Dual-Booting with Windows (Ubuntu installed first)

[ronparent]

The problem with xp recognizing a gparted formatted disk probably has little to do with Microsoft. Partition magic, now a Nortton owned partitioning program has the same problem. It may not recognize any disk partitioned by gparted or Vista as having any valid partitions, ntfs, fat32 or outherwise! We know that Vista introduces some quirks in its partitioning process that may make the partition invalid with either xp based partitioners or gparted. Likewise, I have myself experienced loss of drives to both XP and Vista after partitioning with gparted. I had hoped that by following this thread I would gain some insight on the problems. It looks like we will all be left thrashing around and left to our own meager resources to work around the problem.

In regards to XP installarion, it appears that MS is currently not rigorusly enforcing it activation requiredments. I have recently reinstalled two XPs to complete rebuilds without any on-line activation complaint (where formally it would have required activation by phone with satisfactory explanation). I did use the my original XP install cd's (which I know are free of 'vermin'. In one case I also had to slipstream XP's SP 1 and SP 3 (MS distributions). In both instances the installation were activated as soon as I went online. Do use the original MS distributed software and key though, even if you aren't too fussy whare they came from.

[PooAvenger]

Yeah my disk is totally legit student copy of Windows XP sp2.

You forgot the cardinal rule. XP doesn't have native SATA-HD support. It had nothing to do with your partitioning whatsoever. It just had to do with the fact that XP install couldn't support the HD. In the bios you can set the AHCI for IDE mode. That should allow XP to see the hard drive. Otherwise you will need to go to to the manufacturer of the laptop's website and check their drivers. There will be a hard drive driver that you can put on a floppy disk and use during the XP install. Otherwise you can create an XP install disc that will have the drivers preloaded in it. The software you will need for that is called NLite.

After I get done dl'ing the Windows 7 ISO and burning that to a disk I'll try this. Also, explain how to do this (I'm pretty good at monkeying around in the bios just not actually good at making changes that help...lol) pretty please .

If it is that, I swear to god...

I'll be a happy man. Again, here's hoping.

EDIT: Also, when I try to boot up GRUB still comes up just gives me an error 22 message. Should it still come up after wiping everything?

[merlinus]

grub is installed in the mbr of the hdd, so until you install the new os (xp or 7, which will overwrite it), you will continue to see it.

The only way to get rid of it otherwise is to use dban to completely wipe your hdd.

BTW, I mentioned pirated .isos of windows because that issue crops up here now and again, and almost always causes problems for the user.

[ronparent]

Grub is coming up because that is what is still on the MBR. That will get wiped out by installing windows - windows, any flavor, will rewrite the MBR. I installed win XP before win 7, only because win 7 creates its own small boot partition if installed first. That gets incorporated in the win XP partition when installed following and requires one less primary partition. Remember, your primary partition count (including the extended partition) can't exceed four. Ubuntu requires a minimum of two partitions which can both be within the extended partition. This bring your primary partition count up to three - leaving you room for one more primary partition if the need arises.

My Win XP's occupy less than 10 Gb of a 30 Gb partition at this point. The Win 7 has however already occupied 25 Gb of a 30 Gb partition and I am now wishing I had made that partition at least 10 Gb larger. All my data is on ntfs partitions within the extended area and is accessible by all the OS's. Everything should go smoothly at this point. Good luck.

[PooAvenger]

You forgot the cardinal rule. XP doesn't have native SATA-HD support. It had nothing to do with your partitioning whatsoever. It just had to do with the fact that XP install couldn't support the HD. In the bios you can set the AHCI for IDE mode. That should allow XP to see the hard drive. Otherwise you will need to go to to the manufacturer of the laptop's website and check their drivers. There will be a hard drive driver that you can put on a floppy disk and use during the XP install. Otherwise you can create an XP install disc that will have the drivers preloaded in it. The software you will need for that is called NLite.

Here is a link that will walk you through using Nlite to create a XP install disc that will work for you: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Insta...F6-47807.shtml

I love you man

Setting the hdd from AHCI to Compatability mode in the bios let the xp disk recognize the hdd. It still says there is an unknown disk though but idk what to do about that. Formatting the space it did see (which is about all the hard drive) and then I'll try and get Ubuntu back up again and dual boot the usual way.

After all that it was just one ****ing setting. I swear on my deathbed the one thing I will spout to my progeny will be "Now remember kids, XP doesn't natively support SATA hard drives!" Because of this.

Lolzor.

[Syron4]

My only regret is that I wish I had joined the forum and posted my two cents before you had wiped your drive! In any case, it looked like you had backed up your stuff, so it shouldn't be the end of the world.

I own a computer repair company, so I come across this issue lots. The only thing that made me think about it though was that your computer originally had vista on it. Thats when I realized it was a SATA hd and XP no likey.

Enjoy reinstalling Ubuntu/XP!