Major problems after Ubuntu install
 

Scenario:
My AMD machine;

HDD 1 = Seagate 80GB SATA WindowsXP
HDD 2 = Maxtor 120GB SATA Formatted for Ubuntu install

Used Ububtu Live CD which obviously boot's through the Windows OS asking if you want to try a Live version. I wanted to install a copy of Ubuntu onto HDD 2 physically seperating the Operating Systems.

Result I wasn't happy because Ubuntu installed a command prompt onto the HDD 1 (Windows XP disc) which then gave you the option of booting to Ubunut first, and at the bottom of a Ubuntu - options list WindowsXP.

I would Choose XP for some applcations and Ubuntu to learn more. HDD 2 Maxtor was going to be my Native Ubuntu or Linux disc for writing reviews. Overclocking the system corrupted something, and then I was unable to access Win XP or Ubuntu.

Now after trying to remove Ubuntu and trying to format the WinXP Disc usuing the Win XP boot disc it won't work. The XP CD loads all the drivers and then when it gets to the Win 32 FAT it just re-boots and that's it. SO I can't get inot Repair to change the MBR.

I also can't find a Linux based CD to access the drive so I can even install Ubunu again. It seems as if there is enough Win XP NTFS to prevent Linux repair or install and enough Linux rememnst on both drives to crash Win XP install disc.

I really need help. I taken both drives out of the AMD sstem and hooked then up to my Intel system (WindowsXP based) where I can only read one of the drives. In the BIOS the drives show up but through Windows only one does the orignal HDD 1 Seagate drive with Windows XP and the Ubuntu command prompt. So I tried formatting that disc through my WinXP Intel system, but even after that WindowsXP won't intsall on that disc?

PLEASE HELP

Try removing all partitions using the windows disk management util. Then create new partitions and format them as NTFS (don't use the quick method).
This usualy works for the Windows drive, the linux drive probably needs a re-partitioning and formatting through linux.

start Windows recovery console, type "fixmbr" at command prompt

...

it was early and posted quickly:)

mount the HDD as slave on other machine, fix it there:)

I had a similar problem with a linux distro and two disks and everything went corrupt.

I unhooked drive 2 (linux)
Boot with W98 dos disk
dosprompt-> fdisk /mbr
Reinstall/repair w2k

I completly lost all data on the w2k partition, which was no problem because all data is on a seperate partition ... and this good practise is what you did too .. not?
Afterwards i installed a bootmanager and i still could use the linux distro on disk 2.
From then on i used images for all PC's. Now it takes only 10 minutes to recover from a totally corrupt system, with hardly any data loss.

Succes!!

Thank you all I've tried every suggesion entioend.

I removed drives attached to my Intel rig and formatted those which were able to be read. The drive I couldn't format was the drive I'd intended the entire installation of Ubuntu to be installed on, NOT partition my Windows.

Anyway formatted them both and still they would not allow Win XP install disc to get past the pointn where 6you can access Repair.

Win98 is a good idea and I was able to get in there and type the comand FIXMBR, tio no avail?

Cannot reformat eaither of the drives? Very mysterious. I think just need to find a "boot-from" CD like Knoppix which I'm workin with now.

Thnak you

if you are sure the data on there can be erased, you can try a low level format utility downloaded from the manufacturers website

What I do, is taking a linux install cd, boot and start installing linux. Let the partition manager from linux do its' work and retry the HDD.

I have had two S.M.R.T. failures 4 years ago. If you have not tried the Diagnoistic Tool from HDD manufacturer, get it. At least, you know what the problem is. It requires Floppy booting.