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Installation ["Hard drive not found" error]

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by Packer08, 2006/12/29.

  1. 2006/12/29
    Packer08

    Packer08 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I have a problem i have not found anywhere and windows support was quite useless. Anyway here we go: I decide to install linux (ubuntu 6.10) on my laptop, everyone was talking about it. I deleted my windows partition and installed it, tryed it, didn't like it. So, earlier i go to put windows xp pro back on, and it loads up fine and when it gets to the screen and say "to install window press enter" i hit enter and it says no HD was found, i know it's installed properly since i was running linux less than 30 minutes ago, i have a presario c300, and a toshiba 80gig HD if any helps this.
     
    Packer08,
    #1
  2. 2006/12/30
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Packer08,
    welcome to Windows BBS ... :) ... !

    I am not a Linux guy myself but I believe the XP installer cannot see the "Linux formatted" partition.

    If you have a single partition only and noting to lose on the hard disk, download DELPART, extract and put it on a Win9X boot floppy. Start the computer from the floppy and at the A: command prompt, type in DELPART > enter. DELPART will list all devices on the computer, opticals and hard disks. Have it delete all partitions and information on that hard disk. Exit the program, remove the floppy, insert the WinXP CD, reboot and take it from square one.

    Final warning: DELPART will wipe the hard disk completely and irreversibly!

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  4. 2006/12/30
    Packer08

    Packer08 Inactive Thread Starter

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    Christer, my laptop does not have a Floppy disk drive on my laptop, is there any other way i can do this.
     
    Packer08,
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  5. 2006/12/30
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    I have never tried the suggestions below but:

    - get a USB floppy drive
    - create a bootable CD with DELPART added
    - create a bootable USB memory stick with DELPART added

    The first is simple but the other two may require som googling to learn the "how to's ". I'm sure it can be done. I have heard about people running applications like Norton Ghost from bootable CD's as well as bootable USB memory sticks.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #4
  6. 2006/12/30
    Bill Castner

    Bill Castner Inactive

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    Have you thought of booting from your Linux CD and using the partition tools it likely contains?

    If no joy found there, most WinPE CD forumlations will contain partition editors.

    examples:
    Bart's PE-based UBCD4WIN -- http://www.ubcd4win.com/index.htm

    This has three tools for editing the MBR. Two tools that would "zero" the entire drive. And a partition table editor named TestDisk.

    Linux-based:Knoppix: http://www.knoppix.net/

    This has a similar toolset to the Win PE example above.
     
    Bill Castner,
    #5

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