installing NT over Redhat 7.0

Im trying to do a clean install of NT over Redhat 7.0. I have to admit that I am a Linux dummmie, my boss sorta threw it in my lap. I tried booting from the NT install disk but after the system files were copied the install stalled and stated that.

HAL: No IO APIC found
HAL: This HAL.DLL requires the an MPS version 1.1 system
Replace HAL.DLL with the correct hal for this system
The systems is halting

I also tried booting from a boot floppy, NOTHING.

I have a feeling that the NT install can't see the Linux partitions.

I've done a good amount of looking but have had no luck.

any help would be appreciated

 

more info

i should have provided more information.

its and old HP 8260
pII 266
96mb ram

im trying to install nt 4.0 initial version (service pack 1)

 

Download delpart.exe and put it on a boot floppy. Run it from there to see if you can delete all the partitions.

http://www.russelltexas.com/delpart.exe

 

i tried that with fdisk. i deleted the partitions and then tried to run the NT install disk and got the same response

 

Try running fdisk /mbr. The master boot record from the Linux install is probably still lingering.

 

now do you mean fdisk /mbr from a DOS prompt or from a Linux prompt.

 

It is my understanding that fdisk can't delete some stubborn Linux partitions, but that delpart can.

Another program that is able to deal with any partitions is Advanced EFdisk (aefdisk.exe). It is apparently no longer freeware.
http://www.bootdisk.com/hamlet/aefdsk19.zip

Master Booter and EFdisk are included in this alternative zip, along with documentation:
http://www.bootdisk.com/hamlet/mrboot32.zip

 

I was meaning to run fdisk /mbr from a DOS prompt. Newer version of fdisk will allow you delete just about any kind of partition form the "Other Partirion" menu.

Running fdisk /mbr will not delete partitions, rather it will fix the master boot record so a Microsoft OS can boot from the disk.

 

if you can still boot to linux do this as root
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1
or if scsi system
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1

this will remove all partitions and the master boot record from the hard drive. You can then install NT as if it was a brand new hard drive.