Operating system not found?

[[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]]

Ok, I know this isn't tech help, and I appreciate anyone who even looks at this topic. I've already posted this to windows support, but I do not think that they will even reply to it, so I'll go to a better source. Here is the exact post that I posted to them,


When booting up onto a different PC, I found that there was a problem.
"Operating System Not Found." This is the scenario, Linux and Windows were
installed, and grub was the chooser. A friend of mine, uninstalled linux,
and made that partition just free space. Then when I rebooted, grub would
show up in like an DOS prompt. Another friend of mine, troubleshooted, and
found a windows xp professional install disk, which is the operating system
of mine on the problem computer, and ran the Recovery Counsole. He then said
to run these commands, "map" to find the windows partition, and type in
"fixmbr [partition of windows]", then after type in "fixboot c:" So I did,
then eventually rebooted my computer, then it started with the problem I'm
facing right now, "Operating System Not Found." I am asking for help, and
thank you for your assistance.

I am running Windows XP Professional, SP2 on the crashed computer.

Thank you again
[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]

[Vargas]

sounds like the PC is looking for windoze on C:\ while it's really on D:\ ?
if so try "fixboot d:" instead?

[[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]]

sounds like the PC is looking for windoze on C:\ while it's really on D:\ ?
if so try "fixboot d:" instead?

Tried it, but failed. I really don't want to format it, but if I must, I will just bring the hard drive to another house, and get most of the needed information off of it. I also tried changing the boot order in the bios, but that failed also. Is there any other suggestions that I could try to get the bad boy to boot up into windows? Other than a bat, or a gun...a computer technique. :D Thanks again for the help though!

[clocker]

This might work...

Boot to your XP Pro disc.Do not opt for the recovery console option...choose the fresh install instead.
After Windows loads files/drivers it will display all the partitions and OS's present on the drive (if the Linux partitions are still present, Windows will call them "unknown partitions"...it can delete them even if it's too stupid to know what they are) .
Delete all the partitions except the one containing XP and choose the "repair" option.
This will overwrite the system files but leave your data/programs intact.

When finished, you should have Windows on C: and the remaining disk space as unpartitioned free space.
You'll have to create partition(s) and format the rest of the drive from Administrative Tools>Disk Management once you are back in XP.

[[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]]

This might work...

Boot to your XP Pro disc.Do not opt for the recovery console option...choose the fresh install instead.
After Windows loads files/drivers it will display all the partitions and OS's present on the drive (if the Linux partitions are still present, Windows will call them "unknown partitions"...it can delete them even if it's too stupid to know what they are) .
Delete all the partitions except the one containing XP and choose the "repair" option.
This will overwrite the system files but leave your data/programs intact.

When finished, you should have Windows on C: and the remaining disk space as unpartitioned free space.
You'll have to create partition(s) and format the rest of the drive from Administrative Tools>Disk Management once you are back in XP.


Still no luck, I think I'm just going to have to face the inevitable here. I'm leaving for the weekend, so if any suggestions come to mind, please let me know. If none arise, then I shall format it, and start it all over. I'll copy the files that I need, and burn them to dvdrw ;) Thank you for the idea clocker!

[[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]]

Just got back a few days ago, and there was nothing that was posted. I'll just go ahead and format the hard drive, and get all the important info off of it. Thank you everyone who troubleshooted, it needs a fresh install of windows anyhow.

Zach

[Virtualbody1234]

[RO][CE][SS][OR]']... I'll just go ahead and format the hard drive, and get all the important info off of it.
Better to get the important info off first.

[[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]]

[RO][CE][SS][OR]']... I'll just go ahead and format the hard drive, and get all the important info off of it.
Better to get the important info off first.

:P Well, formating and then trying to get the important info off after is kinda hard...

[Virtualbody1234]

[RO][CE][SS][OR]']

Better to get the important info off first.

:P Well, formating and then trying to get the important info off after is kinda hard...
That's why I said that. :P

[Mïcrösöül°V³]

linux leaves partitions behind that windows format will not get rid of. Only a low level format will get rid of them AFAIK. There are smarter people here than me, but my experience is this: Windows after linux dont work real well. As far as I can tell, linux uses 3 partitions, and trying to just install windows, or even using windows in the same drive is a problem. This is just my 2 cents worth. :) I hope you get it working.

[orcutt989]

http://www.cookware-online.co.uk/ishop/images/930/blowtorch.jpg


+

http://www.mine-safety.mtu.edu/clipart/other/computer.gif
=



http://www.remorombi.it/img/broken_computer.jpg



Problem Solved.

[suprafreak6]

works for me except i use my mini sledge hammer=its only 6 feet long with a 25 foot pound weight onthe end

[Virtualbody1234]

linux leaves partitions behind that windows format will not get rid of. Only a low level format will get rid of them AFAIK. There are smarter people here than me, but my experience is this: Windows after linux dont work real well. As far as I can tell, linux uses 3 partitions, and trying to just install windows, or even using windows in the same drive is a problem. This is just my 2 cents worth. :) I hope you get it working.
Low level formatting isn't needed. All you need to do is delete all the partitions with a partitioning tool. I like Ranish Partition Manager: http://www.ranish.com/part/

[[P][RO][CE][SS][OR]]

IT'S ALIVE! The guy that messed up the computer in the first place, uninstalled Linux, and made the linux partition into free space. Grub was then getting in the way. So he basically didn't uninstall it completely. But it's fixed now, I basically just formated the whole drive, and deleted the partitions, reinstalled Windows XP Pro, and now it works just fine. Thank you all for your help! (screw windows help, the just posted once, and never again)