Hey I tried reformatting my computer to have only one partition. I used a direct Media 3.5 cd which allocated all the memory into one. My computer is a Dell XPS and it comes up with the error NTLDR is missing, press any key to restart. I can't boot from a cd or anything and have no idea what so ever how to fix this If anyone has any idea of how I could fix this I would greatly appreciate it. The last thing I did was switch the 'active' drive from a 'd:' to the 'c:' and I'm thinking thats the reason but dont know how to switch it back without having a operating system or even getting onmy computers desktop for thats sake... thanks

You cant reformat the partition you are booting from, you have bricked your computer.

Reach for the install disk and re-install it (unless its one of those cheap PC's where you dont get an install disk, in which case you're fucked).

Sorry dude.

Well I have the install disk for windows vista and when i 'boot from the cd' the error message comes and thats as far as i ever can get?

Well I have the install disk for windows vista and when i 'boot from the cd' the error message comes and thats as far as i ever can get?

My guess is that you don't press a key when the "Press a key to boot from CD" message appears. Your hard disks contents shouldn't be able to interfere with CD booting because (that happens before HD is read).

well I push F12 to go into the where you can boot from and just enter on "Boot from CD/" and it does it so I though it would just use the cd?

Shoot I go and unclick the hardrive in the bootsequence or what?

I'm not sure how "Press a key to boot from CD" is ambiguous to you, but the deal is, when it says "Press a key to boot from CD" if you don't press a key, it won't boot from CD. That message is the CD's bootloader confirming that you want to boot from CD.

i'll look more into it and see what I can find out.