Bootproblems: Win XP CD

[keasinger]

Hello,

I am a newbie on linux (ubuntu 11.04) and I have a problem: Installing a windows xp partition on my drive.

I have a partition in ext4 format for linux and with the standard linux disc utility tool I created a NTFS partition, which should support windows (I also tried "empty space") and I made the partition bootable.
When I put in my orriginal windows XP CD and I run the setup with wine 1.2.2, the normal installationwindow pops up and after clicking on "install windows XP" it gives an error: "no valid system partition could be found" and the setup is terminated.

I also tried booting directly from the windows XP CD. The normal setup loads and when the setup reboots (this seems to be normal) it gives an "STOP: 0x0000007B INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE" error and shuts down.
I googled this second error and on the microsoft page it says, that the problem could be:
- a boot sector virus (I don't think this is the case)
- device driver issues (I assume this is the problem)
- hardware issues (the linux disc utility says the disc health is fine)

My questions:
To exclude the virus: Can someone give me an easy to handle antivirus programm? I tried "avast" but I cannot get it to work.

What device drivers do I need, or what configuration do I need to get the windows XP boot CD working?

Is there a possibility that I run the setup with wine, that it is able to find a valid system partition?

Thanks a lot for getting on it!

[yancek]

Wine is used to run windows programs on a Linux install and cannot be used to install windows.

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/win...-exe-wine.html

The problem when using the windows install CD when another (Linux) operating system exists is very common. It might be that your windows doesn't recognize the data in the master boot record and sees it as a virus or it could be device driver. xp is pretty old.

In either case, it's a windows problem, Might try support.microsoft.com or google install windows and replace Linux.

[keasinger]

Thank you, for your input!

I now will try a newer version of windows (7). Try and see if that works or if the same problem exsists.

To be clear: I do NOT want to replace linux/ubuntu, I just want to run windows partition next to it.

[yancek]

To be clear: I do NOT want to replace linux/ubuntu, I just want to run windows partition next to it.

Right. You need to understand that any time you install any version of windows it will overwrite whatever you have in the master boot record. You will not be asked or informed that this is being done but it will be done.

If you want to keep Ubuntu, after installing windows you will need to reconfigure your bootloader, usually the easiest way is to reinstall Grub to the mbr pointing to your Ubuntu partition.

I now will try a newer version of windows (7)

I don't know if that will help? If you already have a windows 7 install CD it might be worth a try.

[keasinger]

Thanks for your input. One thing you mentioned happend, I guess.

Windows 7 installation worked fine! No boot CD problems!

But now I have a different problem: I can't get on to ubuntu anymore. On boot I'm not asked which partition I want to boot.

any suggestions? How do I install Grub to my mbr? Will ubuntu then work again next to windows?

[oz]

How do I install Grub to my mbr? Will ubuntu then work again next to windows?

Hello, and welcome aboard!

You can find a nice HowTo for restoring your GRUB bootloader here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Re...tallingWindows

Let us know how it goes.

[nonme]

Right. You need to understand that any time you install any version of windows it will overwrite whatever you have in the master boot record. You will not be asked or informed that this is being done but it will be done.

If you want to keep Ubuntu, after installing windows you will need to reconfigure your bootloader, usually the easiest way is to reinstall Grub to the mbr pointing to your Ubuntu partition.



I don't know if that will help? If you already have a windows 7 install CD it might be worth a try.

I'm having this problem; MBR was overwritten by Windows XP and I don't know how to get it back. I don't have any live cds (for any distro) or blanks, but I wanna be able to boot Ubuntu again.

[keasinger]

I managed to get a list to boot both, Windows 7 and Ubuntu 10.10.

I fixed it by backing up my Ubuntudata through a live CD (it fit on a 8GB stick), and then I reinstalled ubuntu 10.10 on the ubuntu partition.

My problem with a GRUB reinstallation was: I installed it, re-booted my system and then some weird GRUB GNU menu popped up with a ton of possible commands. I tried it several times but I didn't manage to handle this menu properly and my system then wasn't able to boot at all, because I coundn't pass by this menu.

Anyhow: It's fixed now! and THANKS girls and guys! I learned a lot here these days

@Nonme: I think it is realy easy how I managed it with a liveCD + stick. Your neighbor probably has a blank left for you

[Jonathan183]

I'm having this problem; MBR was overwritten by Windows XP and I don't know how to get it back. I don't have any live cds (for any distro) or blanks, but I wanna be able to boot Ubuntu again.

try unetbootin ... if your system will boot from a pen drive then install supergrub or partedmagic (which has supergrub available)