iTunes update problem leading to a Windows NTLDR error
I also experienced the "MCVCR80.dll is missing" / "Error 7, Windows error 126" iTunes update error like almost everyone else. I followed turingtest2's solution that has been posted in the countless threads on this problem (e.g. <a href="https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5819636?answerId=24618776022#24618776022" >https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5819636?answerId=24618776022#24618776022</a>); really, turingtest2's solution is coming from Apple's own <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923" >HT1923</a> & <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1925" >HT1925</a> articles.
My computer would not reboot, though! I got the error, "NTLDR IS MISSING", which indicates a *major* operating system problem. In trying to troubleshoot this problem, I've gotten myself into a real mess: it looks like I may have inadvertently wiped Windows and perhaps all my installed applications off my hard drive, in effect taking me back to my new out of the box state in 2005!!
I had Windows XP SP3 with all current updates installed, along with the Apple software needed to support my iPod Touch 3 and my iPad 3.
Here's what I did:
(1) I removed the applications in the order turingtest2 stated, running into the anticipated problem with Apple Mobile Device Support but pressing on as suggested.
(2) After uninstalling the final application, Apple Application Support, I retried uninstalling Apple Mobile Device Support one more time, but it failed to uninstall again, so I just pressed on.
(3) Because Apple Mobile Device Support failed to uninstall, I decided to check out the <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1925" >HT1925: Removing and Reinstalling iTunes for Windows XP</a> article per turingtest2's suggestion, and did the extra step of making sure that iTunes and its related components are completely uninstalled.
(4) That included manually removing the Apple Mobile Device Support subfolder from the Common Files folder, that I assumed was still around because Apple Mobile Device Support failed to fully uninstall (btw I did NOT have any problem with iPodService being removed).
(5) I rebooted my computer.
(6) During that reboot process, as my computer was trying to load Windows from my hard drive, on a black screen appeared: "NTLDR IS MISSING, PRESS CTRL-ALT-DELETE TO RESTART".
(7) No other key press worked, so I did a ctrl-alt-delete, and the computer rebooted and then just displayed the same 'ntldr is missing' message.
(8) I did a forced shutdown (by holding in the power button) and turned on my computer again, just to get the same ntldr message.
(9) I used my iPad to research that message on the Internet, and found that I may be missing a couple of operating system files (ntldr & ntdetect.com) on my hard drive, which I can reload from my original Windows CDs . But like with most PC owners, my computer didn't come with any such CDs, though I did create Recovery CDs at home as advised (the ones I found in my desk were SP3 luckily).
(10) So I followed <a href="http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/ntldrmissingxp.htm" >the Internet instructions</a> of inserting 'the Windows XP bootable CD into the computer", rebooting the computer (I first verified that my BIOS is set to boot from a CD before my main hard drive), and pressing the "R" key to repair Windows.
(11) The remainder of the instructions would have had me then logging into Windows and copying the two before-mentioned files off the CD and into the root directory of my hard drive. But it didn't let me do that. Instead it just began automatically restoring Windows off the CD and onto my hard drive.
(12) Once that started, I didn't dare attempt to intervene.
(13) When it finished, it had me reboot.
(14) After loading, Windows displayed the first screen of the newly installed Windows setup procedure, a screen that I have seen many times on computers at work that I have reformatted hard drives on and installed a fresh Windows on (I served as my small (20-employees) company's network administrator because, though technically a novice relative to most network gurus, as an experienced computer programmer I knew the most about computers there).
(15) Afraid of taking another step forward, I haven't gone past that first screen. This is where I'm at right now.
I'm scared of going further because I don't know what Recovery has done to this point. I assume it would leave all my data files alone, though that wouldn't be a catastrophe, since I do full and incremental backups to an external drive. But has it in fact already reinstalled whatever the Windows it had on that CD overtop of the Windows on my hard drive? Has it already wiped all my installed applications from my hard drive? Or will it do any of this in the steps following this first screen? Can I avert a catastrophe or is it already too late?
If I were a regular user it would still be a big problem. But as a guy who makes his living with his computer, it is a catastrophe. Yes, I have all my original purchased software CDs. But I also have accumulated dozens if not hundreds of freeware software programs.
I don't know which of Apple's steps to uninstall iTunes caused my problem, but of course one of them did, in combination with my unique computer's state. Please, turingtest2 and others, if you can help me, I would so appreciate it. And of course it would be best if we can find a solution to avoid others potentially having the same problem.
Thank you,
Gary Schankula (Canada)