Corrupt MBR

Hello. I tried to install Fedora Core2 on a machine with Windows XP installed. I was only verifyng if the cd was burned correctly, so I pushed the reset button when Fedora asked me for the 2º CD. Then when I restarted, there was an error telling something like "Error when trying to run the Operating System". I thought it propably had corrupted the MBR so I restarted with a Partition Magic rescue disk and it told there were some error with the partition table, and it tried to fix it but finally it said the partition table was bad, error 110. I was desesperate because I had lost all my data, but I could run Windows XP from another hard disk and made backup of my files. Then I delete all partitions in the disk, and I tried to install Windows XP, but when it first restarted to continue the installation process, it halted telling the same message of Error. Then I executed the MBRFIX command of the Windows XP rescue console, and it told it had written a new MBR, but the problem is still there and I cannot install Windows, or LInux, because it always halts when running the Operating System. I have been able to start Linux running it with the installation boot diskette I made during installation, so I think there is no problem with partitions, and there is something wrong with the MBR that I can't fix with any utility.
I hope you can help me. Thank you very much.

Did you try the fixboot command in Windoze recovery console???

link -->http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...s_fixboot.mspx

give the above command a shot.

Yes, yes, I have tried with bootfix, mbrfix, and so on, and It doesn't work.

Huh? Booting the Fedora Core 2 installation CD and running the media-check does not do anything with your partition table or MBR at all. The damage you see must be related to something else.

Btw, there's a separate "Fedora" forum here at linuxquestions.org.

No, I didn't run the media-check, I began the installation process till I had to insert the 2º CD, and as I dind't have it, I pushed the reset button.

Well, your original post is not clear about that at all. I would not have commented on dual-booting problems related to Windows XP. Other threads and FAQs cover that topic in detail. One being: http://lwn.net/Articles/86835/

Well, sorry if it's not clear, but English is not my native language and I speak or write it the best I can. I think it's not a Windows XP problem, because it was Linux installation program wich get the MBR damaged. I had installed Linux and Windows many times before, and I'd never had such a problem like this. Perhaps, I would have to do a low level format to fix the hard disk. Thank you for your attention.

Ok, I have read the article and I will try the solution, although I need the recover CD and I can't start the computer to download it. I think this bug shoud be warned, or better fixed in the distro, in the Fedora web page, because many users like me will get the same problem.

Rest assured, it's not a problem with your English, but the way you describe what you have done. It's confusing. For instance:

I was only verifyng if the cd was burned correctly, so I pushed the reset button when Fedora asked me for the 2º CD.

"only verifying" is ambiguous, because actually you went through the entire installation process including installing packages to your hard disk drive. The obvious way to verify whether a CD was burnt correctly is to use the media-check at the beginning of installation. That one asks you for the 2nd CD when it's done with the 1st one.

Perhaps, I would have to do a low level format to fix the hard disk.

Very doubtful that you "have to" do that. Usually, low-level format does more damage, since it doesn't fix any partitioning problems. I'd rather assume you have the problems as covered in LWN's article or fedorafaq.org

The rescue CD is the first CD of Fedora Core 2. Start it with "linux rescue". Read the menu.

Ok, thank you. I installed the packages to verify if the cd was allright, because I had some problem with my computer because sometimes It shows a CRC error when trying to umpack compressed files. I know I should have done the media check instead. I didn't know the rescue cd was the 1º cd. I can't see many web pages because I'm now at work and I can't connect at home.
I will try what the article tells, but please, fix that bug with Fedora.
Thank you very much.

Thank you for advising me not to do a low level format. I read this morning that it was the last solution to fix the problem.

because sometimes It shows a CRC error when trying to umpack compressed files.

Which is very likely due to unstable hardware, e.g. bad RAM chips. Be sure to run memtest86 for some hours. It's not bullet-proof, but it rules out a lot of memory related errors.

Well, I finally fixed the problem with the article help. Thank you very much.
About the CRC error, I run memtest some time ago and it detected some RAM errors, so I replaced the RAM chip, but the error is still there. It happens only sometimes with big installation programs under Windows XP. I don't know if it will happen with Linux too, but I think probably yes, because it must be something with the hardware.

Could be RAM chip timing which is incompatible or too fast. Look for ways to make it slower in the BIOS, e.g. by loading BIOS defaults. Or RAM chips from different manufacturers sometimes are not compatible.

No I think it's not that because I only have one chip of 512 MB DDR for an Athlon XP 2600+, and I replaced it for another with the correct speed especifications for the Athlon processor. I loaded the Bios defaults when I bought the PC, so I think it's nothing to do with the BIOS, or maybe yes, I don't know. My motherboard is an Abit Kv7 with chipset VIA KT600. Could it be something with the motherboard?
Sorry for posting something that has no relation with the web main subject, Linux.