Windows Re-install Question on Dual Boot PC
 

Hello -

I have a dual boot computer with Windows XP Home and SuSE Linux 9.0. I was having problems with XP running VERY slowly, so I asked an "expert" to look at the problem. She installed a bunch of XP drivers (I think). She doesn't remember exactly what she did. The result is that now I can't even boot to XP. Linux is fine.

I have tried to start XP from the last good configuration, but that doesn't work. I have tried to install from the XP CD's using the Repair option. That doesn't work. The system just hangs during the boot process. I have an NTFS partition for XP, and a ReiserFS partition for Linux - both on the same physical S-ATA hard drive.

I have several questions: First, to re-install XP from CD, should I let GRUB request which OS I want, then insert the XP CD, then select Windows? Or should I just turn on the computer with the XP CD already in the drive? I have been trying the second method.

When I start XP from the XP CD's and tell the computer to do a Fresh Installation (rather than a Repair), it tells me that another OS is on that partition, and that this OS will be damaged by the fresh install. Is this "other OS" referring to the existing XP installation - or to my Linux installation (or both)? I DO NOT want to have to re-install Linux, as it took me quite a while to get it configured for my DSL service, etc. Also, if this fresh install succeeds, will it over-write my current Master Boot Record thus disabling my current dual boot arrangement and leaving Linux hanging?

Similarly, if I were to try to reformat my hard drive in order to cleanly re-install XP, will this over-write the Master Boot Record? Will it format the ReiserFS Linux partition also, or only the XP NTFS partition? And again, will a new XP installation over-write the Master Boot Record eliminating my abilty to dual boot?

Thank you!

Boot by inserting the XP cd at bootup before the Grub menu.
It will overwrite your MBR. Back it up to floppy (you can use it to boot): 'dd if=/dev/hda of=/dev/fd0 bs=512 count=1'.

Make sure you don't wipe out your linux partition by installing windows over it. If you have one of the better distros you can restore the boot loader from cd1 of the distro. oh i forgot cd1 has to have a rescue option.