Booting Help

[Dudeking]

Hi,
Well what happened was, before all this happened when I selected Linux on the Grub boot loader I got the message no such partition.
So in XP I loaded up partition magic and the partition was there and in good condition.
But all the same I just deleted it, forgetting that Grub was also on there.
So when I boot up now I get the message:-

Nvida Boot Agent 212.0487

<Copyright Notice>

Client MAC ADDR: 00 50 70 56 A0 56
GUID: FFFFF...ect

DHCP.............../

<When DHCP Finished>


PXF-E53: No boot filename receved.

PXF-MOF: Exiting Nvidia boot agent

Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter.
This happens every time I boot, so I decided to just go a head with installing vista.
After I clicked Install now, I got the message setup could not get inforation on the disks on your computer.
If I click OK It goes back to install now.

So I reinstalled LINUX, now when I boot I still get the Nvida Boot Agent Message.

So I tried booting with the linux disk in and pressed boot from hard drive, this brought up the grub loader.
If I click linux if works fine, but If I click windows I get the message:-


Booting 'Windows'

Chainloader (hd1,0)+1

h.r <Then a symbol that looks like a smiley face>

I have tried fixboot, fixmbr, bootcfg and all this did was made the Boot Agent Error go away and the grub loaded but I still get the Chainloader message when loading XP.


Please Help,

I am lost with what to do

[Dan18960]

When you create a Dual boot (whether on the SAME drive or 2 DIFFERENT drives), a "NON-Partition" segment of the drive is used to store the necessary information for the booting loaders.

You apparently have trashed that boot loader by what you did with trashing the partition.

Linux loads BECAUSE it can see the loader files on the cd AND the operating system on the hard drive. XP (or whatever you had in the other boot partition) doesn't see the boot loader files and the active boot record for loading the that operating system.

I HOPE this is an experimental system and you are NOT looking to retrieve any information off it because with out doing a sector by sector, head by head, and cylinder by cylinder crc data bit retrieval, your lost.

[Dudeking]

S***!

Well is there no way that I can get XP to boot from a CD?
I had this type of problem before when I did exactly the same thing and reinstalling linux fixed it.

There is inportant data, 2 Years worth of course work and all the files for my sites, all my scripts etc.

Is this what is causing the problem with vista aswell?

[Dan18960]

S***!

Well is there no way that I can get XP to boot from a CD?
I had this type of problem before when I did exactly the same thing and reinstalling linux fixed it.

There is inportant data, 2 Years worth of course work and all the files for my sites, all my scripts etc.

Is this what is causing the problem with vista aswell?

I want everyone to see this! Tony wanting to do a Vista dual boot on a CLIENT Proprietary Application system!

Dudeking is looking at loosing 2 YEARS worth of work!

Dudeking, IF you can get that drive into another system (Windows 2000 Professional or XP) you MAY be able to access the NTFS partition and retrieve your data. I don't know for a fact that Vista caused this, found something "weak" in the HAL, or (and remember Vista is BETA) had a conflict being loaded on an XP / Linux dual boot drive designation.

Now RICH and Rob - see my point! IF even the slightest problem comes up, there is heck to pay.

[Dudeking]

I haven't got an other system that takes SATA.
I mite try putting an IDE drive in here and putting XP on it, the try accessing the partition from that.

Kage over at *** thinks its just a problem with the grub, im going to wait and see what he says, then I will attemtp data recovery.
http://www.*************.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123740

[mylanta]

Dudeking if you have PM why not just install Boot Magic and us it to boot both? Also you could boot using the XP CD and then get off whatever you want on cd's or make a floppy with ntldr etc on it and boot from that enough to do the same.
If you can boot Linux, you should be able to read XP drive from that and get off what you need also???
And Dan, I never do anything without first making a True Image image file of os and if you used a newer non dos version, it also copies the MBR now.

[Dudeking]

I removed linux to start with because I wanted to use grub to boot with.
And I needed to install grub after both vista and XP were installed.

I am trying to recover the files now throught linux, but I cant see the drives in my computer.
If I can get my files I might just stick with a Vista Linux boot and forget XP.
Will games like Age Of Empires 3 and Oblivion work on Vista?

[kelly]

Don't know if the games will work. As with any new OS, especially beta versions, there will be many unknowns as the bugs get worked out.
-td

[mylanta]

Remember this is a beta and it does have a few problems that may not be there in final OS. Audio is shaky, backup programs do not work except for Windows Backup which is half a program and startup or registry watch programs do not work either. I would not be surprised if some games are not also a problem though I never use them...

[Dudeking]

Well, I have been through hell getting this system back online.
Every OS I tried to install gave me the same error about not being able to find information on disks or partition table.
The only thing I got to boot was an old 98 Boot disk, I used this to get to a prompt and used fdisk to delete every partition on every hard drive.
I how have just installed Linux over the whole of my 250Gig drive.
Leaving me with two 200Gig drives to install XP and Vista on when I can be bothered.
I lost ALL of my data, managed to save my scripts; just downloaded them of the server.
But every thing else has gone.

I am going to stick with Linux for a while, I tried Vista but its too simple, I don't like the GUI.

[mylanta]

Well, I have been through hell getting this system back online.
Every OS I tried to install gave me the same error about not being able to find information on disks or partition table.
The only thing I got to boot was an old 98 Boot disk, I used this to get to a prompt and used fdisk to delete every partition on every hard drive.
I how have just installed Linux over the whole of my 250Gig drive.
Leaving me with two 200Gig drives to install XP and Vista on when I can be bothered.
I lost ALL of my data, managed to save my scripts; just downloaded them of the server.
But every thing else has gone.

I am going to stick with Linux for a while, I tried Vista but its too simple, I don't like the GUI.


Wondered where you got to...what on Earth happened?

[Seth]

Check this (http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk) out.

The company also makes "PhotoRec". It's a freeware recovery program. I've used it to successfully recover data when no other recovery program could.

[Dudeking]

Thanks Seth I'll keep that handy from now on.

Wondered where you got to...what on Earth happened?
I deleted the grub then tried to fixboot etc. to get windows back on-line, then after that nothing let me boot.
Looking on the positive side I have learnt a lot from this.

[Dan18960]

Dude,

My condolences to you. I know how it is to loose a lifetime of work (well at least 8 hours of mind draining compilation and coding for a drop dead deadline).

I guess a lesson to be learned here for all is IF you want to play with ANYTHING that is new and you have critical data, programs, photos, etc - make sure you have covered ALL of your bases BEFORE you even press a key on the kybd!

Thus my cautionary statements on several other postings. No program, game, or hardware is SO IMPORTANT that you can't take time to make SEVERAL images / backups of your system(s) AND do several restores to test those images / backups.

[Dudeking]

Dude,

My condolences to you. I know how it is to loose a lifetime of work (well at least 8 hours of mind draining compilation and coding for a drop dead deadline).

I guess a lesson to be learned here for all is IF you want to play with ANYTHING that is new and you have critical data, programs, photos, etc - make sure you have covered ALL of your bases BEFORE you even press a key on the kybd!

Thus my cautionary statements on several other postings. No program, game, or hardware is SO IMPORTANT that you can't take time to make SEVERAL images / backups of your system(s) AND do several restores to test those images / backups.

I 100% aggree, just wish I had done that to start with.:ohwell:

[mylanta]

I have goitten so paranoid, I make an image file sometimes before allowing Windows Updates and almost all the time with a new version of a program, no matter what it is. Funny but that paranoia does not move over into firewall or other security issues though.

[Dudeking]

I'm the opposite, I have great security always updating and finding better security, stealthing all ports etc.

But I never backup data or my system, I have now moved to linux so all the security is new, there is so much new stuff I have to learn.

Just letting you know, I have killed my system yet again, I'm currently running my whole system from a slax live CD.
I need to get XP, VISTA and Linux running; what order shall I install them?
XP - VISTA - LINUX?

And what boot loader shall I use? I have tried Gub and Gag but when I install eather of the windows OS's they kill the boot loader.
Also I can get local network working on vista, but the internet just won't work.

[Dan18960]

I'm the opposite, I have great security always updating and finding better security, stealthing all ports etc.

But I never backup data or my system, I have now moved to linux so all the security is new, there is so much new stuff I have to learn.

Just letting you know, I have killed my system yet again, I'm currently running my whole system from a slax live CD.
I need to get XP, VISTA and Linux running; what order shall I install them?
XP - VISTA - LINUX?

And what boot loader shall I use? I have tried Gub and Gag but when I install eather of the windows OS's they kill the boot loader.
Also I can get local network working on vista, but the internet just won't work.

I would start with XP, then Vista, and THEN Linux. You should be able to then not have an issue with any boot loader since XP and Vista will do the partitioning for displaying the available OSes.

[Dudeking]

I would start with XP, then Vista, and THEN Linux. You should be able to then not have an issue with any boot loader since XP and Vista will do the partitioning for displaying the available OSes.Thanks Dan, What boot loader do you recomend?
Grub or Gag?

Grub has loads of support on forums.
But Gag is easy and has a nice GUI.

I might just stick with Grub and let linux do the work.:peace:

[Dan18960]

Dude,

I would go with what worked for you in the past since you already had a dual boot environment.

[Dudeking]

Best to stick with what I know then, I'll run with grub.

Just one last question;

I have a 250, 200 & 200 Gig HDD's
I am putting Linux and Linux swap on the 250.
Then Vista and XP each on a 200.

Shall I keep the other HDD's Plugged in while I install the other OS's?
This is where I have had problems before, XP seems to add the other HDD's to its MBR then if I format them XP dies.
But I have seen threads on other forums saying keep all the HDD's Plugged in.

Thanks for your help Dan

[Dan18960]

I think you are going to have the problem with Vista doing the same thing XP does.

But I would Install XP on a drive by it's self and then MAKE AN IMAGE. Connect the next drive and load Vista - MAKE AN IMAGE. Connect third drive and load Linux - you should be able to restore back to any image without loosing a day or two.

[Dudeking]

Okay I'll do that tomorrow, I too tired now.
Thanks for the help dan:D