Summary: There are various reasons that may lead to the ‘NTLDR is Missing’ error. This guide walks you through the possible reasons behind this error. Also, it mentions some effective workarounds that can help you to fix the error.
Suppose you’re all set to start your work, but the moment you boot the system, it shows an error message – “NTLDR is missing. Press any key to restart.” This error might occur due to various factors. Several Windows users have reported that they encountered this error after installing Windows 10 updates or upgrading Windows OS to a newer version. In some cases, this error occurred after downloading a device driver.
This error may appear with different messages, including:
- NTLDR is missing; press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart
- Boot: Couldn’t find NTLDR; please insert another disk
What is NTLDR?
NTLDR is an abbreviation for NT Loader, which is a boot loader for all the major Windows operating system versions, such as Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10, etc. It runs from the system’s primary hard drive. However, it can also run from portable devices, such as USB flash drives, CD-ROM, etc. It primarily requires the following files to be on the system volume:
- NTLDR: It is the main boot loader file.
- NTDETECT.COM: It is needed to boot NT-based OS. It detects basic hardware data required for a successful boot.
An additional important file present in NTLDR, named boot.ini, contains the booting configuration of Windows.
Why ‘NTLDR is Missing’ Error Occurs?
The ‘NTLDR is missing’ error may occur under different circumstances. The reasons behind this error may include:
- BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is outdated
- NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, or Boot.ini file is missing or damaged
- Corrupted or incompatible device driver
Important: You may face problems in booting your PC normally due to this error. If your system is not booting and you also don’t have a backup, you can use a powerful data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional to recover your data. It is a DIY software that allows you to create a bootable recovery drive to restore data from non-bootable, crashed, or even BSOD-affected Windows systems.
How to Fix NTLDR Is Missing?
To fix the error, you can perform the following troubleshooting methods.
#1 Unplug All Removable Devices
The ‘Windows 10 NTLDR is Missing’ error may be caused when BIOS tries to load from an external non-bootable drive, such as USB drive, CD drive, etc. You can try unplugging all external drives and peripherals that you don’t need to boot your PC. Removing external devices will allow Windows to choose the primary drives to find NTLDR and boot correctly.
Note: If removing external devices doesn’t solve the problem, check if you can start your PC in safe mode in Windows 10. Doing so will help you prevent any possible interruption due to NTLDR is missing error.
#2 Update BIOS
An outdated BIOS may cause this error on your Windows 10 system. If you can boot your PC in safe mode, try updating the BIOS. First, you need to verify that the BIOS version on your system is the latest one. You may contact the system manufacturer to do the same. Other than this, you can check your motherboard’s make and model using the main board’s user manual. After this, follow the given steps to update BIOS:
- Navigate to Windows Search Box and type System Information.
- The System Summary will open. From the right panel, you can check the current BIOS version.
- Note down the BIOS version.
Now, visit the manufacturer’s official website of your system’s motherboard and read the instructions to update BIOS. Remember, different motherboards use different utilities and processes.
#3 Change BIOS Boot Order
If removing external devices and updating BIOS doesn’t work, you can change the BIOS boot order from BIOS/UEFI firmware to fix the NTLDR is missing Windows 10 error. Follow the given steps:
- Reboot your PC and press the F2, F8, F10, or Del key to enter BIOS.
- Next, use the arrow keys to navigate and select the BOOT tab.
- Move the hard drive, where you’ve installed your Windows OS and which contains NT Loader files, to the priority.
- Once done, proceed to Save and Exit. Now, try booting your system normally to check if the error is resolved.
#4 Rebuild BCD
If booting into Safe Mode doesn’t help, try booting your PC using bootable media and rebuild BCD (Boot Configuration Data). As per some Windows users, rebuilding BCD also fixes the NTLDR is missing error. To do so, follow the given steps:
- Create a bootable installation media and try to boot your system using it.
- Choose the Language and other preferences and click Next.
- Click Repair your computer > Advanced options.
- Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
- In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands and press Enter.
BOOTREC /FIXMBR
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
BOOTREC /Rebuildbcd
- Wait until the process is complete. Then, close the window and reboot your system.
#5 Perform Startup Repair
You may also try performing startup repair to fix the Windows 10 NTLDR is Missing error. To perform the startup repair, you will need to boot your PC using the bootable installation media and access the Advanced Settings. Follow the given steps:
- Boot your PC using bootable media. Once you enter the Automatic Repair environment, choose Advanced options > Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced options > Startup Repair.
- Now, select the admin account and type the password. Click Continue to proceed.
- Now, reboot your PC and see if the problem is solved.
#6 Reinstall Windows 10
Caution: Reinstalling Windows 10 will wipe out your data from the drive on which it is installed.
If the above methods fail to fix the issue, you can reinstall the Windows. You can use the same USB installation media that you used to perform Startup Repair. You can start fresh with a clean installation of Windows 10 without worrying about the error.
End Note
You may find fixing the NTLDR is missing error quite troublesome. However, the methods shared in this blog may help you eliminate this error. As recommended, recover your data first using a reliable data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional. In case you need assistance or have queries, leave us a comment below.
