Iphone

"ntldr is missing" error occurs at boot before Windows XP Home starts (but after the POST display). I reseat the HD cables and check that the HD shows up in the BIOS and THEN I do a reformat install from the Windows CD and after the initial copy file stage, and reboot, get the same error. I run fixboot and fixmbr from the Recovery console, do a reformat install again and get the same error after the copy-file and reboot.

Overnight I am running chkdsk -r (from the Recovery console) as this will take many hours to complete.

But I assume that either the HD or the motherboard (HD controller) must be replaced to fix this. (However the copy file phase of the Windows setup routine WORKING argues agains EITHER OF THESE !!!). However the copy file means the HD can be written to (from the CD), while booting from it (the next phase in setup) means the HD can be read.

DO YOU AGREE (either HD or motherboard must be replaced) OR DO YOU SEE ANY OTHER WAY TO FIX THIS. Do you think that the chkdsk -r will fix it?

Also I am doing a Quick reformat (from Windows XP Home setup) as the regular reformat (like the chkdsk -r command) takes a very long time to complete .

Will the regular reformat fix this problem?

Iphone

Sounds like you have a resonable plan. I suggest leaving only a single hdd installed as master (probably the one you want as a boot drive to begin with). As a basic troubleshooting practice I try to eliminate the most links I can then add them back in until I find the offending device.