Did a format and things went wrong

[XA04]

Right, what i wanted to do was format my computer, then get Fedora Core 3 and Windows XP setup for a dual boot. I got my stuff backed up etc. Then rebooted with the Windows XP cd in, formatted, installed xp etc etc, and xp worked fine. So next i put the Fedora Core 3 DVD in, and rebooted, this is where the problems started, things started to look a bit double dutch to me (i've managed to install suse before, btw), the partioning and things were confusing me, so i rebooted back into windows, installed partion magic 8, and sorted the partions out for linux, so i rebooted again, and got to the install screen, i can't remember what i did exactly, but i think all it did was just install over the current xp installation, i'm not sure what its done with the partions anyway, so fedora core 3 is working fine anyways, i'm typing this message on it now, however if i put the xp cd in at startup so i can boot off it to install windows xp, it says hit a key to boot off the cd.. so i hit a key, then it says setup is initalizing your system or whatever, then the screen goes black, the usual blue screen saying copying files etc doesn't load up or anything. Any ideas how i can get XP back on my computer? .

Thanks!

[ikonia]

I recently had this problem

windows needs an primary parition at the start of the disk to use.

Chances are you FC3 partitions have not given windows room at the start of the primary disk.

your choices is pretty much blow away FC 3. Create your windows partitions on a blank partition table. Install windows, then re-install FC3.

Use the FC3 installed to partition the disks.


Here is the thread where someone put me on the right track.

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=44430


there are more complex ways of recovering this, however as you've got no important data on FC£ yet, I'd just blow it away. It will be quicker and easier.

[XA04]

Thanks.

I've actually been spending an hour+ installing updates, but i'll sort this out first and leave it to update over night. Thanks again

edit: how do i change the partions whilst in FC3?

[Allen]

I dunno about FC, but I installed XP and Debain on a dual boot with no problems. Formatted the drive, used the XP install CD, used the XP partition thing to create two partitions (60GB for XP which was primary, the rest, around 17GB, for Debian which was secondary) and installed Windows onto the primary partition.

After XP was installed, I then booted from the Debian CD and installed it onto the secondary partition and it installed a boot loader so I can select Debian or XP upon turning on my comp. Sorted.

[XA04]

^^^^^^^ Yeah, thats basicly what i did with Suse before, FC3 was been a bit of an ass though. Wouldn't happen to know how i can change partitions in FC3 would you? I can't find anything, ahh

[Allen]

Sorry, I'm a linux noob!

[XA04]

ikonia get online!

[XA04]

ok well if i boot from the FC3 cd, i can get to that diskcruid (i think its called that) thing, its pretty much double dutch, but there is a reset button, should i try that? i don't want to **** FC3 up as well as XP .

[ikonia]

ok - your plan was correct.

install XP - then install linux.

Withouth knowing what you've done - I can't really comment, but what has happened is that either a.) there is no windows partition available for the windows installed to create temporary files on b.) you've made the linux file systems take up the whole disk.

This process is normally easy and seamless - but something has gone wrong somewhere - so lets forget about whats gone wrong and just fix this.

You've got 2 choices.

1.) hope that there is space on the disk to create and format an NTFS / fat partition for the windows installer to use.
this will stop you loosing the data you've done so far, however without being rude for someone new to linux this will be a real pain, and will probably result in you starting again.

2.) Destory your current disk (this will be easier and get you up and running with a better solution) Stop updating and trash all the partitions to there is nothing available. Then install windows on a primary partition at the start of the primary disk. Once you've done this go through the FC3 install routine. Now I've not used redhat properly for years so I can't remember the exact screens, however there is a part which says "let redhat layout your disks" "use whole disk" and "custom layout" select custom layout.

Once you've select custom layout, create minimum of 2 partitions, first a swap partition at the size of your choice (say 2x RAM) then a file system parition. then follow the FC install routine to install onto these partitions.

Remember to install the boot loader onto the boot sector of the primary disk.

[ikonia]

if you want to show me what you've got do this from within a shell under fc3 as root

fdisk /dev/hda (assuming your disk is the primary ide device)

then do

print

show me the output of what you have, that will give me a better idea of what status the machine is in.

[XA04]

right then, i'm in xp now, what i had to do was boot the FC3 dvd, and get in disk druid, then i deleted all the partitions then installed fc3 again.. i messed with the settings a bit, so when it finished installing it wouldnt boot. i popped in the xp cd and it worked, so i removed all the partions, then made 2 new ones, i made 20gb for linux and 60gb for windows, then installed windows, im on it now. fingers crossed.. going to try install fc3 now

[ikonia]

if you created the partitions in windows - FC3 won't be able to install on it.

you'll have to delete the linux partition in the FC3 setup - then re-create it.

The best tips I can offer is use the installer for each product to configure the hardware you need.

eg: use the XP installed to create the XP partition.
then use the FC installed to create your FC partitions.

You sound like you on the right lines though.

What you sort of looking for in a basic config is

/dev/hda

hda1 = windows say 60 gig
hda2 = Linux swap say 2048 meg
hda3 = linux root say 20 gig

and your good to go.

sounds like your have the process ok in your head though

[XA04]

thanks for that. i'm about to partiton it now, i was messing about with partition magic, but it didn't seem to like things so i'll try it with the FC3 installer now.

[XA04]

i can't seem to partiton anything in FC3 , i managed to get a video of me recording whats happening so that you can see...
http://www.ddsecurity.org/uploads/vid.zip

sorry the video isn't compressed i havn't installed any video editing tools yet, just trying to sort these damn partitions out, i'll give it another go with partition magic whilst waiting for replys.

Thanks

[XA04]

Sorted! . well well, it took me all day but its sorted, i sorted the partitions out in partion magic, and made 1gb of swap space, and 20gb of harddrive space for linux, popped in the FC3 cd, rebooted, got to the install screen, went into disk druid, set it to install to hda2, and swap as hda3. and it installed fine .

Thanks for the replys/help

[ikonia]

glad your sorted