can't start up

jimjenkins · 06-12-2003, 09:31 PM

I have a dual boot Mandrake 9.1 / Win2K system.
I just restarted themachine in from windows, and when I got past the setup screen, a spool of ascii 99's starts ticking accross the window. I'm unable to even get to the screen where I choose windows or Linux. Both the windows and l=mandrake disk repair programs fail to help. Has anyone ever had this problem? Is there a way for me to directly choose the partition I want to startup from in Windows without going to the linux/windows choice screen?

Help!

mcleodnine · 06-13-2003, 02:18 AM

Almost smells like your MAster Boot record is thunked. You can't even boot off the CD and try passing a boot option like '<image-name> root=/dev/hdN noinitrd ro'?
Note that you need to know where your root filesystem is (what device ie: /dev/hda1).