UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I had Win98 and Win Xp on a dual boot on my system, I formatted my C: drive to get rid of Win98 and installed Linux Madrake in its Place, it all installed ok but when I boot up I can no longer dual boot and it goes straight into Mandrake Linux. How can I get either a dual boot so I can get to XP or remove my Linux altogether for now? I am complete linux Newbie but experienced with windows and dos, please help!!!

Cheers

No problem so far.

Linux overwrites the MBR (master boot record) with his own LILO (linux loader). It is now on you for adapting this LILO in Linux so that you can dual boot.

This file is probably located on /etc/lilo.conf

You'll have to know how your Windows partition is named under lilo (fi. /dev/hda1) and the label of the partition (fi. Windows). So the /etc/lilo.conf looks something like this after adaption:

boot=/dev/hda
timeout=50
prompt
default=linux
vga=normal
read-only
image=/boot/vmlinuz.......
label=linux
root=/dev/hda3
other=/dev/hda1
label=nt

I'l hope this was helpfull ...

BTW the example was from RedHat

How can I just remove my copy of Linux? Just I am going to be getting another PC soon and will use that for the linux stuff so I dont have anymore problems like this

Cheers

Sory but I really am a beginner, how do I change these files and how do I find out what the other partitions is called? Using Mandrake 8.1

To just remove the linux partition, the first thing you will have to do is to use the XP install disk in "Repair mode" this will restore the boot record.
Next use any partitioning software to remove the Linux partitions and re-format them as FAT/Fat32/NTFS or whatever you want.
I have used this for Win2K without any trouble so this should work fine for you as well,


If you want to find the names of the partitions, boot up under Linux, and login as root.
Next type "fdisk /dev/hda" and press return, this will load up the partitioning software for Linux, if you hit "p" and press return it will show all the partitions, and the filesystems.
Usually Windows is installed on the lowest numbered FAT/NTFS partition in my experience.
when you are done use "q" and return to quit.

HTH
regards,
-gHoTi

I ahve no rescue disk for my XP and its not bootable, I ahve tried booting off my 98 cd's and when going to try and fdisk they just freeze, when I boot off a win98 boot disk it doesnt pick up any harddrives at all. a bit of a nightmare so far!

Also have been unable to edit the lilo.conf I can open it up and then it wont save.

God I sound like a right amateur!

If you don't need the Linux installation it is maybe possible to install an new windows version on the Linux partition. From which on you can recover your old windows environment.

But there will remain a problem when trying to reboot because the LILO (see above) will still be in the MBR. This will cause that your PC will startup and end with (LI) on the screen and then stops.

This can be fixed by entering in dos the following
command:

fdisk /mbr

With this command you clean up the master boot record and remove the LILO.

And remember ... there is only one way to learn!