Dual boot error
 

Hi,

I'm very new to Linux and would appreciate if someone could help me in solving this issue. I installed RH Linux after installing Windows XP on my desktop as advised in Linux documentation. Both OS were running fine until yesterday. When I started my computer this morning, Linux was working fine but Windows wass not. When I select "others" option from startup menu, my monitor screen becomes blank and never shows any thing and leaves me with no option but to restart my computer. Here are the contents of fdisk -l and grub.conf.

Disk /dev/hda: 164.6 GB, 164695473664 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 1171 9406026 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 1172 17245 129114405 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda3 17246 17258 104422+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 17259 20023 22209862+ 8e Linux LVM
/dev/hda5 1172 8943 62428558+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/hda6 8944 17245 66685783+ b W95 FAT32


# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,2)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=2
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (2.6.9-67.ELsmp)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-67.ELsmp ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-67.ELsmp.img
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS-up (2.6.9-67.EL)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-67.EL ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-67.EL.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

I used MBR option when I was installing RH Linux.

Thanks,

Kaashi

Comparing your fdisk output with the grub.conf, your entries are correct. It appears to be a problem with the windows bootloader. When you select windows from the Grub menu, Grub points to the partition windows is on and it is then up to the windows bootloader.

Use your xp CD and enter recovery mode and enter command fixmbr. Try re-booting.

You could also download SuperGrubDisk if you don't have the xp CD and try to repair windows bootloader.

If you repair the windows bootloader by either of these methods, you will then need to re-install Grub. Enter a terminal as root and type:

grub, will get the grub prompt (grub>) where you enter following commands:

root (hd0,2)
setup (hd0)
quit

Thanks for your quick reply Yancek!
I tried to boot from XP CD but as soon as it tries to read from HD screen becomes blank. Linux is working fine though otherwise I would think that my hard drive was dead.

You may need to go into your BIOS settings and make sure that your CD Drive is listed before your hard drive in the boot order. Your computer will usually tell you on the first screen you see after pushing the power button "Press F2 to enter setup" or something similar (sometimes F1, F12, Delete, etc). After rebooting and with your XP CD in the drive you should get some text that says "Press any key to boot from cd..."

It does boot from CD but when I select the "Install Windows XP" or "Recover a previous installation" option the screen becomes blank.

try inserting "makeactive" without the quotes after the "rootnoverify" line

Same result. Screen is still blank after inserting makeactive.

This could be bad advice, so if anyone disagrees, chime in. You might try this as a last resort. Delete your NTFS partition and let your windows disk create and format the partition using the free disk space just created. You'll may have to use grub to get back your dual boot since Windows will probably rewrite your MBR.

you try test your hdd in different computer

I think McSlack has the right thought, I believe something serious has happened to the windows install or the partition has run out of room. I am not that familiar with windows but if there is a way to get to defrag in the recovery mode that might be a first try.