Can't boot CentOS after reinstalling Windows

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drbillc
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Joined: 2009/05/30 14:02:46
Location: MD

Can't boot CentOS after reinstalling Windows

Post by drbillc » 2010/11/27 03:11:40

I had Windows XP Pro 32 bit and CentOS 5.4 installed on my Dell M6400 laptop and life was wonderful. Until I had to reinstall Windows. In the process, I reformated the C: partition of the drive where the Windows operating system was installed. I was careful NOT to reformat anything else. Now I cannot boot CentOS. The drive that has both the Windows and CentOS still shows the same partitions as were there before I reinstalled Windows, namely:

NTFS (C:) 171.82 GB
/boot 102 MB
(F:) 60.96 GB

(F:) is where my CentOS partition has all of my linux data and apps. I assume /boot should be the boot partition for CentOS

I use Acronis OS Selector to show the partitions to boot. Now CentOS doesn't show as an option even if I go through the process of trying to detect a CentOS boot partition using OS Selector.

I have researched this in the forums but have not found anything that was of help. There was a thread from someone who had trouble booting Ubuntu on a system with Windows Vista and CentOS but I did not see anything there that looked like it would help in my situation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

drbillc
Posts: 74
Joined: 2009/05/30 14:02:46
Location: MD

Re: Can't boot CentOS after reinstalling Windows

Post by drbillc » 2010/11/27 14:08:45

I forgot to add that I did run linux rescue from the CentOS install CD #1 and it still didn't allow OS Selector to find a boot record

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toracat
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Can't boot CentOS after reinstalling Windows

Post by toracat » 2010/11/27 19:10:19

I'm not familiar with Acronis OS Selector but you can perhaps ask the company for help?

To boot CentOS and WinXP on a laptop, you should be just fine with grub. Here is a CentOS wiki on [url=http://wiki.centos.org/TipsAndTricks/ReinstallGRUB]How to reinstall grub[/url]. If you follow the instructions and successfully boot CentOS again but now do not know how to boot Windows, come back here for help.

drbillc
Posts: 74
Joined: 2009/05/30 14:02:46
Location: MD

Re: Can't boot CentOS after reinstalling Windows

Post by drbillc » 2010/11/28 03:13:17

Thanks. I think I will try your 1st suggestion and if that does not pan out I'll try your 2nd. I will let you know if I am successfull or not

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