Hi all, ive just tried installing slackware 9.0 on my "spare" P.C, i used Acronis partition expert to create a new linux partition, so it can alongside windoze 98, just untill i convert all my college work to linux compatable files of course

I used bare.1 and install.1 & 2, got halfway through (i was just confirming that i wanted all the kde files and............ powercut!!!

so i re-booted the pc, with bare.i, and it said "not enough space, system halted" and just sat there doing nothing!

So i decided to run '98, and re-format the partition, I turned the box on and off, the bios gets as far as Starting o/s and it just stopped, again!

Now is the time for a confession, i was so eager to try Slackware i didnt make the rescue disk, and the '98 start up disk is no good, so i cant boot my pc, any ideas?

Oh yeah, i cant make a boot disk with this one, because its a new laptop, without an a: drive, and the other pc cant boot from cd!

Please has anyone got a suggestion? If i have to buy new hardware, i will, but i dont want to spend too much money, or i'd have stuck with windoze!!!!

Thanks in advance for any help

Stuart

Stuart --

I don't know how you were installing Slack 9 -- if you were installing from CD, it's feasible you could boot off the CD, run fdisk, and reinstall. I think you're only other option would be to find a boot disk somewhere -- use a friends computer!

--Misha

I was installing from the CD, but i had to make the boot and root disks using rawwrite, and these dont even load now!!!

Does anyone know if a rescue disk will be any better?

If you can't boot off of a boot disk, chances are the rescue disk won't boot either. Sounds like you fried your BIOS. With most mainboards there's a way to physically reset it by switching a jumper around, but you'd have to check your mainboard manual for the details.

--Misha

It's not entirely clear what your current situation is. Depending on how you interpret your comments, it appears that there may be several different possibilities:

1. PC dies before completing its startup routine, and does not load any OS at all. Comment: Sounds like the power failure fried something on your motherboard. Hard to say, but it doesn't sound good.

2. PC will boot, but won't load either Windows or Linux. Comment: If you can at least get to the C:\ prompt, it may be possible to "rescue" your Windows partition by running this command: fdisk /mbr

This is an undocumented command that will restore your Master Boot Record to a known, Windows-friendly state. [NOTE: Use this command at your own risk. It is risky and should only be used as a last resort.] Personally though, running this command has saved me on a couple of occasions and has brought back Windows to a usable state. Note that if it does work, it will kill your Linux partition, so you'd need to completely reinstall Slack.

3. PC will boot, and you can run Windows but not Slack. Comment: just drop the Linux partition, recreate it, and reinstall Slack.

I don't know if any of this might be helpful, but good luck with it. -- J.W.

Thanks to jw and mishak for all the advice, i tried several things, but ultimately decided on my own course of action,

1. Removed case from pc

2. Removed all pci/isa cards, cpu, memory and cables

3. Removed motherboard

4. Threw motherboard in bin, with great force

5. Installed motherboard i found in cupboard and rebuit pc

6. Installed slackware 9.0 (again) and have a whole new set of problems!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks