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I was trying to solve this and i used partimage to restore the MBR from a file. It completely wrecked my partitions. I now have 3, a 100mb, a large one and a 9mb. Windows XP complained and Windows 7 got an error trying to format on the middle drive. I then tried to install on the middle drive and it didnt allow me.
I cant install an os! how do i fix this?!
-edit-
I tried
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
and
bootsect nt60 ALL /force
no luck, i still cant repartition it.
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Windows must be installed on the first partition on the drive. It sounds like you have a few little partitions before it. Windows 7 and vista creates a little partition for its own use right before the primary partition where windows is installed. Either way... when you install windows... it needs the first part of the drive in order to work properly.
There are probably two little partitions now because windows 7 had one from the initial install. Now that you tried re-installing on the middle partition, it created another little partition right before it during the install process. Thus you have two little partitions.
If you want to reformat... delete the two little partitions and merge the space with the main partition (or just delete all partitions) and then install.
James T
Posted 2010-06-30T20:10:42.540
Reputation: 8 515
It doesnt allow me, i get an error – None – 2010-06-30T20:40:25.367
@acidzombie24 Try using the gparted live cd to do the partition work. http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
– James T – 2010-06-30T20:43:15.097i believe i have that on my livecd. The graphics didnt work. Do you know the cmd line option? i tried googling but havent had luck ATM. – None – 2010-06-30T20:44:08.917
@acidzombie24 You can try using the vesa driver if it lets you choose. Also choose 800x600 resolution. If this does not work, you can use cfdisk which is a menu based command line partition editor. Make sure to "write" before quitting. Let me know if you need more details. – James T – 2010-06-30T20:51:13.257
cfdisk worked! however i found an odd problem. Win7 allowed me to partition the drive. WinXP complained and didnt allow me to get to the menu where it ask if i like to repair (or install). Win7 then allowed me to install. I tried winXP again and it still doesnt allow me to install. It still has a problem. Any ideas? – None – 2010-06-30T22:09:42.617
@acidzombie24 Are you trying to dual boot windows 7 and windows xp or are you trying to install windows xp on top of windows 7? – James T – 2010-06-30T22:13:07.850
dual boot, i know i am suppose to install XP then win7 which creates a boot manager to select between the two. But... you know, i couldnt. – None – 2010-06-30T22:14:44.927
@acidzombie24 Try to delete everything again. First try installing XP. In the install process, split the drive into two partitions equally if you like (one for xp and one for windows 7). Install XP on the first partition. Then boot the windows 7 dvd and install on the second partition. – James T – 2010-06-30T22:21:24.583
I tried that already. When i got win7 working i made a partition (50gb) which win7 made into 2 (100mb + 50gb-100mb). Then created 2 more partitions without format. This worked in the past. I can format the drives in win7. I took a pic of the error and looked up win XP stop 7b http://i46.tinypic.com/315lxj6.jpg and found this http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3BEN-US%3B314082
maybe it isnt related to the mbr. This is a new disk. I sent my laptop for warranty service which is why i am reformatting/restoring.
I think this is a separate problem so i made this http://superuser.com/questions/158784/windows-xp-cant-install-stop-error-0x0000007b
– None – 2010-06-30T22:45:25.010@acidzombie24 I am confused with all the partitions that were created. I would use GParted to get a better overview. Gparted lets you grow and shrink partitions as needed too. The microsoft article is only relevant if you moved an already installed XP disk over to a different computer. You are installing xp from scratch so the article does not apply. The error message indicates that there might be file system corruption. You can try right clicking on the c drive in explorer click properties > tools and under "error-checking" click "check now". – James T – 2010-06-30T22:46:52.183
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Boot from the W7 DVD and delete all the partitions during set up, skip the format tool, just continue with installing W7 on the unallocated partition.
One Unallocated partition will be created when you delete all the partitions.
EDIT:
Download this FREE utility, make the bootable disc and use it to wipe the drive, then try installing again.\
Moab
Posted 2010-06-30T20:10:42.540
Reputation: 54 203
how do i delete without the format tool? The only partition large enough (>1gb) windows 7 didnt allow me to install onto. James solved 1 problem. Win7 can now install and seems to be working fine. However winxp complains and wont even let me get to the screen to hit r for repair – None – 2010-06-30T22:08:18.593
I was talking about starting over from scratch, Win 7 or XP can do it during setup when you install the OS. – Moab – 2010-06-30T23:01:53.457
So was i. I got an error there and was like WTF! thus this question. (i have formated at least 30times with XP) – None – 2010-07-01T00:16:54.837
Read my edit in my post above – Moab – 2010-07-01T12:27:32.173
You may have overlapping partitions or some similar conflict that Windows won't let you fix. I suggest examining the partition table from a Linux Live CD and posting what it says, or it may be obvious what needs to be done. – kmarsh – 2010-06-30T21:22:36.360