Making Win 98 SE Bootable Again...

[apollo2011]

I have an old Dell that used to run Windows NT. It stopped working and I installed Windows 98 SE. I then used Partition Magic to repartition the 6 GB hard drive to fit SuSE Linux on it. I tried resizing and it didn't allow Linux to install. So I created a SWAP and ext2 partition.

 

Here comes the bad part...Ever since doing that, Windows 98 SE won't boot. It just comes up in what looks like MS-DOS but I can't type and all I see is the DOS blinking cursor (underscore-type). I was able to install SuSE and can still see the C drive and all of the Windows files. I just cant boot. I copied all of the files over to my other computer. I have a verbatim copy of the C drive (including system files). I really don't feel like re-installing Windows (call me if you do). I tried a Windows 98 Boot floppy and it says C is not valid and needs to be partitioned

 

My goal is to partition the disk and then somehow get all the old files back over so it doesn't even look like anything happened. If I have to burn a disk with the data, or get a network connection working or install the basic OS again, I will do it. As long as I can get all the original files and settings back on. Tell me if this is possible or not and if so, how I can do it.

 

I REALLY appreciate your help!

[5614]

hmmm, from my experience in these kind of problems id say simplest easiest and likeliest way of succeeding would be to format your HDD and start again, this time, go bit by bit so you can see where it all went wrong.

 

whats probably happened is that your computer has become confused so it doesnt know where your primary partition is, so it cant find windows.

 

all of the partioning has also confused the computer as to what is what.

 

i know that all sounds basic computer language, but i didnt know how else to say it and it sounds like what i think has happened!!!

 

i know you cant be bothered to format and start again but i think you have to. (at least you dont have to back up the whole HDD again and wont lose data that others would have)

[apollo2011]

Yeah, I think somehow creating the ext2 and SWAP partitions messed up the primary partition. What I think I am going to do is re-install Windows 98 and then copy over all the files once I can get the network up and then I should be able to get that to work. Although some system files obviously won't be able to be over written... If I could just partition C and leave Linux I could do it in Linux....

[Jordie]

I have an old Dell that used to run Windows NT. It stopped working and I installed Windows 98 SE. I then used Partition Magic to repartition the 6 GB hard drive to fit SuSE Linux on it. I tried resizing and it didn't allow Linux to install. So I created a SWAP and ext2 partition.

 

Here comes the bad part...Ever since doing that' date=' Windows 98 SE won't boot. It just comes up in what looks like MS-DOS but I can't type and all I see is the DOS blinking cursor (underscore-type). I was able to install SuSE and can still see the C drive and all of the Windows files. I just cant boot. I copied all of the files over to my other computer. I have a verbatim copy of the C drive (including system files). I really don't feel like re-installing Windows (call me if you do). I tried a Windows 98 Boot floppy and it says C is not valid and needs to be partitioned

 

My goal is to partition the disk and then somehow get all the old files back over so it doesn't even look like anything happened. If I have to burn a disk with the data, or get a network connection working or install the basic OS again, I will do it. As long as I can get all the original files and settings back on. Tell me if this is possible or not and if so, how I can do it.

 

I REALLY appreciate your help![/quote']

 

Sounds as if your partition table may be messed up. Not really for sure. I suggest a format. Make sure you install Windows first and then install Linux. Most distro's should be able to resize fat32 partitions. It shouldn't be that hard to do to format your hard drive!

 

And what boot loader/manager do you have installed? Grub or Lilo?

[Silencer]

^I was just about to note the fact that no one mentioned the boot loader...

 

Make sure whatever boot loader you are using is configured properly (pointing windows to the right place).

 

If that fails and you must access windows, use your windows cd to get to the recovery console and give it the command "fixmbr". After that, you will have to use a linux bootable floppy/cd to start SuSE, then reconfigure GRUB or Lilo from there.

[apollo2011]

I used Grub on a Floppy. I couldn't get Windows to boot even before I installed Linux. Debian wouldn't let me make a new partition. I ended up installing SuSE. I think Partition Magic did me in when I created the ext2 and SWAp partitions. If I was installing SuSE, I wouldn't have used Partition Magic. I think I am going to reinstall Windows and then reinstall SuSe and then copy the old Windows files back onto the new Windows. That should get back all of the old settings and files.

[Jordie]

I used Grub on a Floppy. I couldn't get Windows to boot even before I installed Linux. Debian wouldn't let me make a new partition. I ended up installing SuSE. I think Partition Magic did me in when I created the ext2 and SWAp partitions. If I was installing SuSE, I wouldn't have used Partition Magic. I think I am going to reinstall Windows and then reinstall SuSe and then copy the old Windows files back onto the new Windows. That should get back all of the old settings and files.

 

When you install Windows/Linux do it in this order.

 

1. Install Windows first! If you are using a newer version of Windows then it will ask you how much space you want to use for the Windows Operating System. If it does ask you set it to use half of your hard drive.

 

2. After installing Windows pop in the Linux cd-rom and install Linux. The installer will help you install a boot loader, adjust the sizes of other partitions and more! You shouldn't have to have Partition Magic at all on most distributions!

 

It's quite simple really and next time I suggest you install the GRUB Boot Loader to your hard drive since it can boot both Windows & Linux.

[apollo2011]

Yeah, well I had already done it with my XP machine. I installed SUSE on their and now I wanted to try Debian. Before I had installed Linux, I knew Windows wouldn't boot. like I said before, it was definitely Partition Magic that messed up my Partition Table. After Debian, didn't work, I installed SUSE like on my other successful computer and then was able to see all the Windows files were their but the partitioning is messed up. I was also able to copy the Windows drive. Like I said above, now I will repartition and install Windows and then SuSE (Which WILL be successful because I won't install Debian) and then write the old files over the new ones so my old data is completely (or mostly put back). There is no obvious corrupted Windows files so it shouldn't be able to mess it up again.

 

Now all I have to do is actually do the installation. But I am in no hurry to do that because that machine is hardly ever used.

[Silencer]

I suggest using LILO. It is much easier to use and configure. It also boots any system you want (as jordie seems to suggest that only GRUB can boot both windows and linux).

[Jordie]

I suggest using LILO. It is much easier to use and configure. It also boots any system you want (as jordie seems to suggest that only GRUB can boot both windows and linux).

 

Grub can do everything Lilo can do. Grub is also easy to use and configure. Pick one of them it really dosen't matter.