootDelay = "5000" to change it.

Is the any other way to copy the all files from the windows 7 ISO and start the windows.

Regards,

"Z"

[continuum]

maybe your VM simply starts from the floppy drive - then ntldr missing would be expected

[admin]

Resolution

Validate that each troubleshooting step below is true for your environment. These steps provide instructions or a link to a document. These steps are ordered in the most appropriate sequence to isolate the issue and identify the proper resolution. Do not skip a step.

1. Ensure that during step 3 of the conversion (View/Edit Options), you choose the appropriate disk controller for your operating system.
   • For Windows XP, choose Bus Logic.
   • For Windows 2003, choose LSI Logic.
   • For Windows 2008 and Windows 7, choose LSI Logic SAS.
     
     For more information on adjusting the adapter after conversion, see Adjusting the virtual SCSI adapter type in a VMDK file (1006621).
     
     
2. If the source contained more than one hard disk, try changing the virtual hard disk order on the resulting virtual machine by removing both virtual hard disks, then adding them in the reverse order. For information on adding secondary disks, see the Virtual Machine Administration Guide .
   
   
3. Rewrite the master boot record on the virtual hard disk and restore the Windows boot files using the FIXMBR and FIXBOOT commands from the Recovery Console. For more information, see Repairing boot sector problems in Windows NT-based operating systems (1006556).
   
   
4. Verify that no data was corrupted during the conversion process. Corrupted data can affect the virtual machine's ability to boot successfully. For more information, see Checking for disk corruption on the destination after using vCenter Converter (1006559).
   
   
5. Verify that the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) library file is correct and that it is not corrupted for the destination virtual machine type. For more information, see HAL cannot be identified upon conversion of a virtual machine using vCenter Converter and fails to b....

[continuum]

@ Fillips

Instead of pasting content from a Converter KB entry giving the impression that you have written the tips yourself - please next time just post the link to the website where you copied the content.
Also do not create posts that start with "resolution"  before you really understood the problem - and at the moment we can not rule out the most obvious and most probable simple explanations.
Following all "your" tips can easily consume half a day or more and has a high risk for errors along the way.
We do not need missguiding posts ...

Ulli

[mfelker]

If as it seems you have a "preinstalled" Windows 7" as you state hopefully you have the Windows 7 CDROM. Then you need to backup all your files on the host and reinstall Windows.  Then re-install WS 9.03.  If you don't have a CDROM (in many cases you won't) then contact the vendor for a solution.  It is not a WS problem.  You may wish to get advice from a Windows 7 forum or list.  Google for a solution anyway.

[continuum]

The error message early at boot "ntldr is missing" means that the VM has successfully powered on.
Bootcode of the MBR of the disk that is on top of the bootdevice priority of the BIOS has been processed with success.
The active partition has been detected successfully and the startup sequence is currently running code from the partition boot-sector.

Next step would be to load ntldr - which then uses ntdetect.com to read boot.ini and then find the kernel.
The error message is displayed because the system does not find ntldr.

A messed up Windows 7 boot disk does not display "ntldr is missing" because it does not have this error message in the code - instead it displays "bootmgr is missing" - and because it does not sea<rch for ntldr.at all.
So the only explanation why a existing Win7 vmdk displays "ntldr is missing" is that some unknown guy has forcefully overwritten the win7 partitionboot-sector with one from 2k, XP or 2003.
Other possible explanation: the VM has been misconfigured and some how the original win7 start vmdk was replaced by a broken vmdk from a 2k, XP or 2003 VM.

I rate the probabilty for those cases quite low - so what other explanations are left ?

The VM does not boot from a vmdk at all - instead it boots from CD, USB or Floppy.

USB - unlikely - because that needs expert knowhow and in such a case the user would know whats going.
CD - possible - a selfmade bootcd that boots from a floppy image made by Windows OS - but poorly configureds as the boot image seems to be blank or unfinished
Floppy - possible - a formatted floppy that is not bootable but on top of the boot order would create the" ntldr is missing" message.

That means that the easiest explanation is that the update reset the bootorder and the VM tries to boot from a nonbootable floppy - maybe it uses autoinst.flp

All tips I read here are way too radical / risky for my taste.