Re: [PLUG] Dual boot reinstall problem and request for help

[LeRoy <ldc@lrcressy.com>]

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On 05/07/2012 09:55 PM, James P Dugan wrote:
> My father has been having a few problems with a dual booting laptop
> and has asked me to get some opinions from the group on how (and
> perhaps who) to proceed.
> 
> He has a Thinkpad with 3 partitions, a WinXP, a shared drive (FAT32,
> I think), and a Fedora partition.  Recently his install of XP got
> screwed up somehow, it now takes forever to read the directory
> structure anywhere after the top level in some programs (MSOffice,
> AutoCAD to name a few).  After listening to the symptoms, I came to
> the conclusion that perhaps the easiest fix would probably be to
> reinstall XP.
> 
> Herein lies the problem.  Although he has a basic understanding of
> *nix systems, from having used miniframes for CAD and facilities
> design and management back in the '80s, the technical aspects of the
> current installations are a bit beyond his comfort zone.  While I
> would feel comfortable with him installing either WinXP or Fedora as
> a standalone installation with me as tech support backup over the
> phone, I do not feel comfortable with him trying to handle the
> multipartion install in the same fashion.  Unfortunately I am unable
> to simply go do it myself, being over 200 miles away and he needs it
> done relatively soon as this is his business computer (he operates
> his own architecture business).
> 
> Does anyone have any recommendations of a shop in the philly area
> that could handle the reinstall without screwing up the linux and
> shared data partitions or would anyone on the list be interested in
> lending a hand for a fee?  Any other options I may have missed?
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> James P Dugan
> 

Before doing a reinstall I wonder what virus protection software is
being used if any.  Is there a backup of the windows registry files?
/windows/Windows/System32/config/*   (As mounted from Linux)

Since Windows can still boot your symptoms seem to indicate that there
is a virus on the system that has not totally destroyed the registry.

Windows filesystem is not like ext3 or any of the other Linux file
systems and you have to periodically manually do a check disk and other
system maintenance yourself whereas Linux / Unix file systems basically
maintain themselves.

Another option is using the Windows system restore disk that will return
your NTFS file system back to factory default.  The system restore
should not touch the Linux partitions.

I hope that this helps

- -- 
 Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy  mailto:leroy@lrcressy.com   /\_/\
                       http://lrcressy.com        ( o.o )
                       			           > ^ <
		       Cell Phone:  267-307-3527

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