Missing Operating System Error

[apolloae]

I have been trying to get dual booting working after getting OSX running on my machine, and I took someones advice to take a Windows ME disk and use the fdisk program that was on that to run fdisk and configure the boot loader. Unfortunately, after that didn't work, I took someone else's advice to type /fdisk hbr with that same disk, and now my computer fails to see either of the two operating systems that are on it: XP and OSX. I am in a big dilemma now because at least with OSX working and XP not working, I could get all the files from the XP partition onto an external HD using OSX, and now I can't get into either of them.

 

I would really appreciate help on this, I don't know where to go with it and you can probably tell I'm feelin' like cause I want to get this to work, and I seemed one step away from doing so. If anyone knows what I can do to get either of the operating systems running, any help is greatly appreciated. If not, but you know a way to get the files off and into an external HD, that would be just as good.

 

Thanks guys!

[miliuco]

If you boot the PC again from the Msdos disk an type in

fdisk /mbr

and reboot... can you now start with Windows?

If not, booting again from the MSDOS disk, typing fdisk and selecting the option that shows all the partitions, are there still the OSX and XP partitions? If not, then you can't boot the PC and probably have lost the data.

If there is still partitions, has one of them the flag ACTIVE? If not, select the option that set a partition active and reboot.

[HP_Mac]

Yo man

 

Look assuming that you installed OS X from a bootable DVD onto an extra partition, you could just reinsert the install DVD and press F8 for boot options, and it should under most conditions show you the HD to which you installed OS X.

 

If you can do that,boot back into OS X, and on the system preferences panel, select startup disk, and make the "Windows, Unknown on Unknown" disk the startup disk and then select Restart.

 

Your PC will now reboot into Windows XP but make sure the Mac install DVD is not in the drive. Once in windows, do the following.

 

Insert the install DVD into your rom, and open it. Search for a file named "Chain0" on the dvd and, once you found it, copy it to your "c" drive.

 

Open up the System Propperties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery Settings > click on "Edit" to manually edit the "Boot.ini" file.

 

Add the following strin to the "Boot.ini" file:

 

C:\chain0="Mac OS X86"

 

Your "Boot.ini" file should now look something like this:

 

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

C:\chain0="Mac OS X86"

 

Reboot your PC and you should now a have a selection screen showing Windows and Mac OS X.

[apolloae]

If you boot the PC again from the Msdos disk an type in

fdisk /mbr

and reboot... can you now start with Windows?

If not, booting again from the MSDOS disk, typing fdisk and selecting the option that shows all the partitions, are there still the OSX and XP partitions? If not, then you can't boot the PC and probably have lost the data.

If there is still partitions, has one of them the flag ACTIVE? If not, select the option that set a partition active and reboot.

 

I will try using fdisk /mbr again and see if that works.

 

I have tried selecting the partitions using fdisk, and at first when set the Windows Partition to the active partition, it gave me an error saying it couldn't find the OS, but I could get into OSX. But now, if I set either of the partitions to active I get the same error saying it cannot find the OS.

 

Both partitions show, and they show as having something on them, so I know I haven't erased anything.

 

Yo man

 

Look assuming that you installed OS X from a bootable DVD onto an extra partition, you could just reinsert the install DVD and press F8 for boot options, and it should under most conditions show you the HD to which you installed OS X.

 

If you can do that,boot back into OS X, and on the system preferences panel, select startup disk, and make the "Windows, Unknown on Unknown" disk the startup disk and then select Restart.

 

Your PC will now reboot into Windows XP but make sure the Mac install DVD is not in the drive. Once in windows, do the following.

 

Insert the install DVD into your rom, and open it. Search for a file named "Chain0" on the dvd and, once you found it, copy it to your "c" drive.

 

Problem with this is when I go into the OSX installer and get into Startup Disk, it doesn't see the other partition which I know is there. At one point I miraculously got the option to start with Windows, so I tried it and it said "Missing Operating System" (even though it just recognized it??). Usually I see that I can start it up on OSX on the other partition, however when I try that, it also says that I'm missing the OS.

 

Any thoughts?

[miliuco]

Try to boot from the Windows XP CD to start the XP installation but, when you must select between install / repair, you must select repair with the recovery console, then you'll get a command screen and you'll type in:

 

fixboot + INTRO

 

fixmbr + INTRO

 

If the XP partition is there, this commands can allow to start from it.

[apolloae]

Try to boot from the Windows XP CD to start the XP installation but, when you must select between install / repair, you must select repair with the recovery console, then you'll get a command screen and you'll type in:

 

fixboot + INTRO

 

fixmbr + INTRO

 

If the XP partition is there, this commands can allow to start from it.

 

I tried this but it says that + INTRO is an invalid perameter. Perhaps you meant something else?

 

EDIT: I assume that meant fixboot intro and fixmbr intro, without the plus. I tried the first, and it says that FIXBOOT cannot find the system drive, which I take as a bad sign. Then I tried the FIXMBR and after I pressed enter it just went to a new line, without giving me any kind of confirmation that I did anything. With the results of the FIXBOOT, I'm definately worried...I have not tried to format anything and I believe that when I put the OSX disk to load off of, that recognizes the patition with XP on it, as well as that there are files on that partition.

[miliuco]

Sorry, what I mean is:

 

fixboot and press ENTER

fixmbr and press ENTER

 

Here in Spain we write often "+ INTRO" instead of "press the ENTER key".

And before to see the command line, the recovery console asks to select the XP installation to repair, Is it so? There is at least one XP installation to select?

[HP_Mac]

Ditto to the above mentioned. Once you can repair the mbr and boot back into windows, then do the steps i outlined above (ChainO steps etc.) you should then be able to successfully dual boot the system.

 

I have been dual booting between Windows and Mac OS X for a while now, as I only have wireless and USB internet access and neither work under Mac OS X on my laptop.

[apolloae]

Sorry, what I mean is:

 

fixboot and press ENTER

fixmbr and press ENTER

 

Here in Spain we write often "+ INTRO" instead of "press the ENTER key".

And before to see the command line, the recovery console asks to select the XP installation to repair, Is it so? There is at least one XP installation to select?

 

¿España? ¿Hablas español, verdad? Puedo ver que estas traduciendo de español a ingles, me entretengo mucho. Pienso que puedas ver que enseño español en los EEUU.

 

En vez de "And before to see the command line" (en español: "y antes ver la linea..."), debes decir "And before you see the command line...". También, no digas "Is it so", en vez de eso debes decir "Right?" o "is that what happens?".

 

Puedo practicar el español. Por favor, corréjeme.

 

Gracias para su ayuda.

 

Ditto to the above mentioned. Once you can repair the mbr and boot back into windows, then do the steps i outlined above (ChainO steps etc.) you should then be able to successfully dual boot the system.

 

I have been dual booting between Windows and Mac OS X for a while now, as I only have wireless and USB internet access and neither work under Mac OS X on my laptop.

 

Cool, thanks. I'll see if this works right now.

 

EDIT: Well, this is a step in the right direction at least. I did those commands and now I don't get the same errors, in fact, I have stepped back to where I was. So now OSX will load fine (yay!) however when I try to load Windows it says that there was an error loading the operating system. Any ideas for this?

 

So far I'm indebted to you guys though, with OSX working I can still recover my files off of the other partition if I cannot get XP to work. Thanks so much!

[apolloae]

Ah! I started up the computer and ejected a floppy while it was reading it, and now it is giving me an error - NTLDR is not found, or something of the like. How do I fix this? I see other threads involving this, but I don't quite understand how to go about fixing this problem.

 

><

 

I had it for a second! Oh well...I got some work to do this weekend!

[miliuco]

HP_Mac: I like your comments about the chain0 method but it's not valid for some of us, I don't know why (it's discussed in the dual booting forum). I've tried to get the chain0 file from the install DVD, from the 10.4.5 working system, even using the dd unix command but I always get a partition error when Tiger is selected in the XP boot loader. I have dual booting by having the Tiger disk in a internal case that has a switch to turn on/off that disk.

 

apolloae: ¿californiano? ¡Qué sorpresa! Escribes español muy, muy bien, ya quisiera yo escribir inglés igual de bien... Has puesto "corréjeme" en vez de "corrígeme" El resto... perfecto. Y gracias por las anotaciones (efectivamente, me ves con el diccionario español-inglés en la mano mientras escribo mensajes en este foro). Si alguna vez deseas (sin compromiso, ¿eh?) comentar cosas en castellano, encantado de leerte en emilioxxx@miliuco.net (quita las 3 x).

 

I started up the computer and ejected a floppy while it was reading it, and now it is giving me an error - NTLDR is not found

NTLDR is necessary to boot Windows XP (also Windows 2000 and Windows 2003), the boot loader tries to launch Windows but it doesn't find that file, many times it means that there is a partition error, if the fixboot and fixmbr commands don't solve this problem, it's a bad thing.

[apolloae]

HP_Mac: I like your comments about the chain0 method but it's not valid for some of us, I don't know why (it's discussed in the dual booting forum). I've tried to get the chain0 file from the install DVD, from the 10.4.5 working system, even using the dd unix command but I always get a partition error when Tiger is selected in the XP boot loader. I have dual booting by having the Tiger disk in a internal case that has a switch to turn on/off that disk.

 

apolloae: ¿californiano? ¡Qué sorpresa! Escribes español muy, muy bien, ya quisiera yo escribir inglés igual de bien... Has puesto "corréjeme" en vez de "corrígeme" El resto... perfecto. Y gracias por las anotaciones (efectivamente, me ves con el diccionario español-inglés en la mano mientras escribo mensajes en este foro). Si alguna vez deseas (sin compromiso, ¿eh?) comentar cosas en castellano, encantado de leerte en emilioxxx@miliuco.net (quita las 3 x).

NTLDR is necessary to boot Windows XP (also Windows 2000 and Windows 2003), the boot loader tries to launch Windows but it doesn't find that file, many times it means that there is a partition error, if the fixboot and fixmbr commands don't solve this problem, it's a bad thing.

 

¡Gracias! Hablas ingles muy bien; ¡ingles es un idioma dificil!

 

As for the NTLDR I will try to use fixboot and fixmbr to see if I can fix that issue...I'll get back to you later tonight, perhaps tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

 

También, ¿usas MSN?

[apolloae]

Yikes, triple post, but I'm trying to make sure this stays up top so it's easier to see. And because I'm an egotistical jackass. But I'm trying to help people here, so it all balances out.

 

Anyway, it says NTLDR is missing after I run both fixboot and fixmbr. Any way to fix? (Also, it says "NTLDR is missing, press any key to restart", and when I press any key it sounds like my computer is trying to read the floppy disk. Is it looking for NTLDR on the floppy (which is OUTSIDE of the drive)?

[Superhai]

Are you able to see your Windows partition inside OS X? If it says it can't find NTLDR that is usually and indication of a corrupt Windows partition. FAT or NTFS?

[apolloae]

Are you able to see your Windows partition inside OS X? If it says it can't find NTLDR that is usually and indication of a corrupt Windows partition. FAT or NTFS?

 

Yes, I can see my Windows parition inside OSX when OSX loads, however now I'm getting the "Error Loading OS" when I try to load XP and the NTLDR error when I try to load OSX, which is rather odd since I believe OSX doesn't have NTLDR! Perhaps I'm wrong, but...

 

Also, I'm not sure about FAT or NTFS, I believe NTFS but how do I check? (Also, just so I can learn a thing or two, what does FAT and NTFS stand for/whats the layman's terms difference?)

[miliuco]

Yes, I can see my Windows parition inside OSX when OSX loads, however now I'm getting the "Error Loading OS" when I try to load XP and the NTLDR error when I try to load OSX, which is rather odd since I believe OSX doesn't have NTLDR! Perhaps I'm wrong, but...

Hola, no sé si vas a poder salvar este problema de las particiones.

 

Tiger doesn't have NTLDR, only the NT-2000-XP-2003 family of windows systems. If NTLDR doesn't load at startup, XP can't run. But I don't understand if you are able to run Tiger and to see the XP partition mounted at the desktop or Tiger stops while booting with the NTLDR message.

If you can start Tiger and you see the XP disk in the desktop, we must believe that the XP partition is there but it can't boot the operating system.

Try other task: boot from the XP install CD, select to install (not to repair) in the same partition but DON'T FORMAT IT, the setup ask to you for a name for the windows directory, give to it another name different to windows, wait until the copy of files has started and cancel the install process (F3 key, I doubt, or turning off the PC pressing the power button for 4 sec.). Reboot; at this moment you must obtain a boot menu with 2 boot options: the XP system or the interrupted installation, select the XP system. When XP has completely loaded, yo can erase the installation files (all files and folders that start with the dollar symbol: $) (this task restore the XP boot files: boot.ini, NTLDR, etc...)

[apolloae]

Hola, no sé si vas a poder salvar este problema de las particiones.

 

Tiger doesn't have NTLDR, only the NT-2000-XP-2003 family of windows systems. If NTLDR doesn't load at startup, XP can't run. But I don't understand if you are able to run Tiger and to see the XP partition mounted at the desktop or Tiger stops while booting with the NTLDR message.

If you can start Tiger and you see the XP disk in the desktop, we must believe that the XP partition is there but it can't boot the operating system.

Try other task: boot from the XP install CD, select to install (not to repair) in the same partition but DON'T FORMAT IT, the setup ask to you for a name for the windows directory, give to it another name different to windows, wait until the copy of files has started and cancel the install process (F3 key, I doubt, or turning off the PC pressing the power button for 4 sec.). Reboot; at this moment you must obtain a boot menu with 2 boot options: the XP system or the interrupted installation, select the XP system. When XP has completely loaded, yo can erase the installation files (all files and folders that start with the dollar symbol: $) (this task restore the XP boot files: boot.ini, NTLDR, etc...)

 

Bueno, he visto esta manera de solucionarlo, y se me olvidó. (¡Me divertí mucho que peudo hablar contigo en español!)

 

What's weird though is that it gives me the NTLDR error when I try to start the OSX partition, it doesn't quite make sense...

 

A few corrections (to help your English out):

 

En vez de "Try other task" en el trecera párrafo, usa "Try another meathod" o "Try a different meathod"...It's true that it is a task, but it's another meathod (or "way") that the person can go about solving the problem. Also, remember (last sentence) singular nouns ("task") usually have verbs with an -s ending (restores). Your English is great, but since you help other people so much (or so it seems ) it's good to get a pointer now and again!

[apolloae]

Awesome! I installed Windows to a folder called Windows2 and it found the original partition and I didn't have to rename any folders. Right now I am backing up ALL of my files and then I will try to get onto OSX again. If that still doesn't work, then I will reformat and try to do the process starting from a clean slate. Thanks so much guys. I hope OSX works! (I'll find out in a few hours after I'm done backing up all my files on my external HD)

 

EDIT: Nope, OSX still doesn't work. I think I'm going to do a full wipe this weekend if someone can point me in the direction of a guide that shows how to make the 2 partitions, install both operating systems, and create a dualboot. I'm hoping there are guides out there like this, since I think this will be the most effective way to install OSX and XP on the same system, especially because now I know how much space I would like each drive to have as well as what programs I want each to run, what type of format my partitions should be in, etc.

 

Thanks to all of you who helped me; without you all, I would have lost all my files. Thanks!!!

[HP_Mac]

Its quite simple. So I'll put it in as few and easy steps as possible.

 

Back up your data and reboot the pc. Boot from the Windows XP install cd. Once in the setup, where it asks you to which drive to install, delete all the partitions you see there, then create two new partitions. Make at least a 10gb one for OS X. Format the partition on which you are going to install XP with NTFS(quick), but leave the one for OS X raw (unformatted). Install XP as you normally would.

 

Ok, when the install for XP is complete, boot into Windows and follow the steps i first posted, concerning ChainO and the Boot.ini file. Dont bother with driver and app installations just yet. That can wait for later. Reboot the PC with the OS X install disk in the drive.

 

Boot from the OS X install dvd and once in the installer, open the disk utility and format the Raw partition you created for OS X using Mac File System (Journalised) and proceed to install OS X. Note, if you are installuing from the original 10.4.1 developer dvd, do a custom install and deselect the developer tools. If you are not planning on prining from OS X, deselect the USB printer drivers as well. This will shave a lot of GBs off you space requirements.

 

Once OS X is installed, boot into OS X and follow the steps i posted above concerning the Windows Startup disk selection. Reboot.

 

Now, all things, considered, the dual boot option should be available, and you should be able to successfully boot both operating systems. Boot into XP and install your drivers, apps, etc.

 

Let me know if this has worked.

 

Best of luck.

 

Hugo

[miliuco]

apolloae: we have worked strongly but at last you have saved your windata

 

Now... to install XP and X following the hp_mac guidelines. I remark:

 

- format the XP target partition as NTFS quick

- what Tiger DVD are you installing? I have installed the 10.4.4 to 10.4.5 by Myzar and I recommend to select during the installation: base system, language (four you english speakers there's no need to select one), patch Owned (Maxxuss ownage) and 10.4.5 upgrade, AMD enabler if your chip is AMD and nothing more.

 

"...¡Me divertí mucho que peudo hablar contigo en español..."

debe ser:

¡Me divertí mucho pudiendo hablar contigo en español!

o

¡Me divertí mucho ya que pude hablar contigo en español!

y otras maneras de decirlo puesto que, como en inglés, siempre hay varias maneras de construir una frase.

[apolloae]

apolloae: we have worked strongly but at last you have saved your windata

 

Now... to install XP and X following the hp_mac guidelines. I remark:

 

- format the XP target partition as NTFS quick

- what Tiger DVD are you installing? I have installed the 10.4.4 to 10.4.5 by Myzar and I recommend to select during the installation: base system, language (four you english speakers there's no need to select one), patch Owned (Maxxuss ownage) and 10.4.5 upgrade, AMD enabler if your chip is AMD and nothing more.

 

"...¡Me divertí mucho que peudo hablar contigo en español..."

debe ser:

¡Me divertí mucho pudiendo hablar contigo en español!

o

¡Me divertí mucho ya que pude hablar contigo en español!

y otras maneras de decirlo puesto que, como en inglés, siempre hay varias maneras de construir una frase.

 

I am have OSX 10.4.3, but I am beginning to realize there are a lot of other more recent versions; 10.4.4 and 10.4.5...just starting to hear about a 10.4.6 too. Are the changes significant? If they are then I'll invest a day into aquiring it, but if the changes aren't big I'd rather just stay with 10.4.3. What do you think?

[miliuco]

The best DVD install is the 10.4.3 version and many of us have had a good experience with it, the 10.4.4 is very difficult to install but there's a torrent file with a 10.4.4 version that Myzar has integrated with some Maxxuss patches and the Apple upgrade to 10.4.5, this is the best for now (I think).

Yo can read (spanish) about the Tiger x86 versions and my experience about it here:

Instalar Mac OS X x86 en mi PC

You can try the 10.4.3 again or to download the 10.4.4 to 10.4.5 an to try it.

POST: what means btw, a word that I read in some posts?

[apolloae]

The best DVD install is the 10.4.3 version and many of us have had a good experience with it, the 10.4.4 is very difficult to install but there's a torrent file with a 10.4.4 version that Myzar has integrated with some Maxxuss patches and the Apple upgrade to 10.4.5, this is the best for now (I think).

Yo can read (spanish) about the Tiger x86 versions and my experience about it here:

Instalar Mac OS X x86 en mi PC

You can try the 10.4.3 again or to download the 10.4.4 to 10.4.5 an to try it.

POST: what means btw, a word that I read in some posts?

 

If you say that 10.4.3 is the best, I'll stick with it. Thanks for the advice.

 

BTW is an acronym for "By the way", which offsets another, usually unrelated sentence. For example, if I were talking about computers and said "BTW, your signature is cool." It would mean "By the way, your signature is cool," as a sidenote.

 

Two other things: I assume you edited your post, so when you do that, use "EDIT:" or something like that, also remember that when you ask what something means in Spanish you use "¿qué significa..." literally meaning "what means", but it does not translate directly. To ask "qué significa..." in English, say "What does ___ mean?". So instead of "POST: what means btw" say "EDIT: What does btw mean?"

 

Do you use MSN?

[miliuco]

The 10.4.3 is the best install DVD but the 10.4.4 with 10.4.5 upgrade, which has a more slow and perhaps problematic installation, generates a better system with better hardware detection and better operation. If you have the 10.4.3 installed and working, Ok but, if you're planning to install again, get the 10.4.4 to 10.4.5 Myzar DVD and try it.

No uso apenas MSN, si te apetece, escribe a

xyz@QUITAESTOmiliuco.net

y prometo responder.

Además, estoy apuntando tus consejos linguísticos en un texto para conservarlos y utilizarlos