Today I was scheduled to repair Toshiba Satellite Pro M10-S405 laptop with a “software problem”. The customer complained that he is getting the following error right after he turns on his laptop.
ERROR
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
System32\Drivers\ntfs.sys
I started the laptop and got the above mentioned error right away. Restarted it again and on startup a different file was missing:
System32\Drivers\pci.sys
If you search on the internet for these errors you will find a lot of tips how to fix it. Unfortunately, on most websites this error is mentioned only as a software problem. They say that you can fix it if you replace corrupted files from a Windows CD using a recovery console. I guess in some cases you can fix the problem by replacing corrupted files, but from my experience I know that these kinds of errors are very often caused by a faulty memory module.
I started testing the memory on the laptop with Memtest 86+ utility and the memory failed right away. The laptop had 2 memory sticks installed. I tried to eliminate a bad stick by removing and installing modules one by one into different slots on the system board. The same pattern occurred on startup:
- the laptop booted to Windows fine when only slot 1 was populated (tried both memory sticks)
- the laptop wouldn’t boot at all (there were no video) when only slot 2 was populated
- the laptop booted with a missing file error when both memory slots were populated
Unfortunately, it this case the error was caused by a defective memory slot on the system board, not just a bad memory stick. To fix the problem I had to replace the entire system board.
Conclusion: if you get a missing file error on startup and replacing the corrupted file doesn’t help, check the memory sticks on your laptop.
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September 22nd, 2009 at 11:02 am
mark,
Does it give you any error message before rebooting?
First of all, I would check memory. It’s possible that one of the memory modules is bad. Try removing memory modules one by one, and test the laptop with only one module installed.
By the way, here’s how you can save files from the hard drive.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:28 am
I have a problem regarding about my laptop the brand is acer. The problem with it it keeps rebooting itself. And before that it shows a black screen with some options like: last known good configuration acer safe mode I clicked on last good configuration but nothing it just rebooted again. This laptop is my for my work and I have a big project.
Please tell me what to do.
Thanks
Mark.
August 14th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I also had a missing ntldr(new technology loader). try putting on a new operating system. via boot from CD. it worked for might just might work for you.
July 8th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
i have a toshiba m105 and i get the message Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
System32\Drivers\ntfs.sys or the its a different file missing: (isapnp.sys), (pci.sys), (ntdlr.sys) or sometimes it will startup just fine with no error messages and will run for awhile then get a stop error message 0×0000000a. I have made me a recover floppy disk but don’t have floppy drive, but i have another laptop that has a floppy drive and both have infared ports how do you do that or what type of cable do use to connect computer to computer
June 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
have this problem on my Dell Inspiron 1150 Laptop . Tried to check memory modules using the memory test; won’t even bbot from the CD drive.
Is this computer done or worth repairing if it’s the motherboard or memory problem? I already added memory before and at the max.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
hi, your conclusion about the faulty memory is spot on. I also had the pci.sys error when 2 x 512mb ddr modules were fitted. After swapping them out I found that it failed to boot when one of the was installed. Luckily it was the module & not the board.
thanks for your confirmation.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
i have a mojor problem. my son was deleting files from my laptop and he deleted a file to help the windows come up when you turn the computer on called the “NTLDR” setting and i do not know how to fiw it! It costs to much money and i would like to fix it myself if i can do you have any ideas?
August 1st, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Anthony Hartwell,
It doesn’t sound good. If the laptop cannot enter the setup menu, there could be a problem with the motherboard or BIOS.
Reflashing the BIOS is a good idea, but I’m not sure if it’s going to work. You mentioned that the laptop gets stuck when you press F2, so it might stuck when you press F12. But it worth trying. In order to reflash the BIOS you’ll have to create a bootable floppy diskette (use any other working computer) and then boot the laptop from this floppy using an external USB floppy drive.
Reseating or replacing the memory module sounds like a good idea too. Try moving the memory module form one slot to another. Try replacing it with a known good stick.
Also, you cat try this. Sometimes laptops get stuck because of a faulty hard drive. Try removing the hard drive and entering the setup menu when the hard drive is removed. Can you? If you can, apparently you have a faulty hard drive (or bad controller on the motherboard – not very likely).