# DR is missing



## UncleTom (Jan 24, 2003)

Hi all, I have been trying to get this used Sata hardrive to work. I have installed XP on it 5 times. Once it started to boot up to the XP screen and then restart all over again on its own. So i run scandisk on it and reinstalled xp 3 more time and all i ever get is "DR is missing". I have done the non destructive and destructive install. What is going on? I have used a USB Ide\sata adapter and have stored pictures on it before this. What does DR missing mean? Or is this used hardrive toast? Thanks


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Can you see the drive in your CMOS setup?


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

UncleTom said:


> Hi all, I have been trying to get this used Sata hardrive to work. I have installed XP on it 5 times. Once it started to boot up to the XP screen and then restart all over again on its own. So i run scandisk on it and reinstalled xp 3 more time and all i ever get is "DR is missing". I have done the non destructive and destructive install. What is going on? I have used a USB Ide\sata adapter and have stored pictures on it before this. What does DR missing mean? Or is this used hardrive toast? Thanks


The video display is probably cutting of the whole message "NTLDR is Missing." This means the OS boot files on the drive cannot be detected properly...even though Windows did actually install. 

What type of SATA adaptor and hard drive are you using? Most require additional drivers which can be installed. Right at the start of XP install, it will prompt you to press F6 to install additional drivers...which is quite a common task for older XP (usually pre SP2 or pre SP3 slipstreamed XP install CD's). 

A google search of the SATA adaptor and drive brand/model hard drive should find you the drivers which can be copied to a floppy disk and or another CD and installed when prompted per above.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Kari said:


> The video display is probably cutting of the whole message "NTLDR is Missing."


Of course! Now why didn't I think of that?

:hammer:


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## UncleTom (Jan 24, 2003)

Yes at one point it did give me that option to install some drivers that i was to choose from a big list. I didnt know what to install though. Now windows says that when i try to format it all over again that "windows is unable to finish format". I must have formatted it a dozen times still trying\playing\learning to make it work. Its not that i need it but i want to learn. It does show up in the bios. It is a seagate 120 gig drive and i use one of those sabrent USB to IDE\Sata adapters that really works good for viewing hardrives. I have drives just for storing pictures on for a safe backup of all my pictures and that adapter really makes it easy. Kari, i think you are right about the video cutting off the ntldr is missing.


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