Please help me.

[zachogden]

Alright guys, here's my problem:

Recently I tried installing MandrakeLinux 10.1 beta 2 on my eMachine running Windows XP home edition. It seemes like a pretty routine thing, I've done it plenty of times (installing Linux). I was running a dual-boot type setup; Windows XP on one partition, Mandrake on another 2, LILO boot select.

Installation went pretty smoothly, Linux booted, everything seemed fine. So, I went to install some packages, like KDevelop and other development-type stuff. After intallation, I went to reboot the computer and was greeted with

LIL

instead of the usual

LILO 1.xx.xx.xxx

After a bit of investigation with Knoppix (CD-Run Debian-Based OS), I discovered that somehow, my computer's partition tables had been corrupted, or something like that. I was even unable to retreive my data.

So, being the smart person I am, I popped in my eMachines restore disk, and it worked away for 30 mins or so restoring my system files.

It told me to reboot when it was done, and now when I try and start the computer (and here's where the "computer assistance" part comes in) I get this message:

DISK BOOT FAILURE; INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

I tried doing the restore disk thing a few times, but I get the same error message each time.

PLEASE HELP ME!!!

[Whiteknight]

sounds to me like harddisk failure. Let me ask you a few questions:

1) does your computer make any weird noises, like a grinding or clicking noise when you turn it on?

2)will your computer boot off a floppy, or does it not boot at all?

3) did you get any error messages during the system restore?

Knoppix was designed to be a simple demonstration, and it doesnt allow Disk I/O without some major tweeking, so dont worry that knoppix wont allow you to get data.

I would try system restore one more time, and see if anything works. If not, i would try booting into windows (you have windows on there now, right?) with a boot disk, to see if your boot sector is just corrupted.

but, like i said this sounds like a classic case of disk failure, and you will probably have to buy another drive.

[zachogden]

1) No. Sounds fine.

2) I don't have a floppy to boot off of.

3) No, no error message during the system restore.

Yeah, I'm probably going to need a new HDD. It's just.... I was hoping I wouldn't have to. I've been saving for a 4-track music recorder. Ugh. If its not one thing its another.

[Whiteknight]

beyond that, if nobody else offers any insight, i would say you can either try the system restore again, or you will need a new drive.

sorry to rain on your parade.

[damonbrinkley]

Just may be the MBR is screwed up, Linux and Windows usually fight over it in a dual boot environment. To fix an MBR issue just run fdisk /mbr and that will reallocate the MBR to windows.
You'll need to do that from a windows boot disk, Windows 98 one works just fine. You can download one from HERE (http://www.bootdisk.com/)

If all else fails try to download a Windows boot disk from the Internet and format your hard disk before you determine that it's hosed.

[Whiteknight]

but he said he did reformat the drive, and that should fix all the mbr problems.

[zachogden]

Yes, the system restore disks say they overwrite all of the Drive, so reformatting wouldn't do ant good.

[zachogden]

Yeah, so this thread is a bit useless.... I got a new HDD (Maxtor, 7200 RPM, 80Gs, ~$130), so now the new question is... what to do with a useless HDD? I was thinking I would light it on fire.... if i do ill post some video.

[Whiteknight]

i would like to see that video. we shot our old one with a shotgun, but that was only cool for half a second.

[stuka]

Ummm...until you actually FIX the MBR, the reformat won't necessarily help. I'd bet that the 'Drake install DID cause a problem with the XP MBR (I seem to recall reading on another forum about XP and certain versions of LILO having issues). One key point - contrary to the advice you saw in this thread, fixing the MBR in XP is NOT as easy as doing fdisk /mbr. You need to go into the recovery console (which you can from an XP install disk if you have it), and use the fixmbr command from the command prompt. Don't burn that disk 'til you've done this, 'cuz it's probably good.

[zachogden]

!. Oh. I should probably do that, huh? Why didnt you suggest that earlier? Like, before I bought a new drive?

[Strike]

I'm guessing that was the first time he saw the post. Next time pay him some money and he will respond more promptly, I'm sure :)

[stuka]

Strike: you read my mind!

[zachogden]

Alright, I popped in the Windows XP System Restore Disk (Disk 1 of 2) and rebooted the computer w/ the old HDD in. When it asked me what to do, I told it to go to the command prompt. I typed in 'fixmbr' and it told me it was an invalid command. I typed in 'fdisk' and it told me the Drive specified could not be accessed, or something of that nature. I'm on a quest to get this drive to work, because it's either that or I go buy ANOTHER drive to use as my LFS/CFLinux/whatever drive.

[nomo]

Zach, if LILO is even trying to load then the MBR is probably fine. If you clear the MBR with fdisk by typing "fdisk /mbr", my guess is that you won't even get the "LIL" thing you're getting, and instead your system will just try to boot whatever MS partition is set "active". I've seen this problem you're having before and it is usually an issue with your hard drive geometry. I believe LILO requires the HD's cylinders to be 1023 or less, and I'm betting your hard drive has a few more than that. Here's a link that should give you some ideas on how to straighten out your problem: http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/1996/07/1024_Zylinder.html

PS: Sucks that this board concatenates text within URL tags. :(

[edit] Well damn, I just noticed that you're a bit past that LILO problem now! :) Sorry about that. See if you can get a windows 98 boot disk (the recovery console provides very limited help, IMHO), run fdisk and be sure the partition you want to boot to is marked active.