UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Yes, but the original poster has an XP system that he wiped out trying to install Solaris... this means he has an intact XP file system that he does not want to destroy. This implies that using a DOS base tool is less risk that fdisk (DOS or UNIX).

All the sites on the net recommend (and insist) NOT using (DOS) fdisk..... Seems to me that using a proven DOS based tool to restore a Windows filesystem is much safer than using a UNIX based program because the tool is designed to work with the broken filesystem......

Ah, ok, now I get it!
Of course DOS fdisk can not do anything here, this is why I was so explicit about booting a Linux floppy.
These problems, however, do not require use of any particular OS, since the nature of the problem is OS-independent.
I actually have the exact oppsite impression from you: That Linux tools are better suited for this kind of problem.
But I did not lose sight of the fact that this was a DOS-related problem, this is why I thought it a good idea to post the DOS-specific bootsector layout.
Armed with the capability to restore the MBR, plus the layout of the DOS specific part, I sohuld say that Souldier stands a fair chance, something which should become apparent after the first bootsector dump.

Yes, perhaps you are right AtleRamsli..... might be good to examine the master boot record and manually repair it with a binary editor. This would require the poster to have a working linux platform (and we are not sure they do or not...)

Also, does XP make copies of the master boot record and partition table like linux? If so, souldier might be able to examine one of the copies, obviously, and 'copy' in the correct place.

I don't know if XP makes 'copies' like linux... anyone know?

Hey,

Yeah, i lost all my data i just reinstalled the os, man this is a learning experience for me, Lucky for me this is not a production server or something. i probably get the boot out the door. Well thanks for all your guys help, i really appreciate it. Thank again.

Souldier

Ok not once did i hear, what kind of file system this guy was running on his XP machine, or maybe i miss read well if it was NTFS ther are easyer ways... and that dos utility would be useless..

From posts above on DIY DataRecovery MBR-Rescue:

bbutler3295, I think what you're referring to is the few recent threads on NTFS data corruption, not necessarily partition table changes...
That specific problem occurs when you mount an NTFS partition as read-write in Linux, and write to the filesystem (editing a file, for example)...
As far as I know, Solaris does not support even reading of NTFS, and if it did, I doubt they would allow experimental code out there...