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	Replies: 5 - Pages: 1 - Last Post: 08-Dec-2011 07:55 Last Post By: Macius	Threads: [ Previous \| Next ]

Ricm_1

Posts: 3
Registered: 04/12/11

Satellite A50, recovery failure
Posted: 04-Dec-2011 23:13

Hi. I haven't found this questions answered anywhere. When I purchased my A50 laptop I made a new partition for installing linux. It's been working fine for years untill WinXP began complaning. I found no way of restoring the operating system so I tried the recovery CD.

I told the recovery program to install the image into the windows partition. The process seemed to work fine, it asked for the second CD and then asked to reboot the system. When I try to boot in windows the system crashes and automatically reboots. If I choose safe mode with F8 then it says "the installation process was not completed".

I have tried this twice so far. Maybe I should totally erase the hdd, including the linux partition? That option doesn't make me happy. Or maybe I should format the windows partition before copying the image?

I kindly ask for some advice: I'm totally stuck

MannerhagenVPO

Posts: 152
Registered: 17/09/10

Re: Satellite A50, recovery failure
Posted: 05-Dec-2011 09:46

in response to: Ricm_1

Hi

I assume the Linux partition is after the Windows partition and that you ask the reco-process to touch the C-partition only?
Since you have 2 OS'es there probably is (or at least was) a boot loader somewhere to let you choose which OS to boot up?

Is this loader working still or not?

Normally the MS OS'es are a bit ego-tripped, disregard from anything but themselves.
So to be able to have a dual-boot with Linux (or any other OS) the install process probably need to be in this order:

1: windows
2: other OS

And the other OS will take care about the boot loader setup.

Now since you have installed Windows again, it probably have messed up this boot loader.
So you may need to

1- fix the Windows boot loader. That may be possible with the tools you have via the recovery disks.
Try boot from the 1st one and cancel or abort the batch to get to the command prompt.
Then look for and run fixmbr and fixboot.

2 - fix the "other-os" boot loader so that you can get back to the dual boot situation.
As you have not mentioned which Linux distro and version you're using, I am unable to give you a direct-hit solution.
To further complicate things, the solution depends on which boot loader you are using. GRUB is probably still the most common and there is a pretty ok guide existing here: Link: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

Always keep backups when messing around with these things!!

Good luck and have fun!

BR Tom

Ricm_1

Posts: 3
Registered: 04/12/11

Re: Satellite A50, recovery failure
Posted: 05-Dec-2011 18:56

in response to: MannerhagenVPO

Hi Tom
Many thanks for your reply.

->I assume the Linux partition is after the Windows partition and that you ask the reco-process to touch the C-partition only?

Right.

->Since you have 2 OS'es there probably is (or at least was) a boot loader somewhere to let you choose which OS to boot up? Is this loader working still or not?

Yes. Grub. It works. I am capable of choosing which OS I want to boot. I can see Windows initial screen, then after a few seconds I can see a glimpse of a blue error screen, then it reboots. I can choose safe mode and it doesn't reboot, but complains about the installing process being incomplete.

->Now since you have installed Windows again, it probably have messed up this boot loader.

I don't think this is the case. I believe booting works normally and something goes wrong later.

->So you may need to

->1- fix the Windows boot loader. That may be possible with the tools you have via the recovery disks.
->Try boot from the 1st one and cancel or abort the batch to get to the command prompt.
->Then look for and run fixmbr and fixboot.

Thanks. I hadn't thought of this. But I still think mrb is ok.

2 - fix the "other-os" boot loader so that you can get back to the dual boot situation.

I actually can.

->As you have not mentioned which Linux distro and version you're using, I am unable to give you a direct-hit solution.
To further complicate things, the solution depends on which boot loader you are using. GRUB is probably still the most common and there is a pretty ok guide existing here: Link: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

Thanks for the link but I am actually writing this post from the same computer where the problem is. I am running Debian and my boot loader is grub.

->Always keep backups when messing around with these things!!

Of course.

By the way, I checked the partition integrity and there were no errors. Could this be due to the RAM being corrupt? I could run a memtest from a linux cd.

Thanks in advance

MannerhagenVPO

Posts: 152
Registered: 17/09/10

Re: Satellite A50, recovery failure
Posted: 07-Dec-2011 14:39

in response to: Ricm_1

Hi again

Ok. That sounds complicated.
Bluescreens normally means something tricky.

I don't think this unit has a SATA-controller right?
So you have not set it to Compatibility or so in BIOS?

If that is not the case I fear the solution will be complicated.
Are you sure the recovery media is for you specific hardware?

Did you successfully use that specific recovery set on your system before?

BR
Tom

Ricm_1

Posts: 3
Registered: 04/12/11

Re: Satellite A50, recovery failure
Posted: 07-Dec-2011 18:56

in response to: MannerhagenVPO

I don't think it has a SATA controller. I haven't touched anything in BIOS.

The recovery media are two CDs which came together with the laptop when I bought it. I hadn't used them before. I haven't tried recovering the whole hard drive, I mean, erasing the partitions and restoring the drive to the factory state.

Thanks again for your time.

Hi
Thanks for your reply.

Macius

Posts: 1,699
Registered: 26/09/09

Re: Satellite A50, recovery failure
Posted: 08-Dec-2011 07:55

in response to: Ricm_1

I told the recovery program to install the image into the windows partition.

If your notebook has old recovery system and I think it does, I recommend you to use Standard mode installation. This will erase the whole HDD and install OS.

I think it should work.
As far as I know Toshiba people have created recovery for Windows usage only and not in combination with Linux. Such stuff is also not tested coz Toshiba doesn’t support Linux usage.

After doing clean Win installation install Linux again.

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