Help! Linux install gone wrong

BadTimes · 01-11-2005, 10:37 PM

Well, today I decided to make that leap into the world of linux. I use it at work, love it, and wanted it at home. I have Windows XP installed, and I just got an old 20gig drive. I installed the drive and wiped the it with a 'dd' in knoppix. I then proceeded to install SuSE 9.1 on the new drive, but when I rebooted the system all I got was a black screen and the word GRUB. I know that grub is a bootloader, and I relized after I installed that GRUB was installed to the master boot record of my primary drive (the one with windows XP on it). Now, the only way I can get the system to boot anything is if I use the SuSE install CD to directly boot from the second drive. If I select from the drive with my XP on it, it gives me an error about not being a proper root device.

Have I screwed my system?

Please help!!

coolfrog · 01-11-2005, 10:48 PM

hey,
In order to get XP working put in the XP cd -> goto repair installation -> type "fixmbr" at prompt. This will get you XP working by overwriting the mbr.
As for your Suse is concerned try loading Grub on to the superblock.

BadTimes · 01-11-2005, 10:51 PM

<bows> Many thanks, I will go try that right now.

BadTimes · 01-11-2005, 11:11 PM

ugh, when I put the CD, after it loads all its drivers and such, I get an error

Stop: Uknown Hard Error:

systemroot/system32/ntdll.dll

all I want for now is to get my XP box back

I need to go to work tomorrow

redjokerx · 01-11-2005, 11:18 PM

I just installed linux and XP recently. If you see something like

Code:

grub>

You need a menu.lst file. (Of course, you can issue commands to grub yourself)

Here's a copy of mine:

Code:

default=0
timeout=2

title Windows XP Professional
 rootnoverify (hd0,0)
 chainloader +1

title Slackware 9.1 (2.4.22)
 root (hd0,5)
 kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda6 ro

modify to suit your needs.

BadTimes · 01-11-2005, 11:21 PM

Thanks for the idea, but sadly I can't type anything when I see GRUB.

As of right now, I have pulled the HD with the SuSE install out of my machine, and I just want to make the other with Windows XP work again. I have a bunch of research for a class on it

demonic · 01-12-2005, 08:45 AM

If your desperate about getting that research you could just just use knoppix live and recover the data from the windows partition. I thinks I saw a howto on the knoppix site

BadTimes · 01-12-2005, 08:48 AM

Oh yeah, thats what so great about Linux (being able to mount all types of file systems). It was really easy, just load knoppix and it automatically mounts whatever drive you have read-only, so I was able to get my work back. Now I just need to get WinXP to work again. I think I might just backup what files I need via knoppix and just re-install

but who has the time for all that?

kornerr · 01-12-2005, 09:40 AM

Slackware forever!!!

redjokerx · 01-13-2005, 03:49 AM

indeed. Otherwise where would you learn to install grub yourself?

BadTimes: It's generally not a good idea to install linux or something if you're on a time crunch

Take it from me, I installed Slackware during finals week

Also a good idea to back up things.

ndakota07 · 01-13-2005, 04:30 PM

Alright- I installed Gentoo using the stage 2 install. Everything went great until i went in to program my bootloader. I chose to use Grub as i have used it before with Red Hat, Fedora, Mandrake, etc.... Anyway, i must have made a mistake in programing the file. With Gentoo the file is grub.conf however, the syntax is the same. I get the same screen as Badtimes but can type in it. Also i am having trouble getting into my system by booting from the CD and booting straight into it,,,,,,do i just need to re-install or what do i do! Any helpful comments are appreciated. Thanks.