dressup Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 (edited) I tried to boot OSX86 with my pc by using the Install On a Partition Simple and Accurate guide. I used diskpart to set the partition with OSx86 active, but it gives me an error (loading PBR for descriptor 3...done. Bad PBR) when trying to boot. How can I get back into windows now and make some changes to get this to work? anyone, please help! I'm sure there is a simple way, but as of now I am trying to boot from the windows install disk, but it takes me to a c prompt once I get past all of the drivers loading and a disk part there tells me "Unknown disk (there is no disk in this drive.) I'd really like to not have to re-install all of windows and all of the other {censored} that is on my machine... please, help Edited November 29, 2005 by dressup Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
dressup Posted November 29, 2005 Author Share Posted November 29, 2005 does no one have experience with this? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-32175 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 i would use a linux liveCD and launch fdisk (command: fdisk /dev/hda) DON'T if you feel unlucky... this is risky if you're not confident with partitions and FDISK. type 'p' to see the partition list, check that the primary partition (for windows) is active and has the bootable flag. to set the bootable flag, use the 'a' command. then use the 'w' command to save changes, reboot... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-32177 Share on other sites More sharing options...
dressup Posted November 29, 2005 Author Share Posted November 29, 2005 a linux liveCD and launch fdisk (command: fdisk /dev/hda) where do i get a linux liveCD? Maybe I should not be trying this if I don't know thta huh? any other suggestions? could I just install xp in the osx86 partition and dual boot 2 copies of XP, change the active partition and do away with the extra XP install when I have it booting to the original XP install and start over? I really appreciate the help byt the way! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-32188 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hagar Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 you an get knoppix ( a good linux live cd) at www.knopper.net From the sound of things you may have a glitchy partition table. If you use diskpart to set your *windows* partition active, do you get the same error when you try to boot? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-32191 Share on other sites More sharing options...
dressup Posted November 29, 2005 Author Share Posted November 29, 2005 you an get knoppix ( a good linux live cd) at www.knopper.net From the sound of things you may have a glitchy partition table. If you use diskpart to set your *windows* partition active, do you get the same error when you try to boot? I can't get at diskpart right now to set my *windows* partition active. That is the real problem. When I get to a C prompt it tells me that the C drive has no partitions on it, there is nothing to select... I can't boot back into XP even by doing a repair with the installation CD (when I do this I get the same "no partitions" thing from diskpart). I am toying with the idea of installing a second XP istall on the partition that osX86 is on. This seems like the only way to get back in and set the original XP partition back to the active partition unless there is an easier way... seriously appreciate the help by the way... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-32205 Share on other sites More sharing options...
dressup Posted November 30, 2005 Author Share Posted November 30, 2005 this is still not resolved. The machine will still not boot. I tried to do a ctrl-F11 to restore to factory setting and it says "failed to restore". Now I can't even get to a C:\>. The knoppix disc won't boot and I get "Loading PBR for descripor 4...done" "HFS+ partition error" When I try to boot from the XP install CD after it installs all of the drivers and I make any selection from the menu, it says that there is no harddrive. I know the harddrive is there, all 160gb of it. It is partitioned as follows: Disk 0: Partition1 Partition2 130gb Windows XP and all of the system files Partition3 10gb OSx86 (set as active) Partition4 systemrestore info (I assume) What can I do here? Is there anything? I just want to set Partition2 as active. Why can't I do that? What will it take to make that happen? Please, I am pulling my hair out over here. Please someone Help! Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-32597 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fripper Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Had the same problem. Easily solved it using Hiren's boot cd, which has partition magic in it. Set partition with xp to active, that's it. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/5049-major-problem/#findComment-34089 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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