Bobs_pizza

Hi people,

I'm definitely not new to computers but I'm no hardcore user. I've always wanted to get into Linux. Just to see what it's like.

Here's my problem.

Along the way I decided to check out the SUSE 10 beta version of Linux. The installation of said program caused my computer to become unbootable. To remedy the situation by trying to check things out with Gentoo Linux and a few other boot from the CD versions I went back to doing a reinstall of windows.

My computer being a HP requires me to use the reinstall CD's I created when I bought the PC. WHich ends up removing all previous Hard Drive Partitions.

If I attempt to reinstall any Version of Linux I end up getting an error message 25 from GRUB (or is it 24?). Either way I don't what happened exactly but I'd like to try Linux again.

Anyone got some suggestions as to what I can do?

Pc specs are as follows :
Compaq Presario:
AMD Athlon 2.08 Ghz
1gb ram
80 Gb HD Samsung SP0802N
120 GB HD SV1204H
HP DVD Writer 200j
HL-DT_ST DVDRAM GSA-h10N
Gigabyte RAdeon 9600 PRO

Those are the specs I could gather from "My Computer" (the windows properties option I don't mean I jsut took a look at it :) ).

Hope one of you guys can help.

Regards,

Bobs Pizza

K-B

So you reinstall Windows successfully? You could try formatting the MBR (Master Boot Record) if you have your Windows XP install CD. Boot from the CD, enter the Recovery Console and type
fixmbr
That will overwrite GRUB with the default Windows MBR.
Try installing a Linux distro like the Ubuntu family. They're easier for new Linux users to configure & use.

Bobs_pizza

Thanks for the feedback.

Ah a free tech support forum is gonna get guys like me, too noobish for their own good! And sinc this happened a while ago I don't remember clearly all the things I've done.

I don't have the original windows boot CDs. As I stated I've got my Hp/Compaq boot CDs. They claim they can cut down the costs of a PC by preformating a hard drive. I think I've tried the formating the MBR.
Let me offer a suggestion, if the most noon-techie way that I think might explain what happened.

SuSe 10 beta ruined my MBR ina manner that Grub/Lilo and any other Linux boot manager can't handle but Windows can.
I can't narrow it down.

Can anyone suggest what steps I can take to confirm this and perhaps remedy this?


Regards,
Bobs_Pizza

K-B

You could try this software to format the MBR. Then re-install a Linux distro and see if it works.

K-B

You can also use a Win 98 CD / Win 98 boot disk and type fdisk /mbr.

Bobs_pizza

Thanks for the feedback - I'll check out the software.
Not sure abotu the win98 stuff.