Can't boot windows 1

[mackey333]

I was attempting to install Red Hat Linux AS on my Alienware laptop and ran into some problems because of a missing raid driver (promise fast trak 100). The problem now is that when I go to start the computer, nothing happens. I used my room mate's recovery disk (Gateway) to access the recovery console but it couldn't find windows (missing the raid driver). Seeing as it is a laptop there is no floppy drive and the windows cd is forcing me to load the driver from a floppy. I don't know what I should do now...I have access to another XP machine...would it be possible to create a boot disk here including fdisk or whatever else I need to fix my boot record? If not, what should I do. I used partition magic to make the partitions and it asked if I wanted to make the new partition active (and install another os right away). It also said that the pc may not boot at this point. I am assuming that with fdisk I can make it inactive. Sorry that was kind of a ramble, what does everyone suggest?

-Greg :-Q

 

[electronicsfreak]

What you need is an actual windows xp disc and not a manufacturer recovery disc. Manufacturer recovery disc usually look for there signature on the computer and if it does not find it will not let you use the disc. So find someone who has an actual windows xp disc reinstall it using your serial and activation that came with the computer.

 

[mackey333]

Well I'm not sure that will work. I would still need the raid driver. The problem is the disk that came with my computer is at home, so if all possible I am trying to rig something. What I am trying to do is either:

A) Get the files together that I need to make a bootable cd and load up the raid driver along with a utility to repair the mbr and fdisk to get rid of the other partitions.

OR

B) Copy a windows cd and put the raid drivers in the appropriate place on the new cd (although I am not sure where this would be). This should work, as all I have to do is get to the recovery console.

Any thoughts on either of this ideas or any other suggestions? Keep in mind that I do not have a floppy drive on the problem laptop and also that I am a relativly advanced user so there is no need to "dumb things down".

-Greg :-Q

 

[mackey333]

Ok, I have aquired a windows bootable cd with tools to fix the mbr as well as the partitions. Now, how do I go about loading up the raid driver?

-Greg :-Q

 

[electronicsfreak]

The windows disc should install some drives temporarely for running off the drive. Once you have reinstalled windows from there you can reinstall it.

 

[mackey333]

Thanks for your help...I managed to solve the problem using a combination of fdisk, aefdisk (to fix the mbr), and ptedit to change the partition type (it was set to invisible ntfs for some reason). I am now in the process of running norton disk doctor to make sure there are no problems. Also, I have decided to move my linux instalation to an old computer with nothing I can lose on it ;-)

-Greg :-Q

 

[electronicsfreak]

n/p, glad to hear you got it back running. Good luck with the next linux setup.