HELP ME! I tried to install Linux, now windows does not boot correctly

Holiday

Holiday

New Member
O crud, lOOks like Holiday screwed up. HELP ME! I tried to install Linux, now windows does not boot correctly :confused:

My friend gave me Mandrake Linux PowerPake Edition v8.1
So I boot from the disk hit enter to install, it does a bit then stops, it said

VFS: Cannot open root device "ram3" or 01:03
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: Unable to mount root fs on 01:03

So I said for get it, took Linux out restarted comp, Windows got to the point wear it says windows xp is loading and it just froze :mad: I had to do a cold shut of turned it back on it gave me the option of booting up in safe mode\boot windows normally\ boot with last known good configuration, I tried them all and to no success. Maybe it was just a coincidence with trying to install Linux :rolleyes:

system specs:

HP pavilion a375c

Win XP Home SP2
3.00 GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor With HT
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
512 SDRAM (256x2)
160GB HD + 250GB HD
SONY Double Layer DVD Writer
HP DVD+R\RW DVD Writer
Analog Capture Card
LCD 19" Flat panel
HP 2410 Photosmart
 
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That is a problem. I know for a fact that Windows and Linux fight over which boot loader to use. If you loaded windows first, you should probably back it up and clean the drive. If you're going to dual boot with windows and linux, you always want to load linux on the drive first.
 
how??
Click to expand...

I could tell you but then I would have to kill you
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there is a windows fix mbr command. FYI, I ALWAYS install Windows first when setting up a dual boot machine. Just make sure you partition it correctly then let Grub act as the bootloader for both... no worries.
 
It was something to do with my second hd, I had it hooked up to a serial ATA card as a master, it for a very long time then I tried to install Linux poof stopped working. NOW RUN!
 
aaron_himler said:
That is a problem. I know for a fact that Windows and Linux fight over which boot loader to use. If you loaded windows first, you should probably back it up and clean the drive. If you're going to dual boot with windows and linux, you always want to load linux on the drive first.
Click to expand...
This couldn't possibly be any worse advice.

If you load Linux first, when you install Windows the Windows bootloader will be installed. How would you get to Linux then?

The answer is you have to do some work first. You'd have to make an image of the Linux boot sector using dd. Remember to set the offsets correctly. Then you'd copy the file you just created to a floppy disk that's formatted to FAT. Install Windows then. Next, copy the boot sector file to Windows, and play with the boot configuration file. Pray. Hope it works.

Or, install Windows first, then install Linux, letting grub take care of booting. It'll automatically detect the Windows installation and set up a boot configuration that will allow you to boot to Windows or Linux.

Oh, and, no the bootloaders don't fight each other. There's only one bootloader. It can't fight itself. It either IS Windows or IS grub. What you installed last is the bootloader. It's pretty simple, really.
 
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