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[XP/Ubuntu dual boot - black screen with blinking cursor on boot]

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by dani9678, 2012/07/18.

  1. 2012/07/18
    dani9678

    dani9678 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I recently wanted to split my drive and run Lubuntu on a second partition of my laptop to try it out. I followed the directions to the tee and used the automated setup which created a second partition and also added the grub boot menu so that I could pick between the two OSes. What I didn't know was that Lubuntu was going to affect my XP OS which was on the primary partition of course. What ended up happening is when I power up the laptop I now have a blank screen on boot up and a blinking cursor at the upper left corner. The guys over on the Linux forum have done all they know to do at this point and say that I need to get help from one of the knowledgeable guys on the Windows forums. So here I am. The files system is there and I can access all of the files from the Lubuntu OS but I can't boot into XP. When I tried doing a repair install, it doesn't even see that I have an existing XP OS installed. It just sees an NTFS partition. Anybody here familiar with running both OSes on the same drive?

    Help,

    Matt
     
    dani9678,
    #1
  2. 2012/07/19
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    I have edited your thread title to make it more specific to your issue.
     
    PeteC,
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  4. 2012/07/22
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    During the GRUB install, was the XP partition detected and added to the GRUB menu? What happens when you select XP from the GRUB menu (if it exists)?

    It sounds as though the Lubuntu resized your 1 partition in order to create the neeeded partition(s) for Linux. This is not the best way to setup a dual boot. It's always best to have free unpartitioned space on the drive ahead of time.

    A repair install won't work, but you can try using the XP Recovery Console from the XP CD. Use the command fixmbr.

    In this sequence do:

    1. boot to linux.
    2. access the xp partition.
    3. open the file called boot.ini and post its contents here.

    After we see that we will correct or let it be. Then we'll move to putting back the Windows Master Boot Record, which should allow you to boot to XP. If that works, then you'll need to do a reinstall of Ubuntu. However, I'd suggest using Xubuntu if you've never before used Linux, but don't reinstall Linux until all else is fixed, we'll instruct on how to install it correctly.
     
    TonyT,
    #3
  5. 2012/08/14
    dani9678

    dani9678 Inactive Thread Starter

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    OK I'll try that. Thanks. I just now see that I got a response since the thread was updated. I never received an email letting me know to check the forum. I had a spare hard drive from a dead laptop that I formatted and installed a fresh copy of XP Pro on it. I'll put the other drive back in and do what you said above about getting you a copy of the boot.ini file before trying anything else. As for the partition, your right. It re-sized the original partition so that it could create a separate one for itself.

    Matt
     
    dani9678,
    #4
  6. 2012/08/15
    dani9678

    dani9678 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I can't seem to open the boot.ini file from Windows 7. I try to view the contents with notepad but it says "You don't have permission to open this file. Contact the file owner or an administrator to obtain permission. ". The file has a lock symbol next to it when viewed from "Computer ". I have the drive connected to my desktop through a USB cable and ATA adapter.

    Matt
     
    dani9678,
    #5
  7. 2012/08/16
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    1. Go to Control Panel > Folder Options > View tab > scroll to bottom of list and uncheck "Use Simple File Sharing ".

    2. rt click the boot.ini and select Properties > Security tab > give self read privileges or take ownership of the file OR
    connect and boot that drive into Linux and read the file.
     
    TonyT,
    #6
  8. 2012/08/16
    dani9678

    dani9678 Inactive Thread Starter

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    Well... I tried what you said in Windows 7 and still get "Access Denied ". I guess I'll just have to go and try to access it through the Lubuntu CD. I just need for someone to explain how I mount the drive so that I can access the file to view it and then post the contents inside of the file on the site.

    Matt
     
    dani9678,
    #7
  9. 2012/08/17
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    The connected drives should have icons on the desktop when you boot the live linux cd. Double click the drive, it should already be mounted. If not, open pcman file manager and mount the drive. Your drive should be available as an icon in the file manager or in the directory /mnt or /media.
     
    TonyT,
    #8
  10. 2012/08/20
    dani9678

    dani9678 Inactive Thread Starter

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    Here is what's in the boot.ini file.

    Matt

    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS= "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
     
    dani9678,
    #9
  11. 2012/08/21
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    OK, the boot.ini is just as it should be.

    If you select XP from the GRUB menu and still cannot load XP, then it's most probable that when the drive partition was resized during the Lubuntu install that some XP files got corrupted.

    This is what I would try:

    1. Boot from the XP cd and press R when prompted to install or repair. This will load the Recovery Console.

    2. Use the command: chkdsk /r to check the XP file system and make any needed repairs. When complete, type: exit to quit and reboot.

    3. Remove the CD quickly and boot to the GRUB menu. Select XP and see if it now loads.

    4. If it doesn't load then reboot using the XP cd and go to Recovery Console again. This time, use the command: fixmbr . This will wipe GRUB from the master boot record and install a Windows standard mbr. Note: you will no longer be able to boot linux.

    5. Exit and reboot. It should now try to boot directly to XP.

    If no joy, reinstall XP clean by deleting the existing XP partition, create new one & format. The linux partitions will remain intact unless you delete them.

    When done, you should now be able to boot to XP. Then to reactivate linux, boot the linux cd and reinstall GRUB using the ubuntu boot repair cd.
     
    TonyT,
    #10
  12. 2012/08/21
    dani9678

    dani9678 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I did all of the above on the Ubuntu site. That's why they said that they did all they knew to do. I just wish there was some warning message before installing Lubuntu on the same drive as Windows to let you know that you risk losing access to Windows if you resize the partition table. So there is no other way I take it but a clean install?
     
    dani9678,
    #11
  13. 2012/08/22
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    4. If it doesn't load then reboot using the XP cd and go to Recovery Console again. This time, use the command: fixmbr . This will wipe GRUB from the master boot record and install a Windows standard mbr. Note: you will no longer be able to boot linux.

    If XP doesn't boot after doing #4, then yes, a XP reinstall is required, followed by updating GRUB if want to retain Linux.

    Resizing partitions has always been risky, whether installing other operating systems or just wanting another partition for separate use. I have never done a Windows-Linux dual boot by resizing partitions. Matter of fact, I never install Windows on the full drive, I always do clean installs on custom sized partitions, e.g. I would install Windows XP on at most a 25 GB partition, Windows 7 on at most a 30-40 GB partition.
     
    TonyT,
    #12

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