I have ruined my partition

partition · 04-18-2009, 08:53 AM

Hello all,

Some time ago, i have ruined bootability of my windows xp system. I am running a dual-boot Lenny/WinXP combination on nx9420 HP laptop.

The problem is old about a year so i don't remember how precisely I got into this state. My guess is that, because I repeatedly formated and repartitioned my second NTFS (not primary - C:) partition under Linux and not under Windows, somehow windows became confused about the organisation of the partitions on my disk and then stopped to boot (meaning when I chose it from a grub menu, it went on for a while and then suddenly hanged somewhere during a boot process). To make things worse, I wanted to repair this, so I used some tools like parted and cfdisk to rewrite the partition table. The result of those "repairs" is that now when I want to boot windowsXP from grub, i get a very short message - "Can't read disk, press Ctrl+Alt+Del", or something like that.

I can still acces the contents of C: under Linux with ntfs-3g. All the data is there. I just can't boot into XP.

I tried to run testdisk, and, at first it was reporting bad boot sector status and MFT (whatever that is?). I repaired these things, but XP still can't boot.

Any clue? Advice? Directions.

And, I don't have any WInXP rescue, repair or backup discs. So my only tool is linux

**wmorri** · 04-18-2009, 09:22 AM

Hi,

I would like you to try the following. I am guessing that you might have a windows install disk. I would like you to boot from the install disk. From there go through the menu, until you reach a spot that asks you if you would like to repair the install, you will have to press "r". Go ahead and choose that option. Windows should go ahead and repair all the problems with windows from there and you should be able to get to windows after that.

Cheers!

partition · 04-18-2009, 01:06 PM

No, unfortunately, hp doesn't give you a winxp install disk with the laptop. Only the serial key. I tried to make an invocation spell from the serial key, but the disk did not appear.

**Bartender** · 04-18-2009, 05:48 PM

I was going to recommend downloading Super Grub Disc to fix your Windows MBR but it sounds to me like the problems might go deeper than the MBR.
Super Grub Disc
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/
can be used to repair the Windows MBR. I've never done it but it can't be too hard because lots of people have.

I'll assume you have broadband or access to it.

If SGD doesn't fix it, I'd suggest saving whatever data you can to some external device and starting over. Do you know anyone who has a genuine XP CD? All you need is the Windows COA number on your PC. You know, that 25-character alphanumeric code on the sticker someplace on your PC.
If you can locate a genuine Windows XP CD, download gparted Live CD download, make a CD from the download, boot from the CD, wipe all the data off the drive, create an NTFS partition to the left-hand side (the "front" of the drive) and create an ext3 partition to the right. The ext partition can be extended instead of primary.
When you pop the XP CD in, it will only recognize the NTFS partition. Once XP is installed, you will have to install all the drivers that HP has on their website for your model. I'd get all drivers beforehand and burn them all to a CD or keep them on a thumb drive. Once drivers are installed, there will be a truckload of updates. I'd suggest downloading the SP3 Roll-Up package instead of downloading all those updates one by one. After installing SP3 Roll-Up you can download whatever individual updates are left.
Don't forget to install anti-virus, spyware, firewall, etc. early in the process!

You don't have to use a gparted LiveCD to pre-partition, but I like doing it that way so you're not trying to shove XP out of the way when installing Linux.

When you're all done and XP is working again, pop in your Ubuntu CD and install to the ext partition. Let GRUB set itself up.

Sound like a lot of work? Well, it is, but if the XP install is several years old and has never been wiped clean you're due anyway.

04-18-2009, 08:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
partition Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2 OS: Debian Lenny / WinXP (sp 2)	I have ruined my partition Hello all, Some time ago, i have ruined bootability of my windows xp system. I am running a dual-boot Lenny/WinXP combination on nx9420 HP laptop. The problem is old about a year so i don't remember how precisely I got into this state. My guess is that, because I repeatedly formated and repartitioned my second NTFS (not primary - C:) partition under Linux and not under Windows, somehow windows became confused about the organisation of the partitions on my disk and then stopped to boot (meaning when I chose it from a grub menu, it went on for a while and then suddenly hanged somewhere during a boot process). To make things worse, I wanted to repair this, so I used some tools like parted and cfdisk to rewrite the partition table. The result of those "repairs" is that now when I want to boot windowsXP from grub, i get a very short message - "Can't read disk, press Ctrl+Alt+Del", or something like that. I can still acces the contents of C: under Linux with ntfs-3g. All the data is there. I just can't boot into XP. I tried to run testdisk, and, at first it was reporting bad boot sector status and MFT (whatever that is?). I repaired these things, but XP still can't boot. Any clue? Advice? Directions. And, I don't have any WInXP rescue, repair or backup discs. So my only tool is linux

04-18-2009, 09:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
wmorri Moderator/Fedora Amb. Join Date: May 2008 Location: /pm/etc Posts: 2,816 OS: Window 7/Fedora 10 My System	Re: I have ruined my partition Hi, I would like you to try the following. I am guessing that you might have a windows install disk. I would like you to boot from the install disk. From there go through the menu, until you reach a spot that asks you if you would like to repair the install, you will have to press "r". Go ahead and choose that option. Windows should go ahead and repair all the problems with windows from there and you should be able to get to windows after that. Cheers! __________________ Linux Forever!

04-18-2009, 01:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
partition Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2 OS: Debian Lenny / WinXP (sp 2)	Re: I have ruined my partition No, unfortunately, hp doesn't give you a winxp install disk with the laptop. Only the serial key. I tried to make an invocation spell from the serial key, but the disk did not appear.

04-18-2009, 05:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: I have ruined my partition I was going to recommend downloading Super Grub Disc to fix your Windows MBR but it sounds to me like the problems might go deeper than the MBR. Super Grub Disc http://www.supergrubdisk.org/ can be used to repair the Windows MBR. I've never done it but it can't be too hard because lots of people have. I'll assume you have broadband or access to it. If SGD doesn't fix it, I'd suggest saving whatever data you can to some external device and starting over. Do you know anyone who has a genuine XP CD? All you need is the Windows COA number on your PC. You know, that 25-character alphanumeric code on the sticker someplace on your PC. If you can locate a genuine Windows XP CD, download gparted Live CD download, make a CD from the download, boot from the CD, wipe all the data off the drive, create an NTFS partition to the left-hand side (the "front" of the drive) and create an ext3 partition to the right. The ext partition can be extended instead of primary. When you pop the XP CD in, it will only recognize the NTFS partition. Once XP is installed, you will have to install all the drivers that HP has on their website for your model. I'd get all drivers beforehand and burn them all to a CD or keep them on a thumb drive. Once drivers are installed, there will be a truckload of updates. I'd suggest downloading the SP3 Roll-Up package instead of downloading all those updates one by one. After installing SP3 Roll-Up you can download whatever individual updates are left. Don't forget to install anti-virus, spyware, firewall, etc. early in the process! You don't have to use a gparted LiveCD to pre-partition, but I like doing it that way so you're not trying to shove XP out of the way when installing Linux. When you're all done and XP is working again, pop in your Ubuntu CD and install to the ext partition. Let GRUB set itself up. Sound like a lot of work? Well, it is, but if the XP install is several years old and has never been wiped clean you're due anyway.