linux destroyed windows HELP

[allandire]

I was running a win 2000 win 98 dual boot.

I installed Linux Mandrake 7.0 and now I can't load or even access my windows files.

I think the windows partition has been overwritten.

Is there any was of recovering it as I have not backed up my data!

[fancypiper]

If the Windows partition has been overwritten, then it's gone for good.

Can you find any Windows partitions from Linux? Did you set up your Windows partitions when installing Linux?

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Fancy Piper ""Linux: Viagra for the PC"
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[Evil Jeff]

Try booting to windows with your windows boot disk before you decide it's gone.

Evil Jeff
www.hellincorporated.com (http://www.hellincorporated.com)

[bdl]

Originally posted by allandire:
[B]I was running a win 2000 win 98 dual boot.

I installed Linux Mandrake 7.0 and now I can't load or even access my windows files.

I think the windows partition has been overwritten.
[B]

Woohoo! Our plan has worked perfectly! All hail King Linus!

[allandire]

I have tried using boot disk. No luck just gets me into MS-DOS but drives don't show up.

I can't seam to find it on linux

and I had windons partisions over 2 drives both gone.

I REALLY need my files?????????????????

[ndelo]

Sounds like its gone for good, but you may want to try running fdisk from Linux or from the Windows boot disk just to see what the partition table looks like (but for pete's sake--don't delete anything!). Under DOS, your linux partition will be called a non-DOS partition, though I think any NTFS partition may be called the same thing, I can't remember. But by the sound of it, I would say you've just learned your first lesson in back up and recovery.

[This message has been edited by ndelo (edited 17 December 2000).]

[mdwatts]

A little more info may help.

What boot manager did you use prior to installing Linux?

What boot manager is active now?

Does Linux boot directly now and did you install lilo/grub in the MBR?

Explain exactly what happened/happens and perhaps we can help more.

[allandire]

I used the windows defalt boot manager

Now when I startup it's LILO and if I choose to view all possible OS i just get linux. I tried playing around wiht some linux options for boot but did not help now linux boots from a floppy. I have tried booting win2000 CD but it can't locate the OS or repair it.

When I first installed linux it came to partitioning and a pressed auto then undo then auto I think. I got distracted the phone rang!

If I use my boot disk for windows I get

CDR101: Not reading drive C

I also have a D drive also unaccable.

In FDISK i get 2 listed partions

1) status=A type=non-dos mbytes=243 usage=5%

2) type=EXT DOS Mbytes=4644 usage=95%

I have no logic drivews defined. The strange thing is my second HD is not listed as a fixed drive?

I'm going insane, I cna't belive I forgot to make a backup CD!

If I re-install windows 2000 will it overright my data of will some still be there?

[sincka]

I am not sure if you did but you didn't mention it. Did you edit your lilo.conf. You might have installed lilo as your MBR so if that is what you did then edit lilo.conf
After you are done run lilo and there you go. If you don't know what you need to do to the file then come back here and ask or search LNO.

Later

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Evil Is Good

[mdwatts]

One way to fix the problem since you already have Lilo installed in the MBR is to setup lilo.conf to also boot Win98/2000.

Follow the lilo procedures here http://www.linuxnewbie.org/nhf/intel/osbooting/index.html

[D-Termind]

Originally posted by allandire:
I have tried using boot disk. No luck just gets me into MS-DOS but drives don't show up.

I can't seam to find it on linux

and I had windons partisions over 2 drives both gone.

I REALLY need my files?????????????????

They're gone....you'll have to restore from your backups.




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D-Termind
2
Leave
Win-DUHs

[witman]

Originally posted by allandire:
I have tried using boot disk. No luck just gets me into MS-DOS but drives don't show up.

I can't seam to find it on linux

and I had windons partisions over 2 drives both gone.

I REALLY need my files?????????????????

You didn't backup your files???

I lost everything my first few times. It's good for you to purge all your physical posessions once in a while. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif


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Use the source!
The WITMAN Cometh!

[Harvey]

That sucks, I"ve installed mandrake7.2 multiple times and never had it eat a windows install. hrm....

[navy-linux]

When I first installed Mandrake 7.1, I clicked on the auto, and linux took the whole drive, including my copy of windows that was there. But, I have always followed the golden rule, to back everything that you can not afford to loose. So, to me, it was no big deal. I was always in the habit of cleaning windows from my hard drive about every three months to keep a clean version there.
The Auto function in Mandrake will automatically set up your hard drive for you. If you did not click in the un-used portion of your drive before you clicked on auto, it most likely took over the whole drive, and you lost your windows data.
Sorry to be there barrer of bad news though.
http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/confused.gif

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Bring the tools to the worker. Don't make the worker go get the tools. Go Lean

[mdwatts]

Don't take everyones word that your partitions are gone until you are sure yourself.

Run Dos/Win fdisk and see if the partition are still there and that they contain data by looking at the Usage %. It really sounds like you just installed lilo in the MBR and now cannot get to Windows. Either run fdisk /mbr to get rid of lilo and use another boot manager to boot all three or leave lilo as is and update lilo.conf to boot Windows and Linux. Always remember to run /sbin/lilo whenever you make an update to lilo.conf.

[allandire]

I did fdisk /mbr but windows still dows not boot and linux only from disk

[mdwatts]

Does fdisk report any Usage % to indicate there is data in the Windows partition?

Try updating lilo.conf and put the commands start Windows and then rerun lilo to write to the MBR. Read the NHF for the proper format.

[Shad]

Something no one else has mentioned, try booting to your 'Drake Install cd. Choose an expert install, and when you get to DiskDrake, the harddrive partioner portion of the install, take a look at all the partions but don't proceed past it. It will show all your partions in an easy to use format. If you want to see the details of a partion, just click on it. My gut tells me that your Windows stuff is gone though.

Take a look here (http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/demos/Demo/Mandrake7.2/QuickLook/Install/install10.php3) for a view of DiskDrake. It shows what swap(green), Fat32(blue), ext2(red), and Reiserfs(maroon) look like in DiskDrake. If you don't have any blue partions, they are gone.

BTW I just noticed that you have mdk7.0 which does not include Reiserfs, but the rest should still be applicable.

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Just a Tuna in the Sea of Life

[mrBen]

Depending on how important windows was to you http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/wink.gif there is really good software that can reconstruct mose data _regardless_ of any formatting. I remember reading in PCAnswers of them being able to get data of a Windows partition despite multiple installs of Linux being put on top. If it means that much, then I think I might have some software somewhere from a cover disk.

HTH

[This message has been edited by mrBen (edited 18 December 2000).]

[allandire]

What issue of the mag?

[five40i]

You did auto allocate when you installed Linux didn't you? and thats why poor old windoze has gone a.w.o.l.....If you did then its gone for good.....bye, bye windoze