Dual booting problem: Win XP - Linux

[kyrios]

I had Windows Xp installed on this machine. I decided to install Fedora Core 5 and it installed correctly, except I was following a how-to for Fedora Core 2 and now I can't start Fedora Core 5 because the instructions are different. Thankfully I can still boot to Windows XP but it gives me no option to boot to Fedora Core 5.
The Fedora Core 2 said to "copy E:\fedora2.bin C:\." but there is no such file in the DVD. Can someone help me please?

[Mystery Man]

If fedora was successfully installed and you are still able to log into your windows partition chances are that there is trouble only with your Boot loader.

Try booting with the fedora cd and find an option to repair or install new boot loader. [Not the entire fedora again !!]

Make sure that both the windows and the fedora partitions get detected before proceeding to overwrite the existing boot loader. That way the primary bootloader will be of fedora and you'll get an option to boot into windows through it.

[morganlefay]

Old school multiple booting...is have a boot loader partition....
right in front of all your OSes.........
That way NO OS has control...you do

MLF

[kyrios]

Originally posted here by Mystery Man


Try booting with the fedora cd and find an option to repair or install new boot loader. [Not the entire fedora again !!]

If I do that, will there be any chance that can damage my existing boot loader and then I wont be able to boot to either OS?

Originally posted here by morganlefay
Old school multiple booting...is have a boot loader partition....
right in front of all your OSes.........
That way NO OS has control...you do

MLF

Can I still do that with my current set up?


Should I just delete the new fat32 partitions I made, remake them and then reinstall Fedora 5?? Do you guys know of any good guides that show me how to do it?

[morganlefay]

No.....

IM everso HO.......this should be done from the start....

Yes there are programs....I guess it all depends on how stable you need your system(s) to be

My .02 cdn

MLF

[Mystery Man]

I am assuming that there is no other Microsoft os except xp.

Well in the worst case scenario you'll have no os booting if you rewrite the MBR. Well if this happens pop in the XP cd and goto recovery console and issue fixmbr command. Well it'll restore the xp to the state it was in and similar to your current situation without the fedora option because the primary boot loader will be that of xp.

Now the above mentioned thing is a safe backup against any damage that may occur to your xp. However you do not need to reinstall fedora if you are sure that it was installed perfectly and is only not booting up.

Try the fedora cds and look for an option to fix or freshly install a bootloader that detects both xp and fedora. Also backup any sensitive data if you like.

Also if you need to reformat the linux partition try a tool like partition magic which detects linux partition from windows.

[nihil]

Hmmmmm,

However you do not need to reinstall fedora if you are sure that it was installed perfectly and is only not booting up.

Unfortunately that is mission impossible, as he cannot even boot into the OS to find out?

As XP seems to be working normally, I would take the safer route of reformatting the Linux partition(s) from within XP. That will effectively get rid of Fedora. I think that it is wise to assume that what is there may well be corrupt or at the very best unstable. At least that should take him back to where he was.

One of the reasons that I say this is I would consider it most unfair for someone to say this or that distro "sucks" when they haven't given it the benefit of a proper, clean install?

I haven't tried it recently, but my experience has been that Windows will only effectively dual boot another Windows system without the use of third party boot managers.

People I know who dual boot seem to use the *nix boot managers LILO or Grub (which is what Fedora uses IIRC)

I am not sure of the current situation, but I believe that you used to have to install the *nix boot manager into the *nix boot partition(s) or you would screw up the Windows MBR. I would strongly recommend that you research this before trying to reinstall again.

I do remember what Morgana~ is referring to, but cannot recall the details. I think that it also had to be within the first howevermany sectors of the HDD for some reason?

I wouldn't worry about XP provided that you have a proper CD or at least the fixmbr option on your recovery disk. I have heard of several people who have had problems with dual boot installations/uninstallations and that always worked to get Windows back.

[kyrios]

Well, I got it to work now. I just deleted the Linux partitions and left the Windows XP (SDA1) alone. I remade the Linux partition and reinstalled Fedora and now I can dual boot to both. But now, when I use the Web Browser on my Fedora OS, like after a few minutes it freezes up and I have to reboot manually.
This sometimes happens on my Windows OS but not as often.
Anyone know what's wrong? Should I reinstall, Fedora again?? lol

[nihil]

What browser are you using?

What boot manager are you using?

[kyrios]

Mozilla Firefox, the one Fedora 5 came with.

I don't remember which boot loader I'm using , it's the default one Fedora uses. I would have to reboot to find out.