Partitioning and cfdisk how-to and how to ungoof your MBR

Dear people,

I've been reeding al the posts above, but I might I overlooked the solution, but anyway, maybe someone can help me:

I did an KNOPPIX HD-INSTALL on HDC1, whith HDA1 still connected and with WinXP (FAT32).

Now, Linux works fine. Really great, but Windows won't boot. Ergo: blind panic. I've tried everyting from repairing, restoring and now re-installing but NOTHING works. I even re-partioned and reformated the whole HDA-disk, but still WInXP won't install. Is it possible I scr***d my whole HD? Should I buy a new HD?

Anyone ANYWHERE PLEASE???

Blaise

--------------------------MORE TECHNICAL DETAILS BELOW------------------------------------

(PS. HDA was configured this way: 40 GIG,
HDA1: FAT32, winXP OS
HDA2: LinuxSwap
HDA5: FAT32, just ordinary dat

HDC1: Exp3 with Linux from Knoppix
HDC2: LinuxSwap

Now, HDCx is still the same, but I'm trying to re-install Windows on a freshly partioned, freshly re-formatted:
HDA1: NTFS, 10 GB
HDA2: FAT32, 30 GB

The windows SYS files just won't copy to it from CD. In fact, no attampt at all has succeeded to boot anything from it. Not even a boot-flop with XP ?!?!? )

dont quote me on this, but it could be that lilo didnt see your windows partiton bacause it was on another physical disk.
you could try installing knoppix on a 2.5 gig partiton on hda and a swap on hdc (diferent drives for swap are supposed to be faster)
lilo should then pick up your windows partiton and link to it.

worth a try dont you think, let us know.

Did you say you couldn't install WIMxp or couldn't boot WIMxP? Did you edit /etc/lilo.conf and then update lilo?

Regards,
AJG

Thanks for your reaction. I realise I didn't pose my question clearly enough.Hmmm,...:

After I did an knoppix harddsik install on a second (seperate) HD the following happened:
-KNOPPIX (or Debian-Linux as it has become) works GREAT!!! :D
-WinXP on first HD won't boot anymore :?
-WinXP won't install at all anymore on the first HD, either :(

LinuxSwap was made on an extra partition on BOTH drives.

I assume something messed up something realy essential on my harddisk. CHDISK, FDISK, QTPART, FORMAT or FIXMBR can't cure anything.

kind regards,

Blaise

(btw: Lilo did seem to be able to see my windows partition [i could choose it from the list] but it couldn't boot it. It wend to some kind of DOS-mode (excusez le mot) and quitted )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blaise

Thanks for your reaction. I realise I didn't pose my question clearly enough.Hmmm,...:

After I did an knoppix harddsik install on a second (seperate) HD the following happened:
-KNOPPIX (or Debian-Linux as it has become) works GREAT!!! :D
-WinXP on first HD won't boot anymore :?
-WinXP won't install at all anymore on the first HD, either :(

LinuxSwap was made on an extra partition on BOTH drives.

I assume something messed up something realy essential on my harddisk. CHDISK, FDISK, QTPART, FORMAT or FIXMBR can't cure anything.

kind regards,

Blaise

(btw: Lilo did seem to be able to see my windows partition [i could choose it from the list] but it couldn't boot it. It wend to some kind of DOS-mode (excusez le mot) and quitted )

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Hi,

Boot into hd install of KNOPPIX as "root" and give the command at the root shell "fdisk -l /dev/hda". In the list check system-id of WIN XP partition. If my experience is correct then it should be "Hidden FAT32 or Hidden vfat or something like this" (I don't remember the id). If it is so then run "fdiks /dev/hda" from the root shell, then choose the option to change the system-id of the partition, select the number of partition (in you case it is 1), then type l to get list of system-ids, type the id that corresponds to vfat or FAT32, then type "w" to write changes the reboot.

Try to boot WIN XP now or install it. It should work. If not, post the results.

Good Luck :)

I didn't read all 44 replies so I may be redundant but I'll throw in. I have partition progs out the yin-yan. But for safety I use the DOS prog MBRTOOL.EXE freebie on a simple DOS bootdisk to backup track 0 and the MBR to boot floppy. You may name the files as you wish to reflect your progress in your efforts. You can change default file name mbr_back.128 to, say, mbr_back.001 for the 1st BU and so on. Then when your flights of genius bite you in the butt, you won't bleed to death.

How do you use it ... like, copy it to a win start up disk then boot to the A:\ drive. ?

How do you point it at the boot sector to back it up. Does it copy the whole sector ?, including the table ?

Where do you get it ?


Simple tools for a simple process are always best. Small == less bugs !


:)

jm

When I partioned my drive using XP and knoppix I somehow managed to mess up my MBR/BIOS etc.. Three hard drives and two weeks later things up to press seem ok. I had tried to use FIXMBR or FIXBOOT and SYS C:, but they didn't work. I reset my BIOS by unclipping the CMOS_CLEAR jumper on my motherboard. This time I created the partitions in Windows Restore and Rescue console(accessed using the installation disk) by using the command DISKPART.I formated the windows partitions here and then ran CHKDSK through all the partitions.Then went to Knoppix and CFDISK + Q-parted to format the other drives. This time when I installed Knoppix everything worked fine whereas before XP and/or Knoppix didn't work. Baring in mind I don't really know what MBR and BIOS etc.really are and I am not really sure why this worked other than the CFDISK manual states that Windows file systems shouldn't really be partitioned with Linux file system tools and vice versa.

Quote:

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"I goofed my MBR and now I can't boot windows!"

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OK, I have the opposite problem. I reinstalled WIMxP on a friend's PC that got borked by too much spyware.... I forgot that I had set that box up as a dual boot (hda1=WIMxP, hda2=knoppix-installer) and now the mbr was "fixed" so the lilo boot screen doesn't come up anymore. Is there an easy fix so I can dual boot this machine again without haveing to knoppix-installer everything again? I never had this problem, I'm sure there must be an easy way to restore lilo in the MBR I just never thought of this scenario....

TIA,
AJG

Out of memory you do:
- boot knoppix cd and open console
- sudo su
- mount /mnt/hdXn
- chroot /mnt/hdXn
- lilo -v
- Ctrl-d