Linux/Windows Dual Boot Problem

Boot to the Recovery Console

Start your computer with the Windows startup disks, or with the Windows CD-ROM if your computer can start from the CD-ROM drive.

When the Welcome to Setup screen appears, press R to select the repair option.

Type the administrator password when you are prompted to do so.

NOTE: If no administrator password exists, just press ENTER.

At the command prompt, type chkdsk /r, and then press ENTER

I tried Luxana's suggestion, and ran Chkdsk.  It found errors, but I still have the same problem.

boot to save mode with pressing F8 before windows starts boot...see if you are able to do that if yes reboot no normal mode..

also have a look here if you have a same problem with hidden partition:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=172995&goto=nextnewest

1.  I have tried booting in Safe Mode.  Same problem.

2.  I looked at the hidden partition URL reference, but I am afraid that I am not sufficiently conversant with Linux to understand the suggested procedure.

no problem:

first we have a look on partitions,

you need to boot in linux an the enter console(terminal) and type command as root:

# fdisk -l

and paste here output

if you are unsure how to use fdisk better ask otherwise you can damage your system ! !

see if the windows ntfs partition is ntfs hidden ID 17 an then use fdsik to change it to ntfs ID 7

to do so you need to use terminal
here is example:

how to change firts partition to ntfs using terminal
with fdisk:

fdisk /dev/hda

The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 4864.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger
than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions
of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
   (e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)

Command (m for help): t
Partition number (1-7): 1
Hex code (type L to list codes): 7
Changed system type of partition 7 to 7 (HPFS/NTFS)

Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered!

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.

WARNING: Re-reading the partition table failed with
error 16: Device or resource busy.
The kernel still uses the old table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot.
Syncing disks.

I won't be able to try these latest suggestions until later today, but in the meantime I'll note that when I run the Windows repair console, it identifies my Windows installation as being on drive H:.  Since I am used to Windows seeing my harddrive as drive C:, I wonder if this clue has any diagnostic significance.

Here's the output (hand copied; I'm sending this from another machine):

Disk /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc: 80.0 GB, 80026361856
255 heads, 63 sectors/tracks, 9729 cylinders
                                                  Device      Boot           Start       End           Blocks
 Id System
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1           *                 1       9729    78148161
 44 Unknown

Disk /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc: 80.0 GB, 80026361856
255 heads, 63 sectors/tracks, 9729 cylinders
                                                  Device      Boot           Start       End           Blocks
 Id System
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target1/lun0/part2           *                 1       9729    78148161
 83 Linux

(I couldn't understand what you wanted me to do in your last message.)

Hi

to avoid hand copy from screen redirect output to floppy like this:
create directory for floppy:
# mkdir /mnt/floppy ( if exists do you can skip this step)
# mount /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy
# fdisk -l /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc > /mnt/floppy/out.txt
# umount /mnt/floppy

and then paste content of out.txt file on your floppy here

After entering the second line of your script, I get the response: "mount: you must specify the filesystem type".  What am I doing wrong?  In the meantime, can you work with the hand-copied output that I sent you?

this output waht you sendet does not shows partitions tables. We need to find out first if ntfs partition is hidden. Also output from

# cat /etc/fstab
and
# fdisk -l /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc

make sure that floppy is formated

to set filesystem type for fat:

#mount /dev/fd0 -t vfat /mnt/floppy

Here's what I got:


Disk /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                                Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1   *           1        9729    78148161   44  Unknown




Disk /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/disc: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                                Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1   *           1        9729    78148161   44  Unknown

what type of hardrive do you have? IDE, SCSI, USB ?

and please output from

# cat /etc/fstab

1.  I have an IDE hard drive.

2.  When I run the "unmount" line in your instructions, I get a response that the command is unknown.

3.  Here is the output you asked for:

# /etc/fstab -- static file system information
# auto generation: on
# generated by: /sbin/etcdev2fstab
#
# NOTE: to make this file readable, it has been formatted for 132 columns
#
#<device>                              <mountpoint>      <fstype>  <options>                                       <dbg> <pass>
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target1/lun0/part2  /                 reiserfs  rw                                              0     0
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1  /disks/C          ntfs      ro,nosuid,nodev,noexec,nouser,async,umask=0     0     0
/dev/cdroms/cdrom0                      /mnt/cdrom0       iso9660   ro,nosuid,nodev,exec,user,noauto,async,unhide   0     0
/dev/fd0                                /mnt/fd0          auto      rw,nosuid,nodev,exec,nouser,noauto,async        0     0
proc                                    /proc             proc      rw                                              0     0
usbdevfs                                /proc/bus/usb     usbdevfs  rw,devmode=0666                                 0     0
/boot/linux-swap.swp                    none              swap      sw                                              0     0

Luxana:

Doing this over the web is very slow.  Without violating any Experts-Exchange rules, is there a possibility of a phone call, so we can working on this in real time?  My number is 617-969-2362; I would be happy to call you right back to save you the phone charges.

I solved the problem, with a suggestion from posting this question as a Windows XP topic:  I downloaded PTedit.exe, and used it to change my partition type from "unknown" to "NTFS," and the problem cleared up.

HI hbock

Sorry I have not been online. That what we was trying to do but linux way I needed to see you partions on your drive to make sure what we are diong. I thinf uknown can be with some partitioning tools hidden.

good luck

luxana

hbock,
can you paste a link to your where you posted your question in the win xp section?
thanks

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21170013/Windows-XP-Boot-Problem.html