Windows Boot Failure

[Zex]

Alright, Here's the status. I've got two hard drives in one machine. One hard drive has a windows install on it, the other has a linux install on it. The Linux install was done after the windows (which I know to be functional, to some extent, at least on the same drive) but Windows still wont boot. It boots up, goes to the Linux boot screen (Mandrake), and then when I try either of the Windows options it created, it goes to a black screen with a blinking underscore, for a few seconds, it blinks at the top line, then drops down a couple, and hangs there. Any sugestions? Kinda vague, I know, but I dont have much to offer as far as a diagnosis.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Probably the bootsector has been modified by Linux.
Check the C:\boot.ini file. Should look something like:

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\LINUX (don't know what Linux puts here, if anything)

You may need to do a Windows Repair and then Fixboot and/Fixmbr to get Windows going again.

Also check out LILO and GRUB bootmanagers for Linux.

 

[DelJo63]

do you know which Linux loader is installed, Grub vs LILO?