[Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

Cheeeesetoo · 2011-02-02 11:15:33

Hello,
I have a problem with my computer since I resized partitions, I was needed more space for windows, so the partition as been extended and the Archlinux one reduced. Partition assignation still the same,
sda1 /boot
sda2 swap
sda3 /
sda4 Windows

Arch still working fine and the Windows partition is accessible from Arch, and files still in place. But my Windows refuse to boot it just stop after the grub2 command line with just a blinking cursor.

Any idea to solve the issue ??
Thanks in advance

Last edited by Cheeeesetoo (2011-02-02 19:23:38)

ewaller · 2011-02-02 15:32:16

Aside from the nuclear option of re-installing Windows (TM), You might try:

http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS4076782266.html

Inxsible · 2011-02-02 15:36:02

I am not a 100 % sure if Win XP cd provides a "Fix your boot loader" option, but Vista and Win 7 do.

Aside from that, SystemRescueCD (as mentioned by ewaller) and SuperGrubDisk can help you fix it too. You might have to re-install grub though to get back to Arch.

Cheeeesetoo · 2011-02-02 16:33:19

Thanks for your replies, I will try that

Tell me if I'm right, it's the MBR who is corrupted ?? if yes I can use fdisk -mbr from windows cmd

But I still have problem to understand why the partition resizing break it, if someone can explain me, I will be very happy.

Inxsible · 2011-02-02 16:42:04

Windows has certain files that should not be moved, because for some odd reason, it looks for them in particular locations. Resizing partitions might move files depending on how you are resizing the partition.

Next boot, Windows doesn't find files where it is supposed to and BAM ! -- can't start Windows.

ewaller · 2011-02-02 17:23:05

Cheeeesetoo wrote:

Tell me if I'm right, it's the MBR who is corrupted ?? if yes I can use fdisk -mbr from windows cmd....

Windows does not play nicely with others. If you use Microsoft tools to "fix" the install, it will likely overwrite the mbr causing grub to do away. fdisk -mbr will certainly do that. Should that occur, you will need to reinstall grub on the MBR in order to get back to Linux.

As others have pointed out, resizing the Windows partition can cause it to go brain-dead as it makes assumptions about where things are on the disk. I believe, and have no proof, that Microsoft does this in part to make it difficult to move their OS to "unauthorized" new hardware. As far as Windows is concerned, the new partition size is an indication it is not on the same hardware and, therefore, you must be trying to violate their copyright.

Have you considered just running windows in a virtual machine and being done with it?

Cheeeesetoo · 2011-02-02 19:23:03

So the problem is solved, my windows partition was defect.
Tried fixboot c: not working.
Tried to fdisk /mbr to boot directly problem stay same.
Formatting the partition and restore a backup and now it's running perfectly

Unfortunatelly I'm still using windows on my old laptop to play Visual Pinball, witch is not working properly on wine or Vbox.
My computer is old Virtual machines does not support hardware acceleration for the video and I have only 1Gb of memory O_o but 10 hours of autonomy.

Ward · 2011-02-06 18:19:52

I had this exact same problem. Whenever I resized my Windows partition it wouldn't boot anymore. I completely defragged it beforehand. Even if I only resized the partition, and before installing Linux/Grub, it wouldn't boot. fdisk /mbr, fixboot, fixmbr, these wouldn't help. The files were accessible from Linux. In the end I had to reformat my HDD.

What could the problem have been? I want to know for future reference when I retry on this machine.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-02-02 11:15:33

[Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#2 2011-02-02 15:32:16

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#3 2011-02-02 15:36:02

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#4 2011-02-02 16:33:19

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#5 2011-02-02 16:42:04

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#6 2011-02-02 17:23:05

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#7 2011-02-02 19:23:03

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

#8 2011-02-06 18:19:52

Re: [Solved] Problem to boot Windows XP since partitions as been resized

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