help with dual boot (windows loaded after linux) - Ubunto & Windows

[grnegsndhm]

Recently got a machine that came with Linpus Linux. I fiddled with it for an hour or two then loaded Ubunto - Upon attempting to load Windows XP it says:

"A problem has been detecteed and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
Check for viruses on your comptuer. Remove any newly installed hadr drives or hard drive controllers. Check you hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive curruption and then restart your comptuer."

1. As I cannot find a way to run CHKDSK /f as CDs do not load correctly - is there a similiar Ubunto CHKDSK that can be used to review the system.

2. Is there a way within Ubunto to see if HD and HD Controller are properly configured

Thank you for your help

Sam.

[yancek]

Did you overwrite Linpus with Ubuntu or are you using an Ubuntu Live CD? What are you trying to do with xp, install? The messages you are getting from the xp CD are because windows does not recognize other bootloaders and sees them as viruses or corruptions of mbr. I doubt if there is any actual problem with the computer. What is your end purpose, dual boot, multi-boot? If you install windows after Ubuntu or any other non-windows OS, windows will overwrite your master boot record.

[grnegsndhm]

End game would be to have Ubuntu and Windows dual boot on machine.

I thought it would be fun to try and do it backwards (linux first, then windows). Loaded Ubuntu with a download from their website (8.10). I have XP Pro SP2 and XP 64 bit OSs that I have tried to install so far but get same message.

I don't have any data on machine as its brand new so I can do whatever to get them both installed. Do you know of a better approach to get them installed? How should I go about ridding the unknown bootloader?

THANK YOU!!! Sam.

[devils casper]

Boot up Ubuntu, open Terminal and execute this

sudo fdisk -l

Does it list Windows Partitions? Post output here.

* Its small L in fdisk -l.

Best way for dual boot setup is, install Windows OS first. Linux installer will detect Windows OS during installation and setup dual boot itself. You won't have to do anything special for dual boot setup.

[grnegsndhm]

No Sign of Windows:

output of fdisk -l

Boot Start end blocks ID System
/dev/sda1 - 1 - 7093 - 56974491 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 - 14243 - 14593 - 2819047+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 - 14243 - 14593 - 2819376 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Do i need to delete these first to get CD to load? How do you delete them?

[devils casper]

I would suggest you to wipe Linux and install Windows OS. Create two partitions for Linux after Windows OS installation.
Its really easy to shrink/resize existing and create new partitions through GParted Partition Manager. Its available in Ubuntu CD. Look for it in Menu. Or create two partitions for Linux before Windows Installation.

10-15GB, ext3 for /
512 MB, SWAP

Select Manual Partitioning in Partition Section during Ubuntu/Kubuntu Installation. Select ext3 partition and assign it / mount point. Installer will detect SWAP and Windows OS itself. It will setup dual boot for you.

Execute this in Ubuntu Terminal to wipe Hard disk and start from scratch.

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1

[grnegsndhm]

hmm.
1. Ran the command above
2. Ran fdisk -l and the enties were gone
3. Started up system - (no CD) - Message: No Bootable Device -- insert boot disk and press any key
4. Shut down computer
5a: Checked Bios - Piorner Boot from DVD-RW first in sequence
5. Inserted Windows OS Disc
6. Booted machine again with Disk in system
7. Message - No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key.

Does this mean i need to create a boot disk for the Windows CD. I thought it might have one on it already. Might you have any instructions? I have XP on other computers too.

[devils casper]

AFAIK, Windows OS installation CDs are bootable by default. Have you tried same CD in other machine? If Ubuntu CD is booting up by default then Windows Installation CD should boot up fine too.

[grnegsndhm]

FYI: but still ugh!

1. I tried the Ubuntu disk that worked earlier today and I am getting the same message.
2. Unplugged machine and took out battery for ~30 secs
3. Retried Ubuntu and started correctly - aborted shortly 'pick language'
4. Did same power reset and put in Windows CD
5. Started correctly - no boot error - went through same setup as when Ubuntu was installed - got to same message:

"A problem has been detecteed and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
Check for viruses on your comptuer. Remove any newly installed hadr drives or hard drive controllers. Check you hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive curruption and then restart your comptuer."

Any Ideas on what may be happening? What could be happening? Any other resources I should look for? Thank you for your time!!

[devils casper]

Is there any chance of BIOS virus? It looks like that only.
I am busy right now but I will look into this and let you know soon.