Hi, I have this double-boot old laptop with RedHat 7.3 and Windows
2000 Professional.

I had Windows on a VFAT partition and I could mount it in read/write
mode
from Linux. Everything was fine.  Then I decided to reinstall Windows
2000
because it was giving strange errors. However during installation the
sucker switched to NTFS without asking and now I can't mount the
Windows partition anymore from Linux.

What should I do? I'm not a big expert as you can tell.

I tried to change the partition back to VFAT with Disk Druid, but it
complained
that the size (about 3600 MB) was too large.

I know I could recompile the kernel, where do I get the required
software?
My only interface to the external world from Linux was through
Windows,
or a CD. I have the RedHat 7.2 installation CDs.

Or is there a way to reinstall Windows 2000 and force it to use VFAT?
I don't care to use NTFS, all I want is to be able to access the Win
partition.

Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Eric

On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:58:10 -0800, Eric typed:

> Hi, I have this double-boot old laptop with RedHat 7.3 and Windows 2000
> Professional.
> 
> I had Windows on a VFAT partition and I could mount it in read/write
> mode from Linux. Everything was fine.  Then I decided to reinstall
> Windows 2000 because it was giving strange errors. However during
> installation the sucker switched to NTFS without asking and now I can't
> mount the Windows partition anymore from Linux.

http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/

Follow the link for RedHat/Fedora users, download and install the correct
RPM for your running kernel, use the command 'uname -a' from the console
or xterm session to get the information.

Modify your /etc/fstab entry and change vfat to ntfs and save.

Example mounting; mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows2000



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Lenard <lenard@127.0.0.1> writes:

>On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:58:10 -0800, Eric typed:

[...]

>> However during
>> installation the sucker switched to NTFS without asking and now I can't
>> mount the Windows partition anymore from Linux.

[...]

>Modify your /etc/fstab entry and change vfat to ntfs and save.

That will work,aindeed, however... 

>Example mounting; mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows2000

... I would strongly suggest to avoid that. NTFS r/w support is still
experimental, although support for mounting NTFS partitons in
read-only mode has been working flawlessly for years. Better use
a Win2000 disk partitioning tool like Partition Magic, and change
the partition type to FAT32, which has no size limit, yet can be
safely used from out of both operating systems in r/w mode. 

Michael

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    Note: If you want me to send you email, don't munge your address.

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 09:33:35 GMT, Michael Buchenrieder
<mibu@scrum.muc.de> wrote:

>Lenard <lenard@127.0.0.1> writes:
>
>>On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:58:10 -0800, Eric typed:
>
>[...]
>
>>> However during
>>> installation the sucker switched to NTFS without asking and now I can't
>>> mount the Windows partition anymore from Linux.
>
>[...]
>
>>Modify your /etc/fstab entry and change vfat to ntfs and save.
>
>That will work,aindeed, however... 
>
>>Example mounting; mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows2000
>
>.. I would strongly suggest to avoid that. NTFS r/w support is still
>experimental, although support for mounting NTFS partitons in
>read-only mode has been working flawlessly for years. Better use
>a Win2000 disk partitioning tool like Partition Magic, and change
>the partition type to FAT32, which has no size limit, yet can be
>safely used from out of both operating systems in r/w mode. 
>
>Michael


Am I the only person who has ever actually LOOKED at ways to mount
NTFS r/w instead of just repeating the same thing over and over?  Go
to http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/

Free, open source, and it uses the actual Microsoft code (license
required), so you don't have to sweat the iffy reverse engineering
issues. The docs are medium/bad - you need to be willing to fool
around a bit - but it works GREAT!

Mike-

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-----------------------------------------------------

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Michael W. Cocke <cocke@catherders.com> wrote in message news:<e1nduv8rl8m14hsa0i2lh04c6o6vp61agb@4ax.com>...
> On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 09:33:35 GMT, Michael Buchenrieder
> <mibu@scrum.muc.de> wrote:
> 
> >Lenard <lenard@127.0.0.1> writes:
> >
> >>On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:58:10 -0800, Eric typed:
> >
> >[...]
> >
> >>> However during
> >>> installation the sucker switched to NTFS without asking and now I can't
> >>> mount the Windows partition anymore from Linux.
> >
> >[...]
> >
> >>Modify your /etc/fstab entry and change vfat to ntfs and save.
> >
> >That will work,aindeed, however... 
> >
> >>Example mounting; mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows2000
> >
> >.. I would strongly suggest to avoid that. NTFS r/w support is still
> >experimental, although support for mounting NTFS partitons in
> >read-only mode has been working flawlessly for years. Better use
> >a Win2000 disk partitioning tool like Partition Magic, and change
> >the partition type to FAT32, which has no size limit, yet can be
> >safely used from out of both operating systems in r/w mode. 
> >
> >Michael
> 
> 
> Am I the only person who has ever actually LOOKED at ways to mount
> NTFS r/w instead of just repeating the same thing over and over?  Go
> to http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/
> 
> Free, open source, and it uses the actual Microsoft code (license
> required), so you don't have to sweat the iffy reverse engineering
> issues. The docs are medium/bad - you need to be willing to fool
> around a bit - but it works GREAT!
> 
> Mike-
> 

thanks, does it work under RedHat 7.3 ?

> Mornings:  Evolution in action.  Only the grumpy will survive.
> -----------------------------------------------------
> 
> Please note - Due to the intense volume of spam, we have
> installed site-wide spam filters at catherders.com.  If
> email from you bounces, try non-HTML, non-encoded, 
> non-attachments.
> 
> 
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Michael W. Cocke <cocke@catherders.com> writes:

[...]

> http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/

Thanks for the link, that's interesting.

>Free, open source, and it uses the actual Microsoft code (license
>required), so you don't have to sweat the iffy reverse engineering
>issues. The docs are medium/bad - you need to be willing to fool
>around a bit - but it works GREAT!

[...]

Yes - but that's definitely NOT what you want to do if the data
on the NTFS partition is of any real importance. Unless there
is real proof of evidence that the way to mount the NTFS
partition can be used in r/w mode with a neglectible risc
of losing all data on it while using it from out of Linux,
I'd still go the FAT32 way. 

Michael
-- 
Michael Buchenrieder * mibu@scrum.greenie.muc.de * http://www.muc.de/~mibu
          Lumber Cartel Unit #456 (TINLC) & Official Netscum
    Note: If you want me to send you email, don't munge your address.

On 22 Dec 2003 16:46:30 -0800, nmdc69@hotmail.com (Eric) wrote:

>Michael W. Cocke <cocke@catherders.com> wrote in message news:<e1nduv8rl8m14hsa0i2lh04c6o6vp61agb@4ax.com>...
>> On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 09:33:35 GMT, Michael Buchenrieder
>> <mibu@scrum.muc.de> wrote:
>> 
>> >Lenard <lenard@127.0.0.1> writes:
>> >
>> >>On Sun, 21 Dec 2003 06:58:10 -0800, Eric typed:
>> >
>> >[...]
>> >
>> >>> However during
>> >>> installation the sucker switched to NTFS without asking and now I can't
>> >>> mount the Windows partition anymore from Linux.
>> >
>> >[...]
>> >
>> >>Modify your /etc/fstab entry and change vfat to ntfs and save.
>> >
>> >That will work,aindeed, however... 
>> >
>> >>Example mounting; mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/Windows2000
>> >
>> >.. I would strongly suggest to avoid that. NTFS r/w support is still
>> >experimental, although support for mounting NTFS partitons in
>> >read-only mode has been working flawlessly for years. Better use
>> >a Win2000 disk partitioning tool like Partition Magic, and change
>> >the partition type to FAT32, which has no size limit, yet can be
>> >safely used from out of both operating systems in r/w mode. 
>> >
>> >Michael
>> 
>> 
>> Am I the only person who has ever actually LOOKED at ways to mount
>> NTFS r/w instead of just repeating the same thing over and over?  Go
>> to http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/
>> 
>> Free, open source, and it uses the actual Microsoft code (license
>> required), so you don't have to sweat the iffy reverse engineering
>> issues. The docs are medium/bad - you need to be willing to fool
>> around a bit - but it works GREAT!
>> 
>> Mike-
>> 
>
>thanks, does it work under RedHat 7.3 ?


Haven't the slightest idea. It works under Redhat 9 and SuSE 9. 

Mike-


Mornings:  Evolution in action.  Only the grumpy will survive.
-----------------------------------------------------

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installed site-wide spam filters at catherders.com.  If
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Michael Buchenrieder <mibu@scrum.muc.de> wrote in message news:<HqCFCr.4qv@scrum.muc.de>...
> Michael W. Cocke <cocke@catherders.com> writes:
> 
> [...]
> 
> > http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/
> 
> Thanks for the link, that's interesting.
> 
> >Free, open source, and it uses the actual Microsoft code (license
> >required), so you don't have to sweat the iffy reverse engineering
> >issues. The docs are medium/bad - you need to be willing to fool
> >around a bit - but it works GREAT!
> 
> [...]
> 
> Yes - but that's definitely NOT what you want to do if the data
> on the NTFS partition is of any real importance. Unless there
> is real proof of evidence that the way to mount the NTFS
> partition can be used in r/w mode with a neglectible risc
> of losing all data on it while using it from out of Linux,
> I'd still go the FAT32 way. 
> 
> Michael

Hope you or someone else can help some more. Here's what I did:

1. using Disk Druide from the RedHat CD, I deleted the NTFS partition 
and created  a VFAT partition at its place.

2. Then I reinstalled Windows 2000 on this partition.

Now Win 2000 is on a vfat partition and works fine.
BUT, when I start the computer, it loads directly Windows without 
going to grub. I know linux is still there, because from the 
RedHat CDrom I started linux rescue and I can see all my files.

How can I restore GRUB or lilo  so that I can load linux?

also, in the linux rescue mode I wasn't able to mount the vfat 
partition. I got the error message "mount failed: Block device required".
what does this mean?

thanks,
Eric

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 09:48:12 -0800, Eric typed:

> 2. Then I reinstalled Windows 2000 on this partition.
> 
> Now Win 2000 is on a vfat partition and works fine. BUT, when I start
> the computer, it loads directly Windows without going to grub. I know
> linux is still there, because from the RedHat CDrom I started linux
> rescue and I can see all my files.

Yep, Microsoft made the decision years ago that they supply the only OS's
that matters and overwrote the MBR without your permission or knowledge.


> How can I restore GRUB or lilo  so that I can load linux?
> 
> also, in the linux rescue mode I wasn't able to mount the vfat
> partition. I got the error message "mount failed: Block device
> required". what does this mean?

Read the screens, the last one will tell you how to use chroot, do and
once the system is ready type something like;

/sbin/grub-install /dev/hda

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/custom-guide/s1-rescuemode-boot.html

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/ref-guide/ch-grub.html


-- 
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             Hi!  I'm a .sig virus!  Copy me to your .sig!

In article <ef4a7818.0312230948.2073b86a@posting.google.com>,
Eric <nmdc69@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 1. using Disk Druide from the RedHat CD, I deleted the NTFS partition 
> and created  a VFAT partition at its place.
> 
> 2. Then I reinstalled Windows 2000 on this partition.
> 
> Now Win 2000 is on a vfat partition and works fine.
> BUT, when I start the computer, it loads directly Windows without 
> going to grub. I know linux is still there, because from the 
> RedHat CDrom I started linux rescue and I can see all my files.
> 
> How can I restore GRUB or lilo  so that I can load linux?

Get a bootable CD or floppy and at the bootloader prompt, boot your old
system.  Once you're up, modify your bootloader config file to boot either
Windows or Linux.  Reinstall your bootloader if necessary.  Windows
overwrites the boot sector on installation.

> also, in the linux rescue mode I wasn't able to mount the vfat partition.
> I got the error message "mount failed: Block device required".  what does
> this mean?

The kernel you booted didn't understand vfat.

-- 
-eben      ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm      home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar
An ASCII character walks into a bar and orders a double. "Having a bad
day?" asks the barman. "Yeah, I have a parity error," replies the ASCII
character.  The barman says, "Yeah, I thght you looked a bit off." -- Skud

Lenard <lenard@127.0.0.1> wrote in message news:<pan.2003.12.23.19.17.39.308803@127.0.0.1>...
> On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 09:48:12 -0800, Eric typed:
> 
> > 2. Then I reinstalled Windows 2000 on this partition.
> > 
> > Now Win 2000 is on a vfat partition and works fine. BUT, when I start
> > the computer, it loads directly Windows without going to grub. I know
> > linux is still there, because from the RedHat CDrom I started linux
> > rescue and I can see all my files.
> 
> Yep, Microsoft made the decision years ago that they supply the only OS's
> that matters and overwrote the MBR without your permission or knowledge.
> 
> 
> > How can I restore GRUB or lilo  so that I can load linux?
> > 
> > also, in the linux rescue mode I wasn't able to mount the vfat
> > partition. I got the error message "mount failed: Block device
> > required". what does this mean?
> 
> Read the screens, the last one will tell you how to use chroot, do and
> once the system is ready type something like;
> 
> /sbin/grub-install /dev/hda
> 
> http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/custom-guide/s1-rescuemode-boot.html
> 
> http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/ref-guide/ch-grub.html

thanks, I'll try that.

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 10:19:39 GMT, Michael Buchenrieder
<mibu@scrum.muc.de> wrote:

>Michael W. Cocke <cocke@catherders.com> writes:
>
>[...]
>
>> http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/
>
>Thanks for the link, that's interesting.
>
>>Free, open source, and it uses the actual Microsoft code (license
>>required), so you don't have to sweat the iffy reverse engineering
>>issues. The docs are medium/bad - you need to be willing to fool
>>around a bit - but it works GREAT!
>
>[...]
>
>Yes - but that's definitely NOT what you want to do if the data
>on the NTFS partition is of any real importance. Unless there
>is real proof of evidence that the way to mount the NTFS
>partition can be used in r/w mode with a neglectible risc
>of losing all data on it while using it from out of Linux,
>I'd still go the FAT32 way. 
>
>Michael

Well, since you're using Microsoft code, there's no assurance that it
won't crash, but there's a better assurance than running straight
Windows gives you (See the captive docs, where it talks about sandbox
mode), so what's the difference?  If you have 2 brain cells to bang
together you have a good backup anyway...

Have you ever gotten into the FAT32 design notes?  BLECH! Ignoring the
quality of Microsoft code for the moment, NTFS is a good deal more
robust. Personally, I concluded that putting my data on FAT32 in the
first place was far riskier than using NTFS under linux using the
captive approach.  I've been using it for about a month now (I wish I
had found captive-NTFS before I wasted time and money on the other
alternatives) with no problems.

Mike-

Mornings:  Evolution in action.  Only the grumpy will survive.
-----------------------------------------------------

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Michael W. Cocke <cocke@catherders.com> writes:


>Well, since you're using Microsoft code, there's no assurance that it
>won't crash, but there's a better assurance than running straight
>Windows gives you (See the captive docs, where it talks about sandbox
>mode), so what's the difference?  If you have 2 brain cells to bang
>together you have a good backup anyway...

True enough. OTOH, personally, I'd put up a Linux fileserver with
XFS/JFS/ext3 or whatever on it and mount the partitions via SMB
instead of putting important data on a Win* machine [1], but that's
another story alltogether.

>Have you ever gotten into the FAT32 design notes?  BLECH! Ignoring the
>quality of Microsoft code for the moment, NTFS is a good deal more
>robust. Personally, I concluded that putting my data on FAT32 in the
>first place was far riskier than using NTFS under linux using the
>captive approach.  I've been using it for about a month now (I wish I
>had found captive-NTFS before I wasted time and money on the other
>alternatives) with no problems.

It's good to know that it has been working for you, that's what
I meant with "proof of evidence" in my last posting. I will take
a closer look at captive-NTFS as soon as I have the time to spend
(which is presently unlikely to be anytime real soon due to the 
end-of-year maintenance schedules).

Michael

[1] Especially without a HW-RAID to prevent data loss in case of 
    dying harddisks.

-- 
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          Lumber Cartel Unit #456 (TINLC) & Official Netscum
    Note: If you want me to send you email, don't munge your address.