Windows Vista format

[freewheeler]

Hello........I'm a newby and really ned some help.
I did a clean install of Vista Ultimate which went on ok but things are not right, there are several things not doing what they should so I decided to put XP Pro back on.
I've formatted again from the Vista cd but when I try to install XP I get the message "NTLDR is missing" .
The only option as far as I can se is a low level format,so my question is does anyone know a program that will load from CD that will enable me to format the drive?
cheers

 

[kemical]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
If you boot from the installation disk you will then be able to format the drive.
To do this you'll need to enter the system bios by pressing either 'Delete' or 'F2' when booting ( I've included the usual ones to press but watch your screen when booting and you should see which key you'll need to press)
Once in the bios check each setting until you find the one containing the boot order. Change it to boot from CD/DVD with HDD second and floppy third, then save your settings and exit. Make sure your installation disk is already in the drive and the maching will ask you to 'press any key to boot from CD/DVD'. You'll eventually reach an options screen which will contain the chance to format.
Don't forget to change the boot order back when you've done.

 

[freewheeler]

Thanks for that.............I've gone through all the usual things........changed the boot order in bios..........disconnected my first harddrive and tried to use the 2nd harddrive as the main one...........tried a couple of copies of xp(mines genuine, can't vouch for the others) vist will run from the dvd drive but when i try with xp any copy get the message NTLDR is missing..........its got to be the MBR that vista wrote on the first installation but how do i get rid of it?
Oh hang on............i've got an angle grinder here that will do it lol

 

[kemical]

Sorry Freewheeler I misread your post slightly (if I'd have read it properly I'd have seen you'd tried most of the things I'd already mentioned) .
check out this thread here:
http://winvistaforums.com/windows-vista-support/10484-ntldr-missing.html

 

[freewheeler]

At bloody last............thanks for your help Kem, xp is up n running again.
I wont go into too much detail but I ran bootrec and that allowed me to startup with xp but I'm not sure if I've got probs with my DVD R/W couldn't read some of the files,tried a diff DVD and all ok yet my DVD reads and writes ok now.
I think if anybody had a car that ran as good as a PC they'd scrap it lol.
Thanks again Kem.