Boot Problem

[mattsandersuk]

my pc has a dual boot linux and windows xp pro.

for some reason now wheni start up the pc i just get this message

"L99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 9999 99"

im pretty sure that that just means there is a problem with the linux boot sequence files, when i insert the xp pro disc it says that it is inspecting hardware then it just freezes on screen with the words windows xp pro at the top. its really frustrating, i need to get some stuff of this pc quickly and dont have any other way of viewing the files on the pc without loading up an OS and cant take the HDD out and stick it in another machine becuase the only other machine i have access to is a laptop.

any way does anybody know the solution to my windows xp install problem or even better an easier solution to the original problem thanks.

ps before you ask i have lost the linux discs, could burn it again but would rather have windows on it.

thanks again

matt

[da_ging]

actually looks more like it could be a memory problem , run memtest http://www.memtest.org/#downiso and see if that picks owt up

[streetster]

any chance you could burn a live cd (ie knoppix?) to get the data off you need, then format/reinstall... unless you can get the xp cd to boot and do fixmbr within the 'repair windows' part, i think your doomed

[peterb]

Agree with last poster - use a live CD distro to rescue the data you need, then try to fix the MBR. (after running memtest)

[mattsandersuk]

thanks, i will try running memtest in a mo, i tried to format the disc using the windows xp install disc but that will only get to a certain stage and then stops, after it inspects the hardware it freezes.

[streetster]

thanks, i will try running memtest in a mo, i tried to format the disc using the windows xp install disc but that will only get to a certain stage and then stops, after it inspects the hardware it freezes.

I'm guessing that the windows installer doesnt like the linux part of the disk, you should be able to get a low level format utility (i believe maxtor do one... part of the powermax thing - Here
). Which should get rid of everything so you can start again

HTH!

[mattsandersuk]

that powermax thing soudns like a good idea cheers, but the only problem is that i dont have a pc with a floppy drive apart from the one that is broken, doh, just my luck. i will see if i can go over to a mates house to do it.

[mattsandersuk]

update: booted a copy of "hirens boot disc" if your not familiar with it its just a collection of bootable apps on a disc.

this has memtest on it so i let that run and it didnt find any errors, i also used partition magic to format the disc and xp still freezes on the install. does anybody else have any ideas im getting a bit miffed cus i cant figure out what it is.

btw its still coming up with the L99 99 99 99.... message if i just let it try and boot up as normal.

thanks

[peterb]

If you formatted the disk, then it shouldn't be doing a normal reboot - as there is nothing to boot. What did you use partition magic to do?

[mattsandersuk]

i used partition magic to delete all the partitions that were on the disc and format it.

[peterb]

Sounds like a hardware problem. Can you get another hard drive that you know is clean and do the install on that? (Then if there is a problem with your current HD, you can deal with that in slow time - otherwise try a low level format - you may need to download a utility for that from the mfr website)

[mattsandersuk]

ive already tried with another hard drive it does the same thing. i can install fedora linux on there fine which is odd, im using that now but i ideally want windows on there.