XP after debian

[kisobran007]

Hi everyone,

I had install Debian 5 on my laptop and now I want to install XP Proffesional because I need it to install some programs which I need now. But I cannot boot XP cd after I installed Debian, it said: status 4096 (or something like that). How can I now format my HD to install XP?

Sorry for my english,
All the best

[oz]

Hello and welcome aboard!

I'm not fully clear on what you are wanting to do. If you are wanting to run a dual boot system, it's much easier to install Windows first, then install Linux. You can install Windows after installing Linux but it's much more complicated. We can provide more details if you want to dual boot.

If you're wanting to format your drive and install Windows only, you can do that easily with the Parted Magic LiveCD. Just boot your machine from the liveCD, open gparted, then format your drive the way you want it, and your WinXP install disk should work fine after a reboot.

[yancek]

You will probably need to format the drive as suggested above with some Open Source software. I've seen hundreds of posts like yours where people with a windows installation CD are unable to boot/install windows because another system is on the computer.

The link below at microsoft explains the process. From skimming the article, it seems one needs to delete all Linux partitions to be able to install xp.

How to Remove Linux and Install Windows XP

Found this in regard to Ubuntu so you will need to modify steps for Debian. Pretty thorough explanation but you will need to get GParted:

How to dual boot Linux and Windows XP (Linux installed first) -- the step-by-step guide with screenshots

On the link from apcmag above, it explains how to restore Grub but for Grub Legacy. I'm not sure which Grub Debian 5 uses, you'll need to verify that if you use this method.

[kisobran007]

Hello and welcome aboard!

I'm not fully clear on what you are wanting to do. If you are wanting to run a dual boot system, it's much easier to install Windows first, then install Linux. You can install Windows after installing Linux but it's much more complicated. We can provide more details if you want to dual boot.

If you're wanting to format your drive and install Windows only, you can do that easily with the Parted Magic LiveCD. Just boot your machine from the liveCD, open gparted, then format your drive the way you want it, and your WinXP install disk should work fine after a reboot.

Thanks ozar for reply, I need to remove everything on my HD and install ONLY Windows XP. I am going to try this with Parted Magic LiveCD. Thanks a lot.

[scutiform]

Microsoft XP does not give an option to use more than one OS on a hard drive. It just formats and uses all available disk space irrespective whether it needs it or not. Back up your data from the Linux installation and format the hard drive for Windows. Install XP, then partition the hard drive and re-install Linux. You will then have a boot menu to select XP or Linux. XP will not be able to see files on the Linux partition, but Linux can see XP files.

[yancek]

Microsoft XP does not give an option to use more than one OS on a hard drive

I wondered about that. Do later versions of windows give one the option to select partitions?

[dolo724]

I wondered about that. Do later versions of windows give one the option to select partitions?

Windows 7 does, but it helps to know your partition scheme ahead of time.

If I'd had the first answer, I'd have said take the best of both worlds: use VirtualBox to install XP inside of your Debian system. I use such a setup for program diagnostics and testing. I get snappier performance in some areas using the XP native hardware as a platform, maxed on ram of course. I use a Dell B130, 2G ram, 1.6GHz. 512MB ram is allocated to the XP and 2D graphics run great. Fullscreen you couldn't tell it's an Ubuntu (Debian base) computer.

Benefit: After making all XP updates, I copied the virtual file so I have a backup in case of corruption.

Whatever. Have fun with XP.

[scutiform]

As I gave up using Microsoft several years ago, I'm not up to date on Windows 7, but up to then it was whole disk or nothing from Windows. Have you looked at Wine or another emulation program whose name escapes me at the moment. I have 2 Microsoft XP programs running under Wine. I did have to keep a copy of XP on my disk, but as Wine improved I was able to dump it.

[velikij]

Actually MS Windows versions since NT have the "NT boot manager", which may be used to dual- or multi- boot into Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, etc. You edit the file C:\BOOT.INI to specify what OSes show up in the boot menu. However, installing Windows, then Linux, generally will install a boot manager such as GRUB, and will automatically detect the existence of Windows without the complications of editing BOOT.INI.

[fanderal]

FWIW... Win XP can be installed to a partition as small as 10GB or the entire HD; user's choice. With XP on the HD's first primary, other OSs can be installed to as many partitions as can fit; user's choice. Similar options with Win 7. As velikij posted, either bootloader can be used. Rescue apps on XP's install CD/DVD might have made reformatting the HD unnecessary, but the OP's choice was understandable. The XP install CD/DVD can reformat a HD... in this instance, PartedMagic is only useful when the user _doesn't_ want XP using up the entire HD.