NTLDR selecting other OS reports error

[MIRKOSOFT]

Hello!

Finally I added to NTLDR Linux and DOS.
I'm booting to NTLDR by floppy and active partition is DOS.

When I select XP it boots correctly to XP.
When I select other OS (no matter which) it reports:

Code: [Select]

<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll
is damaged/missing, reinstall file!
Windows is on 2nd partition, DOS is on 1st and on 3rd is Linux.
Error message looks like searching HAL.DLL on other partition... but to be sure I copied it to 1st DOS partition with same path - in this case C:\Windows\System32\

BOOT.INI contains:

Code: [Select]

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
C:\bootsect.dos="MS-DOS 7.10" /win95dos
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\linux.bin="Commodore OS Vision"
I think it is not relevant how I created LINUX.BIN.
Can anybody help me with error message written above?

Thank you in advance!
Miro

[Geek-9pm]

Windows and Linux do not agree on how the parsons are numbered.
try different partitions numbers for Windows.
It is a lot easier if you put Linux on one drive and Windows on another.

[MIRKOSOFT]

It is laptop, so 2nd HDD is not yet available - later will have.

Why it cannot work?
partition 1: DOS - FAT32 - bootable
partition 2: XP - FAT32
partition 3: Linux - Ext4
partition 4: Linux - Swap

What is there wrong?
I see nothing, but you said only "wrong".

Miro

[Geek-9pm]

There are details you did not include.
Is this drive a MBR type?
Linux does not number partitions like Windows for MBR.
Example:
Linux might have these numbers from left to right:
1 2 5 6 3
For that same drive  Windows could number therm as:
1 2 4 5 3
Sorry, I do not know how to explain this in 25 words r less.
Rather than do it by hand, you need to use a partition manager that will automatically provide the right information.

Yes, any laptop does have room for a second drive.
You have the USB ports. Both DOS and Linux can boot from USB.
You can use the CD drive for DOS or Linux
DOS 6.22 was made available on a CD sometime ago and it seems that Microsoft has not stopped people from using it for person use only.
Here is howto find the DOS 6.22 thing:
Google put dos 6.22 on a CD download

Does that help any?

[MIRKOSOFT]

Yes it is MBR drive.

There's no matter where is Linux I think - NTLDR uses LINUX.BIN - what is copy of Linux boot sector and was created in Linux. Details I can provide.
I'm not fan of any boot manager - best is to do it with existing.

My laptop can have 2nd HDD - by replacing DVD drive - but I have not yet enough money to buy it.
Then I create other partition table at all. But yet have available only single disk.
USB or Live OS - USB is too slow and Live OS is not what I need - so this way is not my choice.
You suggested me downloading MS-DOS 6.22 on CD - I own MS-DOS 7.10 on CD also live DOS and Windows 3.11 floppies - so resources I have lot.

I need to fix NTLDR problem...

Thank you for understanding.
Miro

[patio]

See Here...

[Geek-9pm]

Thanks, Patio. That was a good catch. He warns all:

This is a very complicated procedure. If you do something wrong, you will have locked yourself out of your own computer. Recovery can be very time consuming. Be prepared for some hours of pain and horror!
First, please prepare some emergency boot media, such as your original Linux installation CD/DVD or USB pen drive. Some Linux distributions feature a recovery mode which will allow you either connect your installation to a boot prompt (i.e. chroot), which will in turn allow you to recovery your Linux boot ability (like: running grub-install from the chroot), or to boot from your installation directly (rare).

Have fun! 

[patio]

From his other Post it would appear he is already locked out of the PC...