Hello
I am to reinstall the notebook of my father, that had Windows XP and Ubuntu on it. And I dont know anything on Ubuntu. My objective was to make a fresh install with XP only.
So I was checking the partitions within Windows and found 7 or 8 of them which I could not understand: I asked to remove them, one by one, and got some error mesage on Windows. Now I understand these were probably used by Ubuntu.
Now, when I restarted the PC,n I got:
"error no such partition grub rescue"
I tried to boot from the CD - a windows XP setup CD, but I get blocked as well, because when I try formatting the drive during the installation CD it makes an error, or otherwise without formatting I also get an error.
I guess the partitionning information of the hard drive is inconsistent, making everything fail.
I dont know what to do.
I am thinking to use a USB disk to reformat the HD, but I am not sure it will help.
Otherwise am completeley blocked. Please help!
Thanks
Agnes

Can you get to the recovery console from the XP install CD? Boot up from it, wait 'til it asks if you want to install or repair, enter R, then at the recovery console prompt type fixmbr, then Enter.

I LL TRY THAT? IT MAY WORK
AND AFTER FIXMBR WHAT SHOUL I DO,
(thanks a lot)

...mmm...
For now I dont manage.
I only have a Windows NT CD at hand, and the repair choice leads me to nowhere, after it says it does not find the NT installation and I dont have a recovery floppy.
Then when I try to install, it proposes me:
- C: non formatted or damaged
- non partitionned space
- non partitionned space
And whatever I try (format, create or delete partition, setup here or there) it says it fails and reboots.
I'll need to find an XP CD and try again I guess...

Otherwise, do you think formatting with a USB key could do?
I am sytill formatting my 15GB key... (takes forever)

OK, I have now been able to apply your suggestion and unfortunately it did not work
Upon "fixmbr" I get nothing (another c:/ prompt)
From there I am only able to go to d: where I find a few files but nothing useful.
Any other idea?

You have to reboot after issuing that command. It restored the Windows MBR so that you can boot into XP.