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Linux (ubuntu) tri-boot : win2000, xp, linux

I know that sounds stupid but I am just experimenting. Here was and now is the situation. I installed in this order: win2k, xp, ubuntu linux. When I finished the Linux install i could boot to win2k and Linux only. The xp os would give me something to this magnitude

[windows root] hal.dll could not be found. re-install.

well, What I did was go into w2k and copied that file to xp sys32 and pasted. That didn't work and I still could boot to w2k. So, I put the original .dll from xp into the w2k sys32 folder and now neither windows can boot.

Also, the FS is NTFS, so I cannnot look through linux?

Any rescue ideas?

thank you........

dave8555

As long as the FS is not encrypted, you may be able to access the NTFS drives using a Live CD such as Knoppix (which will try to auto mount your NTFS drives and has NTFS utilities) to recover the files and burn them to a DVD or get them off a drive. Usually with a hal.dll error you have to reformat and reinstall though you should try the following site for further assistance first <http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm> Windows XP really does not like anything messing with the MBR.

samb39

Usually this can be fixed with Recovery Console. But make sure you are using the Server 2003 Recovery console, not the XP one (they are different!) -- and you may have to re-install Linux afterwards. I'm not sure about that.

The most important commands to use are

BOOTCFG /rebuild
FIXBOOT

A more complete discussion is here:

http://www.optimizingpc.com/install/multiboot.html

scroll down to FIX WINDOWS XP BOOT

samb39

Oops, you should be using XP, not 2003 recovery console for that system.

PUNKY

How did you do partitioning for this tri-boot? I need to know so I can point out the problem.

sunilcomputer

Boot Windows XP in Recovery Console with the help of this Article.
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxprcons.html

Rebuilt you Boot Records
Using these Commands at XP Recovery Console :-

BOOTCFG /REBUILD
FIXBOOT

This will autodetect your Operating System Installed and create a multi Boot Menu.

To get a Triple Boot Menu you have to restore your GRUB. For that read below Articles:-

http://www.sorgonet.com/linux/grubrestore/
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/Installing-GRUB-natively.html
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/Installing-GRUB-using-grub_002dinstall.html#Installing-GRUB-using-grub_002dinstall

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rajaramamohan

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