Can not install WindowsXP after uninstalling Fedora Core Test 3

Why?
I used to installing dual boot system of Windows ME and XP.
After uninstalling Fedora, I can only install Windows ME/98, but can not install XP, after reboot, the system prompts me "No Operationg System".

Fedora had done something on my hard drive, I used windows recovery console to FIXBOOT and FIXMBR, but the problem still unsolved.

Anyone can help me to bring my hard drive back to original condition ?

Try this, it worked for me:
http://www.fedorafaq.org/#nodualboot
It applies even with the final release with no update from a test release.
I have created an account on this site specially to answer you !
Hope this will help.

thanyou very much, I'll get back to you after my try.

Now my problem is, I do not want any fedora on my HDD, I wanna back my windows XP, but after running the Copying Installation Files for XP, the computer reboot and then Hanged with a message No Operating System,
how to solve this ?

My suggestion would be to go to the makers website of your harddrive and get a "utilitiy disc" from them. Its usually a program that you can download and put on a floppy to check your intergity of your HDD. You should also be able to format and parition with that same floppy. Try formatting a couple of times with that program and then install windows again.

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/Ma...&downloadID=22
That one is for Maxtor

http://support.wdc.com/download/
There is the page for Western Digital.

Now either one should work with the other if all you are going to do is foramt. It wouldn't hurt to do a intergrity check though while your at it.


FX

there must be a way to restore my HDD back to original factory setting.
I read a post that I need the command SDISK to do it.
but this is fedora command, different from Fdisk.
seems that i need to reinstall fedora to do it.

i've had the exact same problem when i installed FC2, and then went back to XP. what i had to was go to my hard drive manufacturer's web site and download a utlility program, which required a floppy (i had to do this on a friend's computer, since it was a windows-only program). then i booted with that floppy, and zeroed the first 300 MB of my hard drive. then i installed XP (and did the long formatting option), and it worked fine. this is a well-known problem with all 2.6 kernel-based distros....

do you have Partition Magic8 it will allow you to remove the Linux partitions
and setup a Windows partition and format the harddrive.

Thats what i like about Linux it does not care what partitions you have on vour harddrive, it will just take them off if you say yes.
But , that arrogant attitude of MS$ , that they are the only operating system
in the world and everybody should bow down to them.

LOL
jim

Originally posted by christopher5 i've had the exact same problem when i installed FC2, and then went back to XP. what i had to was go to my hard drive manufacturer's web site and download a utlility program, which required a floppy (i had to do this on a friend's computer, since it was a windows-only program). then i booted with that floppy, and zeroed the first 300 MB of my hard drive. then i installed XP (and did the long formatting option), and it worked fine. this is a well-known problem with all 2.6 kernel-based distros....

I did exactly the same thing, and it is ok now.

futurist: Regarding the “No Operating System” message, it’s water under the bridge now, but your problem sounds like the windows partition was either hidden and/or not set as the Active partition.

To install or to boot into windows, its partition must be set as Active using utilities like dos fdisk or PartitionMagic. Although there are XP utilities in the Recovery Console, there is nothing like having an old Win95/98/Me Startup Disk available to run dos fdisk for resetting the partition status to Active.

not exactly, there are a problem for winXP to make a boot disk,winPE (windows preinstallion enviroment) like minimal OS live CD that contains a tool equivalent to dos fdisk, provided that you make it before installing linux.

What type of HDD make do you If it's a seagate HDD, they have a nice HDD utils disk manager called disc wizard for setting the HDD back to the manufacturing default setting on the HDD...
http:\\www.seagate.com

Originally posted by WhatsHisName futurist: Regarding the “No Operating System” message, it’s water under the bridge now, but your problem sounds like the windows partition was either hidden and/or not set as the Active partition. To install or to boot into windows, its partition must be set as Active using utilities like dos fdisk or PartitionMagic. Although there are XP utilities in the Recovery Console, there is nothing like having an old Win95/98/Me Startup Disk available to run dos fdisk for resetting the partition status to Active.

There is nothing wrong with my Windows installation disk,
the HDD was modified by fedora in the MBR, even windows recovery console can not fix it.
I have to use Maxtor's special software to fix it.

partition magic can't fix it.