Re: Trying to install Linux on a Win XP machine

From: Handover Phist (jason_at_jason.websterscafe.com)
Date: 09/18/05 

Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 05:11:34 GMT

Andrew Levin blithely blithered
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aragorn" <stryder@telenet.invalid>
> Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc
> Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 11:12 PM
> Subject: Re: Trying to install Linux on a Win XP machine
>
> Sort of. There is a series of 13 recovery disks that will re-install
> windows and all the included applications if something goes wrong. I have
> had to use it twice.

Losing all data in the process. Those disks are hideous

>
> SATA I believe, 7200 RPM, 80 gigs. Not clear on the brand.

OK, are you using the sata.i kernel from the installation disk? Is the
chipset/controller supported by Slackware? 10.2 has just been released
and will be most likely to support your drive.

>>> - The other one simply said I did not have permission to write to the
>>> partition table, though it may have recognized some of the Windows
>>> data on the hard drive.
>>
>> Are you sure you had root privileges?
>
> Yes.

This will happen if you attempt to partition a cdrom. What exactly is
the command you're using:

cfdisk /dev/[sh]d[abcd]

>> Does the BIOS of the machine have
>> an option to prevent write access to the master boot record?
>>
>
> I don't know. I don't think it does, my partition magic program was able to
> take the boot stuff and handle it fine. I don't think this area is where
> the problem lies anyway.

This is a Windows based proggy?

>> Hmm... I'm not a fan of those partitioning programs for Windows. They
>> can leave you with badly screwed up partition tables or overlapping
>> partition boundaries, etc.
>
> Well I resized my windows partitions to 35 gigs and 5 gigs respectively,
> leaving about half the drive free for Linux partitions, which are in fact
> already there, but waiting to have software and instructions written to
> them. So the program did work, even if it wasn't adept at letting me
> install a secondary OS.

You have a backup of all your stuff on the Windows side, yes? This sort
of operation can result in a "kill em all" wipe and reload sort of
thing. If you have a nice shiny product key sticker on your computer you
can get a Windows XP cd from a friend and just install that (make note
of your drivers!) instead of going through that thirteen CD song and
dance.

>
> Just tried it. No luck. Basically fdisk says there is no DOS or any other
> readable filesystem or partition table, and only sees the 680 or so free
> megs left on the drive. It also gives the warning that I will not be able
> to write to it.

It still sounds to me like the kernel doesn't see the sata disk. Try
booting with the sata.i kernel from the 10.[12] disk.

>> Have you contacted the HP Customer Service again about this issue? This
>> is certainly not acceptable behavior.
>
> I can't even pin down where the problem is, much less point the finger at
> one party or another.

I contacted HP customer service once. Three days of the worst hold
music...

>>> Could it be that there is installed on the hard drive, in the first
>>> areas, some kind of information or partitioning scheme that neither
>>> Linux nor Partition-Commander could completely understand?
>>
>> Possible? Hmm... Probably, I guess. Likely? No, I don't think so.

Nor I

>> I can't really give you any concrete diagnosis at this stage, other than
>> that there may be a BIOS-engaged MBR protection in place. I recommend
>> that you contact the HP Customer Service again and hear what they say.
>>
>> P.S. : You do remember to check the /md5sums/ on the distribution's
>> /.iso/ files you download against those on their mirror, don't you?
>
> Nope. But I installed the former version of slack on my computer numerous
> times with no problem. Only now have these problems come to be.

The only difference being the hardware! The disk you're trying to access
should be /dev/sda. 

-- 
Sentimentality -- that's what we call the sentiment we don't share.
		-- Graham Greene

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