Hi

I finally got around to installing Ubuntu on the spare free space I'd set aside on my XP HD.

I didn't do the automatic partition and instead manually partitioned /, /usr, /home and /tmp and installed Ubuntu. The install seemed to have completed w/o any problems and when prompted, I decided to use the grub boot menu on the MBR.

Now, I can get into Ubuntu w/o any problems but when I boot into XP, i get the Windows XP logon screen for a second and the computer then reboots.

I had Norton Systemwork's GoBack on XP before which used to bring up its own splash screen before the XP one but I don't see that anymore and I'm suspecting this has something to do with the behaviour.

Any help will be greatly appreciated! Please, please, I DON'T want to have to reinstall XP (I know I'm thinking the worst case but don't know how close I'm to that )

HT

BTW, I don't see a /etc/grub/grub.conf in Ubuntu but I was able to see the following on the screen just after selecting XP on the Grub boot:

root (hd0,0)
Filesystem type, Unknown, partition type 0x44
savedefault
make active
chainloader +1

Did you try to boot windows XP in safe mode?

How far into the boot process does XP get? ie what is the "XP logon screen".

Sounds like norton wrote something to MBR which is now overwritten by grub, hence the windows hissy fit (perhaps). The key would be to disable or uninstall the norton utility somehow. You may be able to do this if you could boot into safe mode.

Maybe the repair windows utility on the XP installation CD would work--if you have one handy....

Your grub menu is probably /boot/grub/menu.lst

An alternative to the Windows CD is the FreeDOS live-cd. I used it to fix my MBR when I accidentally overwrote it.
http://www.freedos.org/

This may be useful also

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=361157

It actually displays a screen which says Windows failed to start normally and presents me with options for Safe Boots, Last known Config and Normal boot and none of those work. The computer reboots when I select any of them.

BTW, one thing I remember now that I did was when doing the manual partitioning, I turned the bootable flag for the / partition to On.

I do have the Windows CD and will attempt to repair if I can. Since that will most likely make me loose the grub boot menu, what do I need to get that back?

HT

Abzu, just read the thread you'd pointed to. Thanks a bunch, mate, looks like that should resolve my issue. Will post back after I've tried it out.

Ok, I'm a little slow today: I meant dcbutler in the previous post. Gracias!

I'm about to attempt to install Kubuntu with XP for a double boot system on an new HP Pavilion laptop.
Can anyone provide, suggestsions, warning, etc? or of a site with guidelines?

Hi DcdButler and all,

I was able to successfully get back into WinXP after doing what the thread above suggested. Thanks to everyone who responded!

allelopath: Just a couple of cautions
- if you have free space on your HD for linux, the dual boot should be pretty easy. If you have to repartition existing WinXp disk though, I'd be very careful. I've used a tool called Bootit in the past to repartition live Winxp partition and have had success.
- in case you have Norton Goback installed, you might have to relinquish using it after installing Ubuntu/Kubuntu.

If you want to install fresh both the OSs, the following might be good help.
http://pykeylogger.sourceforge.net/w...al_boot_system

HTH,
HT

Ok, so it wasn't really as easy as I'd thought. I was able to login back into my C drive(i.e winxp install drive). But I'd originally created an extended partition and logical drives J,K,L within it amounting to about 170Gb, and I don't see any of them.

When I use the Xp's native disk manager, I see the C drive as 30 Gb and the entire partition as 200 Gb but don't see the other drives nor do I see the 170Gb as free space within which I can recreate those (they were mostly empty).

Any pointers on what I can do to be able to see those partitions?

HT