[eparkes8]

Hello there, I have recently built a new PC,

ECS GeForce motherboard AM2 Socket
AMD Athlon 64 CPU 4000 dual core
2GB RAM
250GB SATA HDD
I have finished the build and i am ready to install windows vista, but i get a message saying 'NTLDR is missing'. If i boot from the vista CD it starts installation and then i get a blue screen.

Can anyone help me as this is my 1st PC build

Thanks

[philthomas]

What is the blue screen error message ?

Also have you checked in bios that your boot drive sequence is correct ? ... it should be set to CD 1st and include your HDD.

[eparkes8]

it says about ntldr missing from system 32. but the hard drive shouldnt even have a system 32. its confusing

[philthomas]

It sounds as though it's trying to boot from your HDD instead of the CD drive.
Have you double checked your bios settings for boot drive order ?

Check that your CD Drive is working and is listed in bios, as it seems to be bypassing it. Check your cables/connections at drive and mobo.

Also .... is this a fresh drive ? .... i.e. new out the box or has it been used previously ?

This isn't a dual boot set up by any chance with XP ?

[eparkes8]

its a used, but formatted hard drive. its not bypassing the CD drive because it starts to load vista before the blue screen saying about ntldr.

[philthomas]

Well .... it would appear to be aborting whatever it's doing on the CD Drive and going to the next boot drive, hence the NTLDR message.

This could be a bad drive or cable or possibly a bad/unreadable CD