Can't mount WinXP partition or boot to it. Will "fixboot" work?
ANC
Linux boots fine. XP won't boot at all with grub... no error at all, just
pops up another grub menu.
What is more important is that I also can't mount the Win partition sda1.
Dmesg says:
NTFS-fs error (device sda1): ntfs_fill_super(): Not an NTFS volume.
NTFS-fs warning (device sda1): is_boot_sector_ntfs(): Invalid boot sector
checksum.
NTFS-fs error (device sda1): read_ntfs_boot_sector(): Primary boot sector is
invalid.
NTFS-fs error (device sda1): read_ntfs_boot_sector(): Mount option
errors=recover not used. Aborting without trying to recover.
The cfdisk program sees the partition ok.
Someone told me to boot with XP disc and run the "fixboot" program. Why will
that fix the mount problem. Seems to me that even if I can't boot, I should
be able to mount. So what does the "fixboot" thing do to the WinXP boot
sector (not mbr) and why will it work to let me mount (and boot?)
Is it possible "fixboot" will screw up something else? (I never trust
Windows utilities.)
Just trying to learn this stuff. Thanks.
Thanks,
Al
Douglas Mayne
How many hard disks in your system? Post the results of this command:
fdisk -l
Sometimes there can be confusion between sda and hda on some motherboards
using Windows and using GNU/Linux.
More WAGs
Was the partition moved? Most of the time partitions are shrunk
"in-place," that is, the start of the partition is unchanged. If you moved
it, then I guess that could account for the partition being unbootable. In
that case, fixboot might work. BTW, I think you are correct that the disk
should mount, whether or not the partition is bootable- that is if it
contains a recognizable filesystem.
--
Douglas Mayne
iforone
Hi;
[ Please don't take this info below as "as far as i can recall" -- and
"from what I remember about it" ]
Otherwise: While booted to linux, Please post the output of;
~$ cat /etc/fstab
~$ cat /etc/mtab
~$ mount
~$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst #(perhaps it's /boot/grub/grub.conf
instead)#
~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda
(might as well post the info from fdisk for each/all your HDDs )
IIRC - You likely need an entry in /etc/fstab (or /mtab) for any
mounting to occur.
FIXBOOT is XPoop's tool for fixing the partition boot sector ..
FIXMBR is for fixing the MBR of the Hard disk
BOOTCFG /rebuild is for rebuilding Boot.ini (usually performed directly
after one, or both of the above).
These need to be run from Recovery console (unless, I guess, you obtain
ultimatebootcd or similar), which requires booting into XPoop CDROM
(set the BIOS to Boot from CDROM as 1st in the boot order).
Now;
QTparted - could do the resizing effectively I believe, but there are
many 'if' caveats....at one point in Knoppix 3.6, there was a tool
called CaptureNTFS (or CaptiveNTFS).
What version of Kanotix?
What was your setup like before you installed Kanotix?
How many Hard disks, and are they SCSI, IDE, SATA ?
What OS(es) are installed where on these HDDs.?
Did you install GRUB to the XPoop Boot sector as a file?
Or did you install it to the MBR
If the prior (the XP partition Boot sector area only), then you *may*
need to also modify Boot.ini as well as the GRUB file
GRUBs file (at /boot/grub/menu.lst) in Linux
Look into these sites for more info concerning NTFS support in Linux;
<http://www.linux-ntfs.org/content/view/15/29/>
<http://mlf.linux.rulez.org/mlf/ezaz/ntfsresize.html>
<http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/Preview.pm>
Regards
iforone
Douglas Mayne wrote:
[...]
> BTW, I think you are correct that the disk
> should mount, whether or not the partition is bootable- that is if it
> contains a recognizable filesystem.
>
BTW -- that reminds me to ask the OP;
Let's see the 'mount' command syntax you used?
'mount -t ntfs -o,ro,users /dev/sda' (may work)
I don't like those dmesg errors, but it may be not be as bad it seems
(not sure). I'm pretty sure NTFS needs (specific) module support before
it will mount (or anything else).
I'm going to refresh/renew/update my knowledge as well, from revirewing
those URLs I posted earlier
Regards
iforone
iforone wrote:
> [ Please don't take this info below as "as far as i can recall" -- and
> "from what I remember about it" ]
whoops! I meant Please *DO* - doh!
[stuff]
> Regards
ANC
>
> ANC wrote:
>> Have dual-boot XP with Kanotix. Used Qtparted to shrink XP to install
>> Linux. Linux boots fine. XP won't boot at all with grub... no error at
>> all, just pops up another grub menu.
>>
>> What is more important is that I also can't mount the Win partition sda1.
>> Dmesg says:
>>
>> NTFS-fs error (device sda1): ntfs_fill_super(): Not an NTFS volume.
>> NTFS-fs warning (device sda1): is_boot_sector_ntfs(): Invalid boot sector
>> checksum.
>> NTFS-fs error (device sda1): read_ntfs_boot_sector(): Primary boot sector
>> is invalid.
>> NTFS-fs error (device sda1): read_ntfs_boot_sector(): Mount option
>> errors=recover not used. Aborting without trying to recover.
>>
>> The cfdisk program sees the partition ok.
>>
>> Someone told me to boot with XP disc and run the "fixboot" program. Why
>> will that fix the mount problem. Seems to me that even if I can't boot, I
>> should be able to mount. So what does the "fixboot" thing do to the WinXP
>> boot sector (not mbr) and why will it work to let me mount (and boot?)
>>
>> Is it possible "fixboot" will screw up something else? (I never trust
>> Windows utilities.)
>
> Otherwise: While booted to linux, Please post the output of;
>
> ~$ cat /etc/fstab
>
al@kanotix1:~$ cat /etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs devmode=0666 0 0
/dev/sda2 / reiserfs defaults 0 1
#/dev/sda1 /media/sda1 ntfs ro,umask=000 0 0
/dev/sda1 /media/sda1 ntfs noauto,users,exec,ro,umask=000 0 0
/dev/sdb3 /media/sdb3 reiserfs noauto,users,exec 0 0
/dev/sdb4 /media/sdb4 reiserfs noauto,users,exec 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /media/sdb1 reiserfs noauto,users,exec 0 0
/dev/sdb2 none swap defaults 0 0
#/dev/cdrom /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 users,noauto 0 0
/dev/hdc /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 users,noauto 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0
#none /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
> ~$ cat /etc/mtab
>
al@kanotix1:~$ cat /etc/mtab
/dev/sda2 / reiserfs rw 0 0
proc /proc proc rw 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs rw 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs rw,devmode=0666 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs rw 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,gid=5,mode=620 0 0
tmpfs /dev tmpfs rw,size=10M,mode=0755 0 0
> ~$ mount
>
root@kanotix1:/home/al# mount
/dev/sda2 on / type reiserfs (rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw,devmode=0666)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
tmpfs on /dev type tmpfs (rw,size=10M,mode=0755)
> ~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda
> (might as well post the info from fdisk for each/all your HDDs )
>
root@kanotix1:/home/al# fdisk -l /dev/sda
Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 5264 42282268 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 5265 6830 12578895 83 Linux
NOTICE ABOVE 'WARNING' ABOUT NOT ENDING ON A CYL BOUNDRY.
I'm getting all sorts of conflicting advice from various sources. Some
people say to run 'fixboot' from WinXP install disk. So how does fixing the
boot sector of sda1 (not mbr) have anything to do with mounting?
Another says to run XP 'chkdsk'. But that could make changes to sda2 (my
kanotix partition) right? Can't do that right now.
Another says to try ntfsfix but I'm not sure WHAT that will do, if anything.
Another says that the hard disk is borked and that sooner or later my sda2
partition will crap out because of the boundary thing... especially if I
reboot often. But I've been running it for 8 months now! And how would
rebooting change anything or cause sda1 to overlap into sda2?
Another said to try the gparted livecd and resize the sda1 partition again.
But what damage might that do to sda2, if any?
>
> What version of Kanotix?
2005-04 the last stable release.
> What was your setup like before you installed Kanotix?
I have 2 80 GB drives, sda and sdab. I always ran Linux on sda2. But the
last release of Kanotix had a problem with my controller chipset and would
not install to sdB, only to sdB. I had hosed my sdb by trying to install
PC-BSD... and had to delete some partitions, etc.... a mess... which I did
and installed Etch into sdB3. However, I didn't like Etch so I decided to
use sdA. All it had was WindowsXP and had never been used. I kept it just
in case I might need it (and now I do!).
OK, so I trotted out QTparted and resized sda1 from 80GB down to about 65
leaving 15 GB and created sda2. I then installed Kanotix. I changed the
Etch (sdb3) grub menu.lst to give me a boot choice for kanotix (I'm not a
newbie... am comfortable doing this stuff.) All worked great. I never
bothered to test sda1 (Windows) because I didn't need it and assume it
would be fine. Well now that I do need it (for one single program (it is
not fine.)
> How many Hard disks, and are they SCSI, IDE, SATA ?
2 drives, both SATA
> What OS(es) are installed where on these HDDs.?
sda1=WinXP
sda2=Kanotix
sdb1=empty
sdb2=swap
sdb3=Debian Etch
sdb4=Kubuntu
I use sdb1 and sdb4 to experiment with other distros. Etch is my 'backup
distro and where I boot to. But Kanotix on sda2 is my work-horse everyday
distro (and it's been stable like you would not believe... I'm a long-time
user of Kanotix and can't say enough good things about it.)
> Did you install GRUB to the XPoop Boot sector as a file?
I hope not. No way to see as I can't mount it. However it might be, because
when I choose "Windows" in grub's menu.lst at boot time, it changes from a
blue/white grub menu to a black-with menu.... with no choice for Windows.
Looks like I'm starting up a new grub... and where did it come from? sda1?
Could be. BUT I STILL SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOUNT THE DAMN PARTITION.
> Or did you install it to the MBR
>
I'm real careful with that. Only Etch installed it to the mbr... but maybe
I've fixed it a few times with (in grub):
root (hd1,2)
setup (hd0)
> If the prior (the XP partition Boot sector area only), then you *may*
> need to also modify Boot.ini as well as the GRUB file
>
I don't understand the question.
I'm not new to Linux, but I'm lost here. Obviously one answer is for me to
wait until the new release of Kanotix comes out (very soon now) and install
it to my empty partition on sdB1 and then hose sda and repartition it for
50 GB for Windows and then install Windows and then go back and fix the mbr
(which XP will clobber.) However, if there is an easy way to fix this one
damn Windows partition so I can boot the damn thing just to run this one
frickin' program, that's where I want to go today if I can.
Thanks,
Al
Douglas Mayne
> iforone wrote:
>
>
<snip>
>
>> ~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda
>> (might as well post the info from fdisk for each/all your HDDs )
>>
>
> root@kanotix1:/home/al# fdisk -l /dev/sda
>
> Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
> Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
> /dev/sda1 * 1 5264 42282268 7 HPFS/NTFS
> Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
> /dev/sda2 5265 6830 12578895 83 Linux
>
>
> NOTICE ABOVE 'WARNING' ABOUT NOT ENDING ON A CYL BOUNDRY.
>
Sounds like this common bug:
http://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-devel-list/2004-May/msg00908.html
<snip>
--
Douglas Mayne
ANC
I read the link but don't understand what this might have to do with not
being able to MOUNT the partition. I do understand the not booting part...
but this fs (sda1) won't even mount.
Al
Jim
Well, for a start the kernel (any kernel) does not use the same drive
geometry as the BIOS. From the looks of things here, you have used a
third-party app on some other platform (Partition Magic on Windows?) to
resize the NTFS partition, then installed Linux. Problem is, PM has the
same idea as the kernel and basically ignores the BIOS reported geometry
and reads direct from the drive controller. Therein lies the problem. PM
has different ideas again from the Linux kernel (and the NT kernel for that
matter) and fdisk in particular about drive geometries. This can result in
the Linux kernel not being able to mount a partition because it doesn't
recognise the PM partitioning geometry and tries to apply its own. End
result? You ain't mounting that baby. Not being able to boot from it either
suggests to me that your NTFS partition is hosed, or you're running XP and
have overwritten the MBR with LILO/GRUB. XP likes the MBR for itself.
The only way around it I can see, is to resize the NTFS partition by
shrinking it slightly using PM to say, 4096 blocks or 5108 blocks ("magic"
numbers that're pretty much guaranteed to land the partition end on a
boundary) and trying again. Don't forget to back up your data first!
Also, move your boot manager to the Linux root partition and use XP Recovery
console to fix the MBR. Back into Linux and add XP to the GRUB menu. Should
be dandy after that.
I hereby disavow and disclaim all responsibility for any data loss which may
occur. You were warned.
--
When all else fails...
Use a hammer.
Some people are like Slinkies;
They serve no particular purpose,
But they bring a smile to your face
When you push them down the stairs.
ANC
> Not being able to boot from it either
> suggests to me that your NTFS partition is hosed,
I think you're right here
> or you're running XP and
> have overwritten the MBR with LILO/GRUB.
Stop for a second. When you install either lilo or grub you DO write to the
mbr... you replace whatever was there with whatever grub writes (not sure
what it writes.)
> XP likes the MBR for itself.
Don't understand in the context of lilo or grub writing to the mbr.
> The only way around it I can see, is to resize the NTFS partition by
> shrinking it slightly using PM to say, 4096 blocks or 5108 blocks ("magic"
> numbers that're pretty much guaranteed to land the partition end on a
> boundary) and trying again.
What do you mean 4096 or 5108? How many GB is that?
> Don't forget to back up your data first!
Without saying!
> Also, move your boot manager to the Linux root partition
Boot manager? That's what goes in the boot-sector of the partition? We're
not talking mbr right?
> and use XP
> Recovery console to fix the MBR.
Well how is the machine going to boot to linux if the mbr is hosed. What
will happen when you boot up... all you will get is Windows, right?
> Back into Linux and add XP to the GRUB
> menu. Should be dandy after that.
But if the mbr only looks to XP, and is not grub how will I ever boot to
Linux? I'm missing something important here.
Al
notbob
>
> But if the mbr only looks to XP, and is not grub how will I ever boot to
> Linux? I'm missing something important here.
http://www.howtoforge.com/windows_linux_dual_boot
nb