Random Linux/Windows question

Psyloche · Post by **Psyloche** » January 30, 2004, 11:49 am

Messing around with a drive that previously had Linux on it. Trying to wipe the drive and install windows in an attempt to recreate what a vendor did. I delete the linux partitions and throw it into one big partition, I was also told I'd need to use fdisk /mbr because linux writes it differently than windows. When I run through the Win2k install it goes fine until after the format and reboots and begins to start windows. I get an INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE error which pretty much has me clueless atm.

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » January 30, 2004, 12:20 pm

I would run a complete debug on the hard drive. You gotta boot to a dos prompt.

debug
-F 200 L1000 0
-A CS:100
xxxx:0100 MOV AX,301
xxxx:0103 MOV BX,200
xxxx:0106 MOV CX,1
xxxx:0109 MOV DX,80

NOTE: Type 80 for the Main hard drive - HD 0, or type 81 for the Second hard drive - HD 1

xxxx:010C INT 13
xxxx:010E INT 20
xxxx:0110 (Leave this line blank and press the <Enter> key)
-G
The message, Program terminated normally, appears.

Press the power button to turn off the computer.

When the computer starts again, the hard drive must be partitioned and formatted.

Only type the things in bold. This should knock it out.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 30, 2004, 12:21 pm

what linux distro did you use, and what partition 'editor' did you use at the time of installation?

in my experience, fdisk from the Red Hat install disk does write a bit differently than fdisk from Windows.

I always did my linux partituions with Disk Druid.

but anyways, i always use the same MBR editor that i used at the initial install time, to do the clearing.

meaning if i used fdsik from Linux install, i would use that to prepare the partition table. then boot to a Windows boot disk, format C;

then install windows

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » January 30, 2004, 1:17 pm

Newer versions of windows (win2k/xp) don't clean the MBR at install so you can install them after some other operating system in a dual boot system. However, if you've formatted the drive there's no bootloader anymore just the pointer in the MBR.

Just because I have the CD and it's easier, I usually boot up win98 CD -> boot from CD -> boot w/ CD support and do:

fdisk /mbr

That resets the MBR and gets windows to boot usually (even post install)

Psyloche · Post by **Psyloche** » January 30, 2004, 3:09 pm

I used a win98 boot disk and fdisk /mbr already, didn't help. I dd'd over the first 512 of the hdd, didn't work. I'll try the debug next, thanks for the suggestions. This woulda been so much easier if they had given me just a blank drive to do it with...