Hello,

I wanted to install Ubuntu Linux on my laptop for a while, I finnally decided to and so I arranged my disk with Partition Magic to install it. It was the biggest error. I left 8,5 Gb for the Linux ext3(ext2 by Ubuntu install?) and 620 Mb for the Swap(what's that anyway? It was recommended...).

I did all I needed for my drive then rebooted windows and set the new Linux partition as active(thought I had to do it) to install it.

Ubuntu works well and all... but Windows won't start, after the boot screen, it tries to run chkdisk or something like that and after it shows a dark blue screen with some error on it(I can specifiy). What do I need to do to set the Windows partition as active and STILL be able to run GRUB?

I can always reformat, I just did it and kept my backup on my parents' comp, will lose SOME files. But since it'll be the 3rd time in 7 days... I don't feel like it...

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I can't see the partition on BartPE and PartitionDiskDoctor does not recognize my partition table and when I try to rebuild it, it only finds the Swap partition.

jog your memory hard; what was the specific partition magic commands you used
and in what order were they executed ... it matters.

The first thing you NEEDED to do was to reduce the existing partition AND
to create a new one for the Linux with a logical sub-partition for the swap.
btw: SWAP is the area Linux uses just like the windows pagefile...
a place dedicated to virtural memory i/o.

I did do that. I reduced the partition, rebooted Windows, used the Install another operating system button and followed what it said. Then I didn't put it as active, created the partition and all, rebooted Win and set the Linux partition as active. It would be great to know what to do, it'll take time to reinstall all my things and I need to plan...

I also want to keep my Ubuntu settings if I reinstall Windows.

just to confirm; you got Grub or LILO to install as the primary boot loader,
and before you installed Linux, you could boot into windows.
Now you have the same choices at boot time, but attempting Window
now fails during CHKDSK. Booting into Linux is still ok.

I got GRUB, I don't even know what LILO is like.

After the Win boot screen it actually shows "AUTOCHECK has failed" and some more one-line blabla saying the same thing. It then shows a fatal error saying the comp has stopped at the end. I really think this has something to do with the active partition.

We shall use the Linux fdisk to set the active partition.

Boot into Ubuntu and open a terminal.
As the root user run "fdisk /dev/hda"
You get the fdisk command prompt - all commands here are single letter.
Run "p" to see your existing partition. An asterisk shows the "active" bit.
Run "a" to toggle it.
Do "p" again and double check.
"w" to actually write your changes to disk and exit.

Reboot and pray.

It's in french but it should be understandable. See the "Hidden NDFS/NTFS".

When I try to reinstall XP, it shows my partition as Inactive and I have to delete it to reinstall XP.

OK. You deactivated the Windows partition The asterisk should remain there.

To unhide the Windows partition you should use Partition Magic. If you contact me then I could arrange you a bootable CD with Partition Magic on it. Since you already own PM then it is legal

I haven't tried it yet, misread the message and thought there was an error, hope it works now. I think the only thing I'll use PM for is for changing drive letters and moving Windows partitions...

I'll see if it works tonight.

I can't do a diskette backup since... my laptop doesn't have a diskette reader/writer and I won't pay 50$ to buy one and use it once in a while...

EDIT: I got PM on another comp so maybe I can make a bootable CD...

I'm just gonna reformat EVERYTHING and start over from scrath, I'm lucky I kept my backup on my parents' comp. From a FRESH install of Windows, I will install Ubuntu. No more problems. A few folders lost but that's about it, mostly files for games and some photos which I can for.

CASE CLOSED!

Thanks for the help.