Big f--k up during Linux install

Zounds

I just tried installing Ubuntu linux for AMD-64 on my PC.
When it reached the install base system step something went wrong, turns out the CD was corrupted. "Fine" I thought, I'll just restart in windows and get a new iso. Unfortunately my computer was now incapable of booting windows. I didn't do anything to my windows partition during the partitioning step and I turned off the bootable flag on my failed linux partition but no matter what I've tried it won't boot.

At this point I've put a second windows installation on my PC in a new partition and it's working grand but I'd rather fix the old one.

Oh, and running a repair install did nothing.

I'm using:
Windows XP Pro.
AMD 64 3200+
1GB RAM
300gb HD (with various partitions)

Gandalf23

Have you considered using Knoppix to fix Windows?

Knoppix is a Linux live CD or DVD and usually works in a damaged box when booting from the cd drive... try here for using it to recover Windows or just Google "Knoppix fix repair Windows" or something like that for lots more answers.

Zounds

See I don't know exactly what's wrong with windows to begin with, it just won't boot

Thomas_S_Hunterson

use the windows cd to boot up in the recovery console and from there repair the master boot record

Zounds

I created a new MBR but the original installation still won't boot, after the windows logo the screen just goes blank (apart from the cursour) and nothing more happens.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

could you try and install LILO as a bootloader with the Ubuntu disk, and that should be able to call windows?
I've had a similar problem in the past when I uninstalled Linux along with LILO and couldn't get windows to boot or repair itself. I solved it by reinstalling!!

Zounds

I tried that already, LILO wouldn't install.

Downloading a new ubuntu ISO at the moment anyway, maybe I'll be able to fix things with that.

lkman

if you're managing to get pass the windows logo and can see your cursor, there might be a dll corupted or missing..

this happened me a long time ago. i didn't solve it cos the computer was new anyway, so just reinstalled windows... i'll do some searchin for ya anyways.

^whitey^

Zounds wrote:

I created a new MBR but the original installation still won't boot, after the windows logo the screen just goes blank (apart from the cursour) and nothing more happens.

Did you let the windows CD fix the MBR or did you do it manually using the fixmbr command.

I had a simular problem recently windows (2000) said it repaired the installation but I still had to >fixmbr.

When windows asks you do you want to repair select the option to do it manually and enter the fixmbr command

Might work

Zounds

Right, well, i fixed this by re-installing windows over the C drive, but now I have a new problem, migt warrant a new thread really, all of my old files are still there but I can't access my old user account. If I try to open the folder it tells me access is denied and the a/c isn't coming up on the welcome screen. I tried creating a new account with the same name but it just created a new folder "username.COMPUTERNAME"

anyone got any ideas?

grizi

Try chaning the owner of the files when you are logged in as administrator.
Boot into Windows safe mode and log in as administrator - usually has no password, if you need to.
If you can see the user's account in the account management option there should be an option to remove the password too - some info like stored passwords will be lost.

Check out this link too:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321305#XSLTH3128121122120121120120

Thomas_S_Hunterson

If you've got a Live linux boot disc anywhere (or you could just download an image and burn it,, have a look at http://slax.linux-live.org) and just boot up with this, you'll be able to access your files no problem and just write them to a FAT partition or burn them to a CD, AFAIK you wont be able to write them to a NTFS partition