Grub 2 XP/Ubuntu 10.10 Issue (Blank screen on Windows boot)

[oldfred]

Do Windows XP disks work on other computers or is it a CD reader issue?

Do you get an error number on the blue screen?

[apmarcus]

I will go get the error # now. I don't know if they work on others, but its the same error both times. Would be very odd if two discs from different places did the same thing.

[apmarcus]

Just downloaded a XP Recovery Console .iso and burned it to a disc, this is the error stuff I got.

STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005, 0xF748E0BF, 0xF78DA208, 0xF78D9F08 )

pci.sys Address F748E0BF base @ F7487000 Datestamp 3b7d855c

[apmarcus]

Here is from the XP disc (legit one, not a recovery console only disc).

STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF78D2524, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

[oldfred]

Did you change BIOS. Perhaps you changed to AHCI mode perhaps? When I changed to AHCI my XP stopped working. If your install has the extra drivers, but the repair CD does not that may explain it.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330182

[westie457]

Hi a couple of questions:-

1 Has the Windows XP installation been fully updated before this issue arose?

2 Is the install disk a plain original or one that has a service pack numder attached? eg Windows XP SP1

[oldfred]

Maybe some minor fixes will then let testdisk rebuild boot sector.

sudo apt-get install ntfsprogs
sudo ntfsfix /dev/sda1
ntfsfix is able to repair some minor errors and it will flag the volume as dirty. So the next time you try to boot Windows XP, XP should run "chkdsk".

[oldfred]

You have two totally unrelated issues. One is that you have grub installed to the windows boot partition, which prevents windows from working.

The other issue is that you have a non-working windows repairCd or a non-working CD drive. It also could be BIOS settings preventing the Windows CD from working.

Of course you cannot fix the first problem because of the second problem.

And for some reason the backup partition boot sector was damaged, so the normal way to repair with testdisk from Linux does not work.

There are other repair CDs that may have tools to fix a NTFS boot partition, but I do not know them. I might try a windows forum for recommendations.

This has a boot build:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/
possibably fixboot:
http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

[westie457]

You could try any or all options available here

I have just used SuperGrubDisk on my spare pc to check some of it's capabilities. The pc dual-boots Windows 7 and 11.04 (Natty). It found all of the drives, partitions and operating-systems. Though I did not check if it can re-write the MBR of Windows there is an option there to do so.

Further thoughts. If your friends XP is on a SATA/SCSI Drive and the install disc is a plain XP Home you will get the BSOD as it does not have the required drivers.

If you can get hold of an XP Pro one with at least SP1 integrated you will have a better chance of recovering.

One other thing, try cleaning the lens in the CD/DVD drive and the CD as well. Both obvious and easily over-looked.