linux works windows won't (not a big surprise)
 

Using RedHat 7.1 Seawolf on Compaq Presario 7000. Been using lilo for a couple of months with no problems using Linux or Windows ME. All of a sudden Linux works but Windows won't boot. None of the emergency cd's or diskette's provided by Compaq will boot. But Linux works wonderfully, as it always has. I don't use windows the rest of the family does and they say they haven't done anything other than email, aim, etc. I have tried changing the boot sequence in the bios but that didn't make any difference(a suggested remedy) I frankly don't have a bloody clue how this could be a linux problem but being a rank newbie I can only think to remove lilo to see if that helps. Why I should remove something that does apparently work to fix something that doesn't i.e. windows is, well, not very logical but I simply can not get windows to boot. Any help would be appreciated.:confused:

Let's walk through some things here, for more information, okay?

First, look at your LILO configuration file (probably /etc/lilo.conf).

Does it look something like so?:

The 'default' and 'other' parts are important. What do they say? Is the 'other' section even there?

What about the time out? Is LILO actually prompting you or is it jumping straight to Linux? The timeout is in deciseconds, so 50 equals 5 seconds. Do you have enough time to type in the name of your secondary OS?

What else, what else .. hmm ..

Okay, while you are writing all that down, lets try mounting your Windows partition through Linux, to make sure it is still there. You know MS .. they're sneaky.

bash# mkdir /mnt/windows
bash# mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/windows

Then 'cd' to the /mnt/windows and see what is there ..

Well, what -is- there?

WOW!!
I am truly impressed by the responsiveness of this open source world. I can't speak for results but if effort and community mean anything this is going to be or already is the 'new' age of computing. OK the following is my lilo.conf

boot=/dev/hde
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout=50
message=/boot/message
lba32
default=linux

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.2-2
label=linux
read-only
root=/dev/hde6
append="hdd=ide-scsi"

other=/dev/hde1
optional
label=dos

I'll give the mount idea a go tomorrow and get back to you.

Thanks for responding!!!
Joel

The 'optional' line in the 'other' section doesn't need to be there, but don't bother it for now till we figure other things out.

During bootup, when the LILO prompt shows up, and you type 'dos' .. is there an error message?

:)

And I am glad to help, or attempt to help as it were. We will learn things together, okay? Open Source .. Open Learning.

error message
 

I don't get any error message when i choose dos . The disk drive 'chugs' a few times then the machine locks up and has to be restarted with the on/off switch. ctrl-alt-del does nothing. On your previous message you said to mount hda1 but my dos is hde1 should I still follow the original instructions?

Use the mount instruction that I posted, but substitue /dev/hda1 with /dev/hde1

Try that, and see what happens.

results from the mount
 

[root@rdu162-234-237 /root]# cd /
[root@rdu162-234-237 /]# mkdir /mnt/windows
[root@rdu162-234-237 /]# ls
bin boot dev etc home Incomplete lib lost+found misc mnt opt proc root sbin tmp usr var
[root@rdu162-234-237 /]# cd mnt
[root@rdu162-234-237 /mnt]# ls
cdrom cdrom1 floppy windows
[root@rdu162-234-237 /mnt]# cd /
[root@rdu162-234-237 /]# mount -t vfat /dev/hde1 /mnt/windows
[root@rdu162-234-237 /]# cd /mnt/windows
[root@rdu162-234-237 windows]# ls
All Users autoexec.dos bootlog.txt config.bak cpqdrv io.sys msdos.--- Program Files scandisk.log
autoexec.bak autoexec.nav command.com config.dos cpqs logo.sys msdos.sys Recycled system.sav
autoexec.bat bootlog.prv compaq config.sys detlog.txt lutil My Documents _restore windows
[root@rdu162-234-237 windows]#

Try changing the last part of your lilo.conf to:
other=/dev/hde1
#optional
label=dos
table=/dev/hde

Then as root run /sbin/lilo. Then try to select windows again. No guarantees that it will work.

I tried the following lilo with no apparent difference. One question in the original lilo there are very small, what appear to be, periods on the extreme left of some of the lines. When I made the changes you directed a period does not get added. I was wondering where the periods came from and if they have any significance. I have included the altered lilo so you van verify I made the correct changes.
Thanks for your efforts.
boot="/dev/hde"
map=/boot/map
install=/boot/boot.b
prompt
timeout="50"
message=/boot/message
lba32
default=linux

image="/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.2-2"
label="linux"
read-only
root="/dev/hde6"
append="hdd=ide-scsi"

other=/dev/hde1
#optional
label="windows"
table=/dev/hde
image="/dev/hde1"
root="/dev/hde6"
append="hdd=ide-scsi"

Is the fat32 partition that windows is installed on set to active? Use Partition Magic if you can get it, to have a look. If not, use the DOS command fdisk.

just a thought
 

Also you should try to check the drive for bad blocks on the HD. Your windows startup files could be on a corrupted / bad portion of the hard drive. Presario's are known to be POS's and I've worked on more than my share. :) I don't know what model numbers they were, but the one's that had the Quantum Bigfoot HD's seemed like I replaced gobs of those.

I have gotten my hands on a copy of partition magic, I hope I can check the HD over with that. The inventory says that the HD is a UltraDMA ATA66 40 GB.

partitoin magic
 

boy this gets stranger and stranger. Partition Magic won't boot. It asks for the second diskette, throws the partition magic splash screen then goes to an hourglass and that's all she wrote. I have used these diskettes before on this machine so I doubt that the diskettes are the problem.

Here's something you can try to get windows working. Make sure that you have a disk that you can use to boot into linux. If you made one during the installation of RH 7.1, that will be fine. Boot into linux as you normally do, log in as root and run the command /sbin/lilo -u. This should restore the mbr back to its original state. Next, reboot the computer and see if it boots into windows. There are no guarantees that this will work. Good luck.

I believe that windows expects to be on the first partition of the first disk. Do you remember which drive it was on? Try booting with your Windows Startup Disk. Then run fdisk to see what the partitions look like and if the correct disk is active. I'm wondering if the partition information got whacked somehow.

Anyway, the 'hde' looks funny, because, unless you have an ide card added to your computer, you should just have 4 ide devices and 'hde' would be the fifth device.

One thing worth trying is:
A) Make sure you have a Linux Boot Disk
B) Boot up using your Windows Startup Disk
C) run the FDISK /MBR command to rewrite the
Master Boot Record
D) If windows boots up OK, use the boot disk to boot into
Linux
E) Reinstall the LILO loader.