DualBoot: WinXP does not boot

britcoms9 · 09-01-2003, 10:27 AM

I have four partitions on my PC.
C: empty NTFS
D: WinXp NTFS
E: NTFS (for other files)
G: Linux SuSe 8.2

I wanted to install Win2003Server
today on HD C:, however, the result was that my "partition was invalid" so I couldn't start my PC.
I installed SuSe 8.2 again, and Linux is running again. But there is no chance I can start WinXP or Win2003Server (installation) again. The partition do exist and I can access those Windows partitions from Linux Konqueror.

I tried [WINDOWS] fixboot, bootcfg, fixmbr.....nothing has helped, I cannot boot any Windows version.

What can I do ?

I went into the YAST2 Boot Loader Setup and tried to add a new selection to the sections management, BUT I dont know what I should write into the fields (section name, section type, kernel, initrd) and if this will solve my problem.

What can I do ?

Mathieu · 09-01-2003, 10:51 AM

Which bootloader are you using ? (Grub or Lilo)

To see your partition table, at the command line, type:

Code:

fdisk -l

Also, do you have a Linux Boot disk. It's good to have one when you need to fix a problem.

britcoms9 · 09-01-2003, 10:59 AM

GRUB
i have five suse installation cd's

with command "df"

/dev/hda3 /
/dev/hda5 /windows/C
/dev/hda6 /windows/D
/dev/hda7 /windows/E
shmfs /dev/shm

britcoms9 · 09-01-2003, 11:01 AM

usage:
fdisk: invalid option -- 1

britcoms9 · 09-01-2003, 11:04 AM

DEVICE BOOT Id System

/dev/hd1 * f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hd2 82 Linux Swap
/dev/hd3 83 Linux
/dev/hd5 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hd6 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hd7 7 HPFS/NTFS

quatsch · 09-01-2003, 11:05 AM

l as in linux, not 1 as in one

quatsch · 09-01-2003, 11:07 AM

oh, you can't have windows in extended partitions. They have to be primary. I'm not sure but maybe partition magic or something like that can fix that for you.

britcoms9 · 09-01-2003, 11:12 AM

how do I start Partition Magic............. is there a chance how to change the windows partition to a not-extended partition ? i have a win2003 installation cd.........but as I said, fixmbr, diskpart, bootcfg, did not help

quatsch · 09-01-2003, 11:19 AM

partition magic is a proprietary software. If you don't have it, you'll have to buy it or get hold of it in some other way. But before you proceed, I would post another thread asking whether it is possible to convert a logical partition to a primary one. If it is not possible, you'll have to use linux to backup whatever you need from the win partitions and reinstall again. Always install windows first.

britcoms9 · 09-02-2003, 05:24 AM

How do I convert a logical (extended) partitition to a primary one, without loosing all my data ?

jimdene · 09-05-2003, 11:36 PM

Paragon Partition manager demo certainly is free. Go to google and you will find it. You can use it to change and delete logical drives without destroying programmes