Problems booting after trying to dual boot Linux and WinXP
 

hi there

Tried to dual boot XP and Mandrake Linux on my 160 gig hdd, when I tried to boot after install I got an error L 99 99 99 99 99. Used XP to install disk and did the FIXMBR, but then when I try boot I get an error saying unable to find boot media please install boot disk...or something to that effect. Any ideas? When I tried the FIXBOOT it says the selected disk is invalid.

Not really interested in Linux anymore, this is about my 6th unsuccessful attempt at intalling, Slackware and Mandrake and got same error, I just want to get to my data on the XP partition. Loaded XP on a 20 gig but can't see the 160 gig XP partition. When I used the XP cd is shows the 160 gig XP partition as type OS2.

I've deleted the Linux partitions now.

Any idea, I really don't to lose the data on my WINXP partition.

If I understand correctly you used the 160Gb disk to install linux and would like to recoup some files that are still on that disk?

I think the command you're looking for is:

fdisk /mbr

That [SHOULD] allow you to boot into your WinXP installation, provided nothing else happened to it.

Well I have deleted the linux partition now and just want to get my files that were on the XP partition which I can't boot now.

Does that fdisk /mbr work in dos or linux? I already tried FIXMBR in dos, didn't work.

Somebody suggested I try a linux live cd, then I guess I could just copy the files I need onto another drive. Any sugguestions? I would would need to be able to download it and cburn it to a cd as I don't have a dvd drive.

Somebody also mentioned wondows might not be picking up the XP partition as it is no onger FAT32/NTFS. When I tried to do a repair install it gave me this as the drive: C:/PARTITION1 (INACTIVE(OS/2 BOOT MAN131062 MB (95519 MB FREE)))

Sounds like you have an MBR problem. I've had a similar situation in the past and used a nice little tool called Active@ Partition Recovery which has a free demo version that allows you to recuperate an overwritten or badly written MBR (the full version also allows you to make a back-up of your MBR)

If you have a live-cd (some installation disks are also live-cds) it should mount the partitions on your drive automatically. Then you'll probaly be able to use your cd-burner to get the data off the drive.

Alternatively you can use such a live cd to make a partition on the same disk and copy the info to that new partition. You can then do a new ionstall of XP, again use the live-cd and copy the files back to the XP installation. If you still want to forget about linux after that you can then reuse that space either extending the existing xp partition or creating a new partition for your data - not a bat option anyway, as many virusses attack mainly the c drive and would leave your d-drive uncorrupted (just in case)

I run into this problem too. go into your bois and change your hard drive boot order if you are using more than one hard drive.

They changed it. In XP it is fixmbr....


Anyway, you did what I did once. What you did was hose your mbr when you ran fixmbr. More than likely you had LILO/Grub installed to the mbr when you had Linux installed. You then wiped the linux (if I got this right) and then wiped the mbr when you did fixmbr.

Not sure if it will work but you could put in your XP disc and try repairing the installation. That may repair it.

Cheers for the help guys, already tried the repair install, wouldn't recognise the XP partition. Burnt Slax onto a cd and going to see if I can get my files to safety, will let you know how I get on.

Do you think the initial problem could have been caused because my three/four year old motherboard perhaps does not support a hard disk as big as 160?

Nah, as long as the start of tha last partition is within the range of the Bios everything should work fine. And once you've started linux the Bios is of no concern anymore.

Next time you install linux ry installing the boot loader to /boot instead of the mbr and make a start floppy. Then, read up on how to start linux using the xp boot loader... (I looking for the reference, but can't find it right now)

Found the link to How to Dual Boot with XP... which explains how to boot into linux using the windows boot loader. Hope it helps.

Thanks a million. Will let you know how I get on.