[mike9999]

Hey guys. I think I screwed up. Let me see if I can explain this.

I loaded Mint 14 KDE on a USB drive. I can run it as a live USB. No problem.

I wanted to install on my hard drive with a partition.

I started the process by clicking the destop icon (Install Linux Mint 14) on the KDE desktop.

After a couple sccreens like, language and disk space, it gave me 3 options:

a) Use full disk
b) Dual boot patition
c) Manual

I started the partition process and accidentally interrupted the process.

Now, when I attempt to install on the hard drive I only get 2 options.

a) Use full disk
b) Manual.

I have no idea how to manually partition a hard drive to accept a second, bootable OS.

Can you help?

Thanks!

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Its very easy i done it many time, Pm me, else what i can advise u install ur windows first then, install mint alongside it will be done automatically

[ash004]

Its very easy i done it many time, Pm me, else what i can advise u install ur windows first then, install mint alongside it will be done automatically

[Wolfeymole]

It would be preferable to post your thoughts in the thread Ash rather than take it to PM as other members who may be experiencing this aspect could possibly benefit from your input.

[ash004]

well Actually its very very easy i use mint Linux too, Here a nice guide i found for you http://www.linuxbsdo...-and-windows-7/ when ever Happen you reach where to select the parition, make sure u revert first and click on change, then u select the partition u want to put your Linux its very easy check this Link out that might help u

[anzenketh]

What option did you choose previously? It sounds as if you choose option A. This would have wiped any existing operating system and is not recoverable without a lot of work and luck.

You can still install Windows(or Mac OS if it is Apple hardware) and Linux if you want. You would first want to install windows. Then put in the Linux Mint CD and choose option B.

[flyboy1565]

Hey did you get this figured out? Did you happen to wipe out the Windows Os?

[mike9999]

I already have XP SP3 installed and a bunch of files, and that still operated fine. The first time I started it asked me if i would like a dual boot, and how much space I wanted to allocate. Then, like I said, I interrupted the process. Now, when I try to install, that "automatic" partition option is no longer available. If I choose "manual" a partition manager appears. I am not sure which file system to choose for the OS or the swap. I'm afraid if I allocate too much, I'll wipe out some files or part of the Windows OS.

Thanks, Ash. That is exactly the article(s) I was looking for. The linked article: "Guide to disks and disk partitions in Linux" was helpful, as well. Someone told me I should create a partition for "Home" because it would make it much easier to change the distro. According to the article, this option is better than the "automatic" dual boot.

I've read through both and I'm gonna try it. I have 75GB free. I'm gonna try to free up some more by transfering some files to a USB drive. I'll get back and let you know how it goes.

[mike9999]

It's not letting me resize the Windows partition.

[mike9999]

Looks like I got it now. I ran CHKDSK and repaired the bad sectors.

[mike9999]

PROBLEM

I have Mint installed on my hard drive. I got it to boot.

I can not get Windows to boot.

Missing or corrupt file:

<windows root> system32\hal.dll
Please reinstall

[ash004]

When you install did u chose Option install alongside or?

[mike9999]

Sorry, I fixed the problem. I had attempted to manually partition the hard drive, which was OK. The problem was I tried to manually alter the [boot.ini] file to create a dual boot screen. Something I shouldn't have done.

I used a Hiren's Boot CD to access the boot.ini file and realized the [partition(X)] was set to (1) instead of (2). Stupid mistake.



[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /TUTag=TNE1WU /Kernel=TUKernel.exe
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition (TuneUp Backup)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /TUTag=TNE1WU-BAK

[spybotsd]
timeout.old=0