"NTLDR is compressed..." Need help

July 17, 2007

Hello,

My computer is a Compaq Presario. I do not know the model number, however, because I cannot boot up my computer. When I get to the OS choices menu, a message saying, "NTLDR Compressed Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." Before this happened, I used the compaq recovery console in an attempt to fix a seriously damaged copy of Windows XP Home Edition; System Restore wouldn't work. When I do get into the boot menu by pressing F10 (for recovery), it replaces Home with a non-functional Windows XP Pro. Also, I don't have the Windows XP CD. Could this have been a virus? I can't format the hard drive, either. Please help. I have years of work that has not been backed-up. Thanks.

-astroview120mm

July 17, 2007

Re: "NTLDR is compressed..." Need help

Yichuan Dong wrote:

> Hello,

> My computer is a Compaq Presario. I do not know the model number,

> however, because I cannot boot up my computer. When I get to the OS

> choices menu, a message saying, "NTLDR Compressed Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to

> restart." Before this happened, I used the compaq recovery console in an

> attempt to fix a seriously damaged copy of Windows XP Home Edition;

> System Restore wouldn't work. When I do get into the boot menu by

> pressing F10 (for recovery), it replaces Home with a non-functional

> Windows XP Pro. Also, I don't have the Windows XP CD. Could this have

> been a virus? I can't format the hard drive, either. Please help. I have

> years of work that has not been backed-up. Thanks.

I don't know what the "compaq recovery console" is, to repair the ntldr

problem you can use the Windows Recovery Console and change the

compression attribute on ntldr. If you don't have a real Windows cd you

can download the setup diskette set and use them to boot to the Recovery

Console: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

To "decompress" ntldr simply boot to the Recovery Console and issue the

following commands (pressing <Enter> after each):

CD \

ATTRIB -C NTLDR

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

That should take care of the ntldr problem but there is no saying

whether or not the computer will boot. You mention that you tried to

repair your Windows installation and that it had unexpected results.

You mention that you have "years of work that has not been backed-up"

and that you cannot format the drive. At this point I would strongly

advise you to forget about ntldr or recovering Windows and that you

handle this as a file recovery operation. Mount your disk to another

Windows XP computer or use a live cd and salvage your files while you

can! Once you have salvaged your files you can then try to repair the

Windows installation, or do a clean install if the installation cannot

be repaired.

You will have to review your back-up strategy, an external USB drive is

relatively inexpensive and is excellent for backups. Even backups on

cd's are better than nothing! Every step in your continuing attempts to

repair the failed Windows installation is one extra step that could

corrupt your files beyond the salvageable point!

John

July 17, 2007

Re: "NTLDR is compressed..." Need help

===========

"Yichuan Dong" <astroview120mm@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:4CF8CC3A-1972-4395-95E4-0BB60980B64F@microsoft.com...

Hello,

My computer is a Compaq Presario. I do not know the model number, however,

because I cannot boot up my computer. When I get to the OS choices menu, a

message saying, "NTLDR Compressed Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." Before

this happened, I used the compaq recovery console in an attempt to fix a

seriously damaged copy of Windows XP Home Edition; System Restore wouldn't

work. When I do get into the boot menu by pressing F10 (for recovery), it

replaces Home with a non-functional Windows XP Pro. Also, I don't have the

Windows XP CD. Could this have been a virus? I can't format the hard drive,

either. Please help. I have years of work that has not been backed-up.

Thanks.

-astroview120mm

============

I agree with John, you should treat this as data recovery, primarily because

you don't have a backup. New drives are cheap - I see 250 gig SATA drives

for about CDN$75. .

Take the old drive out and get a new drive, and install XP to the new

drive. Once you're done, reattach the old drive and copy your data from

it. If all goes well, all you'll have to do is Take Ownership to get your

files. It will be fairly easy and you'll be done in a few hours.

If you continue the route you're presently on, you increase the risk of

further damage and data loss. If the data is worth anything, stop and do

it right. In your situation, that means treating the existing files as the

only backup copy, and you don't want to write *anything* to that disk.

If you don't have an XP disk, you have two choices. First, contact Compaq

for replacement media, or a company like http://www.restoredisks.com. Second,

buy a new license. An OEM disk for XP Home will probably be in the $100

range. A full retail version is around CDN$200.

For option 2, you will also need to go to the Compaq site to get the

hardware drivers for your system. This will be easy once you know the

model number.

You don't need to start the system to find the model number. There are

identifying stickers on it, usually on the bottom of a laptop or on the back

panel of a desktop/tower system chassis.

HTH

-pk

July 17, 2007