Error message when booting windows XP: "Could not find kernel image: linux"

larawoods · 11-20-2009, 02:42 AM

Hello
I recently had a problem with the windows installation on my dell dimension PC that eventually meant I needed to backup my files through linux. I used knoppix 6.0 live cd but found it difficult to navigate so I then used a slax live cd which worked better for me. Now after using system restore to return my dell to factory settings I am getting this error message on boot:

SYSLINUX 3.83 Debian-2009-10-06 EBIOS Copyright (C) 1994-2009 H. Peter Anvin et al
Could not find kernel image: linux
boot:

I do not have any linux live cd in and am not trying to run linux anymore.

At one point I did try using a slax usb flash drive installation but it did not boot so I used the live CD.
I tried going into windows recovery console and using the command "fixmbr" but this didn't help.
Basically slax was great and helped me, but I am done with linux and want to load windows again but I can't get it to boot past this error message.
Thanks very much for any help
-Lara

bigrigdriver · 11-20-2009, 03:42 AM

Try entering the BIOS and changing the boot order such that polling the USB for a bootable operating system comes after polling the hard drive. Leave the polling of the cd/dvd drives before the hard drive. Then see if Windows boots properly.

I had a similar problem with a flash drive once. That's what I did to correct my problem. Of course, doing that means that you won't be able to boot from a flash drive until you restore the BIOS to polling USB before the hard drive.

imagine_me2 · 11-20-2009, 03:52 AM

You can try and repair your Windows installation using a Windows boot disk.

larawoods · 11-20-2009, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigrigdriver

Try entering the BIOS and changing the boot order such that polling the USB for a bootable operating system comes after polling the hard drive. Leave the polling of the cd/dvd drives before the hard drive. Then see if Windows boots properly.

I had a similar problem with a flash drive once. That's what I did to correct my problem. Of course, doing that means that you won't be able to boot from a flash drive until you restore the BIOS to polling USB before the hard drive.

Thank you for your reply. I had changed the order so it booted from hard drive but it didn't resolved the error. I went in and double checked the boot order, all is correct, but it still wont worked.

larawoods · 11-20-2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagine_me2

You can try and repair your Windows installation using a Windows boot disk.

Thanks for replying. I have tried repairing the installation several times using a windows xp cd but keep getting this same linux error. I don't have a floppy drive so I can't use the available boot disks.