Dual boot Linux/WinXP problem

[gus]

I have an AMD Phenom system set up to dual boot Linux and WinXP. Linux
is on software RAID on two SATA disks /dev/sda and /dev/sdb and WinXP
is on a partition on one of those disks - /dev/sad3. Boot choice is
controlled thru GRUB, and this all worked fine for a while.

Linux is fine, but suddenly WinXP stopped booting. Attempt at normal
boot goes to WinXP boot screen, slider bar operates for a couple
seconds, and the machine then reboots with no error message. Attempt
at safe boot reaches MUP.sys, then reboots with no error message. When
I attempt to recover using the WinXP install CD, the startup sequence
is loading drivers when a BSOD occurs with error 0x0000007B, which is
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE .

Immediately before the problem occurred, I had copied some files in
Linux to the WinXP partition, and I suspect that the WinXP partition
has somehow become corrupted. The WinXP still looks fine from Linux -
ie. it seems to have the needed directories and files - but that's
based on a quick look not an exhaustive check. Unfortunately I can't
figure out
how to boot into "anything" to repair the partition, NTFS, the boot
sector, or whatever's wrong.

Ideas to recover this appreciated - at this point I'm stumped

 

[Rich Barry]

Gus, you may find some help here or do a google search for 0x0000007B
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/stop0x0000007b.htm

 

[db]

win has its own preferred
boot up system and when
you installed another o.s.,

it screwed up your windows
system.

what I suggest is to remove
linux and perform a repair
installation on your winxp.

afterwards, you can install
virtual pc in windows then
install linux or any other
o.s.'s in virtual pc.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- Microsoft Partner
- @hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~"share the nirvana" - dbZen

 

[gus]

when you installed another o.s., it screwed up your windows system.

Gee, that's odd - it worked fine for about six months. Is there a time
bomb in there?

..... remove linux ......

I assume you're kidding ....

 

[someone watching]

Gus, I will only speculate here so please take this with a 'grain of
salt' as they say!

Because you use GRUB as the boot-loader IT is in the MBR and the drive
wants to boot according to GRUB instructions (not XP). That may be
causing problem with XP reinstalls.

According to what you said, MY sequence would be to load XP CD, go to
repair console and repair MBR (at prompt run FIXMBR if I remember). exit
and reboot, if still no joy load XP, repair, and try FIXBOOT. If STILL
no joy I'd have to wonder if enough partition information was corrupted
that XP is throwing a fit!

Make SURE you have essential data backed up BEFORE attempting all this
and lastly, if GRUB is destroyed in the MBR, use a Linux live CD and
reinstall GRUB ... no big deal! (I've been there)
__

 

[db]

no its not odd.

windows is built with
many enhancements
and security processes.

eventually, windows will
crash as you and many
others have experienced.

perhaps, it may simply be
due to marginalizing what
an "operating system" truly
is.

every o.s. has their own
methodology and engineering
and they utilize the same
resources and will not share
them with another o.s..

my rule of thumb is to never
have more than one operating
system per hard drive.

as mentioned, I would
install all o.s.'s except
for windows operating
system, that is if windows
is truly your main o.s.

then install virtual pc
and install all the o.s.
your heart desires in
virtual pc.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- Microsoft Partner
- @hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~"share the nirvana" - dbZen

 

[raman]

i hope that you installed windows-xp first and then linux in that case
when grub is installed it changes the location of master boot record
as initially it is on the start of the hard disk cells and since i
have used and am using dual boot os i would suggest 2 ways

1. Use a boot cd like Hiren's boot cd and use mbr tools in that to
rewrite the mbr to its default in this case you will end up loosing
the linux partition or
2.you should mount the windows partition on ubuntu and backup the
data in this case you end saving both the os's

Hope this was helpfull

 

[Roy Smith]

Gus, I will only speculate here so please take this with a 'grain of
salt' as they say!

Because you use GRUB as the boot-loader IT is in the MBR and the drive
wants to boot according to GRUB instructions (not XP). That may be
causing problem with XP reinstalls.

According to what you said, MY sequence would be to load XP CD, go to
repair console and repair MBR (at prompt run FIXMBR if I remember). exit
and reboot, if still no joy load XP, repair, and try FIXBOOT. If STILL
no joy I'd have to wonder if enough partition information was corrupted
that XP is throwing a fit!

Make SURE you have essential data backed up BEFORE attempting all this
and lastly, if GRUB is destroyed in the MBR, use a Linux live CD and
reinstall GRUB ... no big deal! (I've been there)

Just to add a comment here, it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and do a chkdsk
while in the repair console just to make sure that the NTFS file system
hasn't been corrupted.