Hey guys, I got another problem. When I started up the computer today, it wouldn't start because of this message:
"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: System32/Drivers/NTFS.sys

I don't have a Windows start-up CD or disk to repair this!
What can I do???
(BTW, I'm typing this from a friend's computer.)
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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help :(

i don't know how to burn CDs. :(

i don't know how to burn CDs. :(

Use the second link I posted and then look at 2. Burn your CD or create a USB drive and click "Show Me How."

That'll walk you through it. You can use the same process to burn the RC.iso from the other link.

-- Fixing this ought to be fairly simple if you can get those CDs made.

PP:)

ok i'm trying to do this right now.BTW, any other suggestions?

ok i'm trying to do this right now.BTW, any other suggestions?

Once you get the CDs made, we can go about trying to replace the file.

That should be straightforward enough. If there are other accompanying issues... well, that may be another story.

PP:)

ok i have copied the things in the two links onto a flash drive, not a CD. wat do i do now?

ok i have copied the things in the two links onto a flash drive, not a CD. wat do i do now?

OK - now, let's see if you can boot it up. I find a CD easier to work with, but let's see if this works.

Go back to http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download and look at #3 Try It and click Show Me How. I'll just C&P it here:

If you're using a USB drive: Most newer computers can boot from USB. You should see a welcome screen prompting you to choose your language and giving you the option to install Ubuntu or try it from the CD.

If your computer does not automatically do so, you might need to edit the BIOS settings. Restart your computer, and watch for a message telling you which key to press to enter the BIOS setup. It will usually be one of F1, F2, DEL, ESC or F10. Press this key while your computer is booting to edit your BIOS settings.

You need to edit the Boot Order. Depending on your computer, and how your USB key was formatted, you should see an entry for 'removable drive' or 'USB media'. Move this to the top of the list to force the computer to attempt to boot from USB before booting from the hard disk. Save your changes and continue.

3. Choose your preferred language and click on 'Try Ubuntu 10.10'

4. Your live CD desktop should appear. Have a look around!

Do not install it. Just "Try" it.
Let me know if you can do this without any issues and we'll go from there.

PP:)

um phillie, i have put something called "diskette drive" to the top of the list, put the USB drive in, but the computer is still having the NTFS.sys file error.

or, i get a operating system error.

um phillie, i have put something called "diskette drive" to the top of the list, put the USB drive in, but the computer is still having the NTFS.sys file error.

If you don't have the option for USB, then your compy cannot boot USB.

CD will work, though.

-- It would be way easier if you had your Windows CD

What we are trying to do is to bypass Windows entirely and run Ubuntu in memory. Then, we can access your hard drive and replace NTFS.sys.

See if you are able to make the CD

Also, do you have the option to boot to Recovery Console?

PP:)

the file you gave me to download is not a real link, it didn't give me anything, and also I do not know where i can boot from recovery console.

We need to work with the Ubuntu Live Desktop CD since you don't have your Windows CD.
OK - this is what needs to be done:

1) Go to the Official Download Page --> http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

2) Click the big orange button to download the latest version of Ubuntu. (Desktop Edition 10.10 32-Bit)

3) Save the ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso to where you can find it easily.

4) Download and install Infra Recorder --> http://downloads.sourceforge.net/infrarecorder/ir051.exe?download

5) Insert a blank CD in the drive and select Do nothing or Cancel if an autorun dialog pops up.

6) Open Infra Recorder and click the 'Write Image' button in the main screen.
* Alternatively you can select the 'Actions' menu, then 'Burn image'.

7) Select the ubuntu-10.10-desktop-i386.iso, then click 'Open'.

8) Click 'OK'.

Once that is burned, restart your compy and press F12 at boot to access the Boot Device Menu. Choose boot to CD ROM.
Put the CD in, Restart and Ubuntu should boot up.

Let me know if you can get that far.

PP:)

nope i can't do anything...

nope i can't do anything...

Well... shoot.
Don't know what to tell you. I've done this fix a couple time in the past with no problems. Can't imagine why your compy won't boot to Ubuntu live cd.

Perhaps one of our other members will have a different idea.

Best Luck :)
PP

ok thanks.

What happens after we boot the compy Ubuntu live cd?
Is it a replicate to the windows xp setup cd-rom?

What happens after we boot the compy Ubuntu live cd?
Is it a replicate to the windows xp setup cd-rom?

No - Nothing like that. (Well, I suppose since it is the Ubuntu SetUp disk... But, we are using it as we would the XP disk in this case - To repair Windows)

What it does is bypasses Windows entirely. Nor are we "installing" Ubuntu (Linux) as a new Operating System.
What we are doing is "trying" Ubuntu - A completely separate OS that runs from the disk and in system memory.
In this manner, we will be able to access the HD and replace the problematic Windows NTFS.sys. With any luck, that would be the only problem we'd need to fix - though I wouldn't bet on it...

We can also do this with the recovery console (rc.iso) I linked earlier, but Ubuntu is a bit more "user friendly."

If you burn that disk according to the steps I posted, It should boot with no problems.
Pop it in and reboot. Hit F12 on reboot and select the option to boot from Optical Drive and you are good to go.

PP:)

Is there any windows xp setup cd-rom iso?
Something closer to the source...
Cause in all honesty, nothing worked.

Everything went as you said when I booted the cd...and Ubuntu appeared.
But then, I had to click the language "English", and then I saw 4 or 5 options.
I did not see "boot from Optical Drive". I saw "boot from Hard Disk Drive"
I clicked it. Nothing worked. What do I do now?
Will the rc.iso be of any help? If it will, how do I use it?

Is there any windows xp setup cd-rom iso?
Something closer to the source...

You can use an XP disk to repair a current installation, but you are not going to find any legal XP .isos for obvious reasons.

Everything went as you said when I booted the cd...and Ubuntu appeared.
But then, I had to click the language "English", and then I saw 4 or 5 options.

OK - that's good. You are able to boot Ubuntu.

Try again and choose the language you want and then click Try Ubuntu
(it might say "Try Ubuntu Without Changing My Computer" or something like that - I can't remember. The main thing is NOT to choose the Install Ubuntu option. Choose the option to TRY Ubuntu.)

It should then load Ubuntu and you will see the "desktop" appear.
The top bar should read: Applications Places System
-- Click on Places and let me know what happens.

PP:)

A black screen showing few text on the top -
1. BusyBox v1.15.3 (Ubuntu 1:1.15.3 -1ubuntu5) Built-in shell (ash)
2. Enter 'Help" for a list of built in commands
3. initramfs) mount: mounting - blah blah coding blah blah....

And then some few text codings after...and that's it.
I type help and pressed "enter" and it kept saying "not found"
So, was there something wrong done?

So, was there something wrong done?

Could be a bad CD. It is best to use a "write once" disk as opposed to a R/W.

Generally it takes a few minutes to load - You should see three screens. (I've attached them below)

One - Choose language
Two - Try Ubunto (select that)
Three - the Desktop

I do not know why it is not clearing busybox. You might try burning a fresh CD.

-Were you able to burn the RC.iso i linked earlier? We could try that.
But it is a heck of a lot easier to use Ubuntu to navigate the hard drive...

PP:)

I'm using a 'memorex' cd-r brand (52x 700mb 80min)

It would be great if we try the RC.iso you linked earlier.
I also think we should try that.

I could also tell how easy it was to use Ubuntu ...but I guess nothing goes easy for me these days...

I could also tell how easy it was to use Ubuntu ...but I guess nothing goes easy for me these days...

I know how that goes.

With Ubuntu, we could copy and paste NTFS.sys from servicepackfiles to where it needed to go.

Anyhoo, see if you can burn RC.iso the same way you burned Ubuntu and hopefully we'll have better luck.

PP:)

what do I do next after I do that?

what do I do next after I do that?

Well, you have to boot it up and it will behave like the XP setup disk - you'll get a list of options, except that the only one that will work is "Press R" for recovery console.

From there, we are going to be limited to a command prompt and some DOS commands.
It's enough to get the job done, providing that everything on the ill computer is where it is supposed to be. Otherwise, we'll have to deal with error messages and that can be a pain.

Honestly, finding a way to get Ubuntu to boot properly would be waaaay easier - especially if we need to poke around for other problems.

Try downloading and burning an older version ---> http://releases.ubuntu.com/karmic/ubuntu-9.10-desktop-i386.iso


-- But, if you've got the RC.iso burned, boot it up and hit R when prompted to do so and see if you get the command prompt. If that works, we can try copying NTFS.sys and see if that works.
If it doesn't work, we'll need Ubuntu. There are some other options, but I am comfortable using the 'buntu live CD.

PP:)

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