Linux Mandrake AND Windows 98

[matcapel]

I want to dual boot Windows 98 and Mandrake. In Windows i installed PArtition Magic and partitioned my hard disk. I then installed Mandrake, but now cant access any of my Windows files or even boot windows. I really dont want to have to format my hard disk if not necessary to get Windows back.
Please help.

[bugfix]

More details....
Are you using LILO, Bootmagic or what?

duggeB.

[moegerty]

while ininstalling mandrake did you make sure to not overwrite your windows partition?(assuming that you used disk druid to install linux). I had problems getting disk druid to recognize a partition created by partition magic, and if i was not careful it would have destroyed my windows partition. Try to boot from a 98 startup disk. If you have to reformat for windows, start over for both. The best solution that i found for the dual boot was to create free space on my hard drive using partition magic, then i installed mandrake to the free space using disk druid. Make sure in disk druid that you can see both partitions b4 continuing with the install

[matcapel]

I'm not sure wot i am using. As i said i partitioned my hard disk using Partition Magic. When i boot up it uses LILO

[matcapel]

I can remember when installing that my whole hard disk appeared as just one partition which i had to put bits onto using DraX. Does this mean that i have written over my Win98 files?

[Krycheck]

When I installed MDK with my dual boot Win2k/Win98 I let MDK do the partitioning. I tried using Partition Magic and it just made it more difficult for me. But that could just be me http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[D-Termind]

Originally posted by matcapel:
I can remember when installing that my whole hard disk appeared as just one partition which i had to put bits onto using DraX. Does this mean that i have written over my Win98 files?

If you don't understand partitioning then it's very possible that you did what you fear...sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Partition Magic is a nice program but it is POWERFUL...meaning it's easy to make the wrong decisions.

I have it but personally I like DiskDrake.

I have Win98 and Mandrake 7.2 running very nicely on the same disk.

I will warn you though that if you use DD to partition then you may NOT be able to use PM (in Windows) later. You will have to use the DOS version, that you should have.

Try this...go into Mandrake, open a terminal, theen type "diskdrake".

See what partitions you have.




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D-Termind

[matcapel]

when i type 'diskdrake' in terminal i get told 'command not found'

[Sokertes]

try typing "whereis diskdrake" first to find out where it is. Once you find out wher it is then type "/what/directory/diskdrake" and it should work for you

[slowlearner]

Originally posted by D-Termind:

Try this...go into Mandrake, open a terminal, theen type "diskdrake".

See what partitions you have.



Why not just open a terminal in KDE or Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get a console and type fdisk /dev/hda (or hdb or whatever your harddisk is). That'll list all the partitions.


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We do not inherit the Earth, we borrow it from our children.



[This message has been edited by slowlearner (edited 19 November 2000).]

[georgesr]

First see if the windows files are still there. Bring up KFM click on /mnt. Your win partition should be /mnt/win_c or something similar. If your win directories come up you didn't trash your partition just your mbr. to fix that insert windows rescue disk. At the C prompt type fdisk /mbr which will restore your ability to boot windows. Boot linux from you bootdisk and reinstall your bootloader. Partitioning drives can be tricky if you don't know what your doing. If you can't remember what you did or how you did it you went about it all wrong. You have to be very methodical and pay strict attention to every prompt and message. If you are not sure, don't do it, get help. The Mandrake manual has a pretty good section on partitioning and the mechanics of laying out partitions, saving partition tables etc. You should read that before trying again.

Originally posted by matcapel:
I want to dual boot Windows 98 and Mandrake. In Windows i installed PArtition Magic and partitioned my hard disk. I then installed Mandrake, but now cant access any of my Windows files or even boot windows. I really dont want to have to format my hard disk if not necessary to get Windows back.
Please help.