Windows XP instalation Problem :(

[ahmad_abdulghany]

Hello
I have a Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop and i faced a problem that couldn't be solved!
when i got it, I expected a standard Windows XP media and separate applications CD that can let me pick and choose the software I want to install. What I got was only a restore CD that apparently sets up the machine in the original factory condition with all the junk software.. but what i had known later that this CD uses a 4GB special drive on the HDD containing backup data to restore..

My problem is that I wanted to split hard disck into many partitions and i used partaion magic for this issue and i did the following :
1. Delete the backup special partition (I didn't know what was it)
2. Creat Partition on the deleted space (empty now)
3. Delete another small partion (i think it was also important)
4. Creat Partion
5. Merge all these partions into one 57.3GB partion
6. Tried to split but failed
then i pressed apply

--> Windows restarted --> it applied then .. error message appered and it stopped then when i restarted .. no windows or anything but only a message : Press Alt+Ctrl+Del to restart ..

I tried to re-install windows using backup .. but i found it is not found (deleted)

then, I tried to install from my own Windows XP SP1 or SP2 .. when booting from CD the line: setup is inspecting your hardware appears then vanishes and ... nothing after that! only a black screen!!

I don't know what to do? Can anyone help me out? Please please please !! be fast
it is too urgent!

Thank you very much

 

[throwaway18]

You should allways have backups of your important files on seperate media when making changes to partitons or installing operting systems.

The small partition was probably the suspend-to-disk partion. If you didn't get the program for creating it on a CD with the computer you may be able to download it from Dell's website. If you want to recreate it you may have to create it beofre other partitions so it is at the start of the disk.

>be fast it is too urgent!

A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on our part.

Windows is probably trying to read the contents of the harddrive and failing because the partition information is bad.
If you are willing to accept that all the files you had on the computer are gone the best way to proceed is probably to completly wipe the harddrive. If you write zeros over the first sectors of the disk windows thinks it is a brand new harddrive that has never been used and will give you the options to partition it.

I usually use a linux boot CD or floppy and do
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda
((hda is primary master drive, hdb is primary slave, hdc is secondary master etc)

There are other utilitys available for disk wiping such as ultimate boot cd

If you want to try to get files back from the harddrive then your best bet is to get a 2.5" to 3.5" adaptor to put the harddrive from your laptop in aonther machine s a slave drive. Use the correct size screwdrivers when taking the caddy apart to get the harddrive out.

If you are very lucky the main partition will be ok and you will be able to copy files off. If not you will have to get some disk recovery tools and start work, it may be worth making a sector by sector copy of the drive to work on.

 

[VSMVDD]

my advice is to make a iso copy of partion magic restore image
and restore the hdd boot sector using it
i think your install files are gone

however i think dell make a small charge for the same stuff on cd

https://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/

 

[ahmad_abdulghany]

Thank you all the problem was fixed alhamdulillah