NTLDR Is Compressed - Press Crtl Alt Del to Restart

[Panthers493]

   Hey, this is a new error to me that I just got after a trojan infected my computer. My virus scanner, McAffe, picked it up and removed it. How ever, I believe it kept re-installing itself, as my virus scanner would repeatedly display a warning, say it cleaned it, display a warning, and repeated 3-4 times until it stopped. When I opened up my browser (Mozilla Firefox 3.0), it showed a web page from my provider telling me that a trojan had recently changed my internet settings, and to change them back and reset my computer. It would not let me browse the internet, and I went in and found nothing changed. (I followed the directions that were on the page that showed up) Then went ahead and reset my computer. As the computer loaded, it displayed the error "NTLDR is compressed. Press Crtl Alt Del to restart", which when I pressed Crtl Alt Del, restarting, it displayed the error in an endless loop.

   After going through support from Emachines (My computer's manufacturer) who wasn't completely helpful, and looking through several websites, I have not found a solution. So far I have done the following to try and fix my computer.

- Used the ERD, Emergency Restore Disk, that came with my computer to restore my computer
- Attempt to Decompress the NTLDR file using "expand H:\i386\NTLDR C:\" (H is my recovery drive, a copy of NTLDR is here)
- Copy NTLDR from H:\i386\NTLDR to C:\ using both "xcopy H:\i386\NTLDR C:\" and "copy H:\i386\NTLDR C:\"
- Direct decompress using "attrib -c NTLDR" when in the file that NTLDR was in (The C:\ Drive)

   I do not have a copy of Windows XP to boot from, nor a way to borrow it (As everyone that I know had it pre-installed and never had the CDs). I also do not have much funding to purchase any "high dollar" programs to fix this. Or pay for any services. (Like Emachines told me).

   My computer is out of warranty, so I can't use that to fix it, and my recovery doesn't seem to fix it. No floppy drive, no bootable CD, I need to decompress this file. If someone could please tell me this, it would be very helpful. Thanks.

   If you need any more information, I can supply it. I will be checking on this topic as I try to fix the problem. I do need to fix my computer without losing the information on it, and need to do it ASAP for school.

[patio]

Click Here and follow the instructions...

[Panthers493]

I appreciate your help Patio, but your link took me to a section on removing malware.  I've removed the trojan.  My issue now is that ntldr is compressed, and nothing I try seems to decompress it.  I don't have an XP disk, and nothing I have tried to this point has helped.  Any futher suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[patio]

The only reason i sent you there is this is a symptom  of infection in some cases so i deduced you are still infected...
The only tools i know of to uncompress an existing NTLDR file are in the Recovery Console...
Since you do not have an XP CD this will make it difficult at best.
I suggest tracking down a CD...

NOTE: the version and the Service Packs installed need to match,,,ie if you have XP Pro w/Service Pack 2 installed that's the CD you need...
Best of Luck to you...

[jpirate78]

I had this same problem with my Windows XP Home w Svc Pk 3 and all the updates.  I WAS using IE8 for web browser when I got the spyware infection - it's the one that pops-up looking like a Microsoft Virus Scanner (don't fall for it).  My System Restore got corrupted and wouldn't restore to any date chosen; and somehow my System Recovery got corrupted (think I accidentally compressed that partition).

Since I couldn't Restore to a date before the Spyware and use my AVG and/or Ad-aware, I tried to do a whole system Recovery.  When the computer tried to restart from the new install, I wound-up with a note at the bottom of my screen saying "NTLDR is compressed    Press Ctrl Alt Del to Restart."  I did as it said and kept getting the same thing.

I re-did my Recovery 2 more times, only to get the same thing (I was thinking something went wrong in the initial install).  I had a copy of XP Pro that I tried, but the computer wouldn't recognize that it was in the DVD drive.  I called my computer guy who asked me to try downloading Linux Ubuntu on my other computer to make a Boot Disc of that; then using that disc to try Restarting the problem computer.

It worked . . . and I used Ubuntu to reformat both partitions back into one (making the hard drive whole again and getting completely rid of any corrupt files).

I then Restarted the computer one more time with the Factory Recovery Disc and was back up & running again.  I want to make sure to state that I DID NOT get my full factory install - I liked that though because I didn't get all that unwanted pap and the computer runs better/faster without it.

I ran this past my dad (my go to on all things computer) and he said to add, "that alot of folks use the latest Knoppix disk to do the same thing - or they burn QT-Parted or G-Parted to a boot disk (a partitioning tool) and use it as a stand alone solution to partitioning and formatting woes."  That Knoppix is another Linux OS that is designed to run directly from CD (ie: doesn't need to be installed on your computer).

[killerb255]

Boot from a Windows PE disc.

How to create a Windows PE disc:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,87312.0.html

Once you get a black command prompt on the screen, type in the following EXACTLY as posted, pressing Enter after each line:

C:
cd\
compact ntldr /u

This should decompress the file.

Alternatively, another option is to do the following:

1) Copy ntldr from another Windows XP PC running SP3 to a flash drive.

2) Boot into your Windows PE environment again with the flash drive connected to your PC.  Windows PE will recognize your flash drive automatically (which is another reason I love WinPE ).

3) Copy ntldr from your flash drive to drive C:.  To do so, type in the following EXACTLY as posted, pressing Enter after each line:

E:\ or whatever drive letter PE assigns to your flash drive
copy ntldr c:\

EDIT: Well crap!  Major threadomancy!!!  I figured since the post above mine was recent, all was clear...not so much.  Either way, if Google or Bing leads anyone here, at least they now have an option...

[jpirate78]

Big thank you for what appears to be an easier way to accomplish this task!

Hopefully this will work for some of the people that have this problem.  I was not given the option of typing anything into the blank/black space directly following any of the commands given when my PC flopped.  I will keep this in mind for next time (God forbid there should be a next time, but I am running Windows! lol).

Once again Big Thank You.

[pcwizard]

This was a known issue from many years back regarding mainly HP and Compaq machines.

What occurs is the C: drive is compressed to save space, but when the recovery is attempted it fails because of this compression. If you run through the processes previously described for uncompressing the C: drive, make sure you check the drive properties again in My Computer once you load back into Windows - and make sure Compress drive to save space is NOT ticked.

[Recidivist]

I know this is an old post but it's an old problem that keeps on rearing its ugly head.
My PC is cycling between NTLdr is missing, NTLdr is compressed and Disk read error.
I have used the Recovery Console to copy NTLDR and NTDetect from my XP Pro SP3 disc. It then told me NTLdr was compressed but it's not compressed on the disk. I have tried transferring on a stick from my other PC, same config, and it also tells me that NTLdr is compressed. Either it is not compressed OR it has been compressed after being copied OR it is not carrying out the copy. And then it will change its mind and tell me it's missing.
There is no pattern to the message I get.
I have demounted the hard drives and re-mounted with different cables.
I don't want the hassle of re-loading Windows and then having to fire all the software up again.
When I have been offered the Windows start-up options (only three times so far) I have tried:
-  last known config. - didn't make any difference;
-  no auto restart - fired up Win and then gave me BSOD with trying to access wrong memory;
-  Safe Mode - stopped dead
I don't believe that this is a virus but is it hardware or software?
Help!!

[Recidivist]

Further to earlier post I inadvertently let XP re-install (finger trouble). Now all I get is NTLdr Windows screen followed by BSOD "trying to execute non-executable memory" and 0x000000FC (0xB8557C34, 0x37636163, 0xB8557B70, 0x00000001). This has happened twice in succession. So even an XP re-install doesn't work. Do I have a sick puppy?? If so, why and where?

[Recidivist]

Today I have spent 4 hours trying to get inside this beast.  I managed to get into Safe Mode once. I checked System Restore but there were no points recorded. I tried Event Viewer and it said that about 10 drivers had not been loaded and there was some problem with ftdisk.
I renamed NTLdr and NTDetect and then copied both from my SP3 disc. They were immediately compressed. I de-compressed them.
I booted and got as far as my desktop for 5 seconds and then black screen, blue screen with same message as before and physical dump. 
Could someone please point me in the right direction? Could the disk controller be at fault or is it something different?