Linux/Windows trouble...

berk · #1 May 29th, 2004, 03:27 AM

Ok, I installed Mandrake on my computer, BUT formatted the drive, so i no longer have windows...I put in my recovery disks, and i reinstall my windows....no good, when i reboot w/o the boot disk, it goes to the Linux boot screen, so i have no idea what to do...thanks in advance for any help.

und3rtak3r · #2 May 30th, 2004, 08:30 AM

Is the computer a Compaq/HP/IBM ?
If it is the windows restore may be interesting..

Regardless.. You will need to remove the linux partitions.. and the MS fdisk won't cut it..

Track down another partitioning agent.. Ranish.. If you get ahold of the Universal boot disk (FDD version) for win 98 this did have ranish on it and has helped me out on several occasions..

after the linux partitions are cleared.. you can now have another go at reinstalling Win.. This will mean you will have lost Mandrake..sry .. .. If you are using the Windows install disk and nmot a propriortry recovery disk, you do have the option during the install of setting up partitions, and if your HDD is large enough you can have partition for mandrake for your next attempt at Linux..

Trust this is of assistance

Cheers

Trillian · #3 May 30th, 2004, 10:42 AM

@und3rtak3r: The TS does not have to delete the Linux partitions!

TS: You've got to know which type of bootloader you have got. The bootloader is the program that boots your operating system. Linux users can generally choose between grub and lilo. When they install their operating system, their linux distribution, the installer either lets them choose between grub and lilo, or it just installs the default bootloader.
You have got Mandrake. When I take a google on Mandrake, I see that is uses lilo in general.

To see whether you use lilo or not, type:

Code:

lilo

in the console. If it repies with something like "command not found" then you can be quite sure you haven't got lilo.

But, if you really have lilo, you have to add your windows partition to the configuration file of lilo. That's not hard.
View the /etc/lilo.conf file by, for example this command:

Code:

vi /etc/lilo.conf

Then add the following lines to (the bottom of) lilo.conf:

Code:

 other=/dev/hda1
		label=windoze 
		table=/dev/hda

**You will have to replace "/dev/hda1" with the location of your windows partition. If it is on the first partition of the first hard drive, then you must fill "dev'hda1" in. If it's on the second partition of the first hard drive, fill in "/dev/hda2"
If it's on the first partition of the second hard drive, fill in "/dev/hdv1" If it's on the 2nd partition of the 2nd hard drive, fill in: "/dev/hdb2"

Save and exit, and then run the following command to really add the windows partition to lilo:

Code:

lilo

Well, that is if you have lilo. But if you have grub, do the following:
View grubs /boot/grub/menu.1st file by, for example, this command:

Code:

vi /boot/menu.1st

Then add the following lines to the bottom of that file:

Code:

title           windoze
root            (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

**"(hd0,0) stands for the location of the windoze partition. It tells grub the windows partition is located on the First Hard drive (the part "(hd0" says so)
of the First Partition (the part ",0)" says so.
In case your windoze partition is located on the second partition of the 1st hard drive, replace "hd0,0" with "hd0,1".

Then save and exit the menu.1st file.

Well, this will give you a bootable windows partition. Whn you reset your computer, and grub/lilo appears, it will give you the choise between Mandrake and windoze. Just select windoze, and then you'll see whether it works or not.

Goodluck

und3rtak3r · #4 June 2nd, 2004, 01:48 PM

sry.. I assumed from the original post that the mandrake install was a single boot/full hdd install..

Sry if I confused the situation..

Cheers