Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

[roytang]

Hi,

Sorry if this in the wrong forum, if so kindly redirect me as to where I can ask this.

I installed Feisty from a Live CD and downloaded and used the ntfs-3g driver to access my Windows drives. Everything is fine on the Kubuntu side, but now XP refuses to boot! I get a bluescreen message that says something like I need to remove any additional drives that have been added or run CHKDSK /F (no drives have been added)

I have backups of most stuff of course, but I'd still like to be able to boot back into XP. Is there a way to salvage the existing XP installation, or am I doomed to a reinstall?

Also, if I do this again, what should I do to avoid this problem?

If it helps, the line I added to fstab was:
/dev/hdb1 /media/c ntfs defaults,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46 0 1

Thanks,

Roy

[Qqmike]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

This is (probably) not a GRUB bootloader problem. After installing Kubuntu, you should be all set up to boot XP or Kubuntu.

I haven't used this (new) ntfs-3g driver thing yet.
You have sdb set up, it looks a bit fishy to me, why not comment out the fstab edit that you made (put a # sign in front of that line) and see if you can dual boot both XP and Kubuntu?

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

When booted into Kubuntu, open a console and type:

sudo fdisk -l

Copy and paste the output. Then type:

cat /etc/fstab

Copy and paste the output.

This will allow us to see how your system is configured.

[roytang]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

This is (probably) not a GRUB bootloader problem. After installing Kubuntu, you should be all set up to boot XP or Kubuntu.

Yes, I should. Unfortunately I didn't try booting back into XP after Kubuntu installation, instead I tried the ntfs-3g drivers first to access the NTFS drives. I suspect it's the NTFS drivers at fault :/

You have sdb set up, it looks a bit fishy to me, why not comment out the fstab edit that you made (put a # sign in front of that line) and see if you can dual boot both XP and Kubuntu?

What's sdb? Anyway, I'll try commenting out the fstab lines later, can't reboot atm.

When booted into Kubuntu, open a console and type:

sudo fdisk -l

Copy and paste the output. Then type:

cat /etc/fstab

Copy and paste the output.

This will allow us to see how your system is configured.

See below:

fdisk -l
===========================================
Disk /dev/hdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdb1 * 1 7649 61440561 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hdb2 7650 16828 73730317+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hdb3 16829 19457 21117442+ 83 Linux
/dev/hdb5 7650 16708 72766386 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hdb6 16709 16828 963868+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

cat /etc/fstab
===========================================
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/hdb3
UUID=4e385b52-d96d-40d9-b588-09b92fa079dc / ext3 defaults,error s=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/hdb6
UUID=15d2b877-b497-470b-b490-e16e5f51a58f none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
/dev/hdb1 /media/c ntfs-3g defaults,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
/dev/hdb5 /media/d ntfs-3g defaults,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46 0


Thanks guys!

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

Need to look at one other file. Open a console and type:

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

Copy and paste the output for review.

[roytang]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

Need to look at one other file. Open a console and type:

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

Copy and paste the output for review.

I didn't bother trimming the comments:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=4e385b52-d96d-40d9-b588-09b92fa079dc ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=4e385b52-d96d-40d9-b588-09b92fa079dc ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=4e385b52-d96d-40d9-b588-09b92fa079dc ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=4e385b52-d96d-40d9-b588-09b92fa079dc ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=4e385b52-d96d-40d9-b588-09b92fa079dc ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hdb1
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

[roytang]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

btw, not sure how useful it is, but here's a pic of the error I get when I try booting into xp:

http://roytang.net/stuff/xperror.jpg

(couldn't get the full screen readable in one shot)

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

The only 'odd' thing that I see, is your CD-ROM drive is identified as the first HD (/dev/hda and your actual HD is identified as the second HD (/dev/hdb. This is not normal, AFAIK. (This information is identified in the fstab output and also supported by the output of fdisk -l) Windows 'requires' (under most/normal circumstances) that it be installed on the first HD in the first partition. The last entry in your /boot/grub/menu.lst shows (properly) that Windows should be found on the first HD and first partition (hd0,0). And, you say that you can select that option from the Grub boot menu, and you do see Windows starting, but then get the error?? Are you able to write down the complete error message??

[roytang]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

The only 'odd' thing that I see, is your CD-ROM drive is identified as the first HD (/dev/hda and your actual HD is identified as the second HD (/dev/hdb. This is not normal, AFAIK. (This information is identified in the fstab output and also supported by the output of fdisk -l) Windows 'requires' (under most/normal circumstances) that it be installed on the first HD in the first partition. The last entry in your /boot/grub/menu.lst shows (properly) that Windows should be found on the first HD and first partition (hd0,0).

I've had that setup for a long time now, due to my tower case having weird proportions, I couldn't get things to fit unless I setup the CD drive ahead of the hard drive on the IDE cable. Never gave me trouble.

And, you say that you can select that option from the Grub boot menu, and you do see Windows starting, but then get the error?? Are you able to write down the complete error message??

Yup, I even get to the menu where Windows XP offers to start in safe mode because the previous boot didn't go well. I'll get the complete error message later, as I actually started the upgrade to Gutsy so I can't reboot atm =/

BTW, I think it might be some problem with ntfs-3g itself? I remember when I setup the fstab so I could access the NTFS partitions, I tested the writeability by moving some files there and I got a message like "There was an error changing the permissions of <filename>". I'm thinking if ntfs-3g did some sort of modification to the drive that causes XP to think there's an error with it. I think I'll look for the guys who developed the driver and ask on their forums also.

Thanks a lot for your responses Snowhog

[roytang]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

The bluescreen Windows error I get is:
"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated.
Run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF894C640, 0xC000000E, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)"

Anyone have any ideas? I just cross-posted the issue to ntfs-3g support forums also.

[Qqmike]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

Stop code 7B:
During Windows startup, if Windows can't read data from the system or boot partition; disk controllers are often to blame; can also be caused by hard disk errors; or a corrupted boot.ini file.

Since this came up when you are messing with your dual boot setup and the ntfs thing, it's highly suspicious that it is NOT a hardware problem.

[roytang]

Re: Can't boot back into Windows XP after installing Feisty

That is my suspicion as well. Right now I'm trying to figure out how I can boot to some sort of DOS with a chkdsk utility to verify the disk. (My DVD drive can't boot from CDs for some reason, and I have no floppies.)

Any other advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.