Missing Operating System

[Gazzieh]

Hi

I am new to Linux and wanted to add it to my dual-booting workstation at home. Prior to this I had just finished creating the system as a Windows XP and Windows 7 system.

Once these were installed I freed up some more drive space (about 40Gb) and then tried installing Debian. I used the downloadable ISO from the Debian website burnt onto a CD and everything seemed to go fine.

Then I was asked if I wanted to add Linux to the boot menu for "Windows Vista/Longhorn". I concluded that this would be a good idea and so accepted it.

I rebooted and got the Missing Operating System statement.

I retraced my steps but got no where so thought I would try reinstalling Windows 7 to shake the problem free. The installation CD was inserted and I set the BIOS to only boot from the USB-CD drive (after trying it as the first boot and my HDDs as second option).

I got the Missing Operating System statement again.

If I insert the Debian CD it runs fine; I will be trying the Windows XP CD later to see if I start from scratch.

The graphical Debian system reports:

IDE1 master (hda) - 82.0GB Maxtor 6Y080L0
> #1 primary 81.9GB B ntfs
> 8.2Mb FREE SPACE
IDE1 slave (hdb) - 120.1GB SAMSUNG SP1203N
> #1 primary 120.1GB ntfs
SCSI2 (0,0,0) (sda) - 160GB ATA ExcelStor Techno
> #1 primary 62.9GB ntfs
> #2 primary 50.4GB ntfs
> #3 primary 44.7GB B ext3
> #5 logical 2.0GB F swap swap
SCSI4 (0,0,0) (sdb) - 122.9GB ATA Maxtor 6Y120M0
> #1 primary 122.9GB B ntfs
> pri/log 8.2MB FREESPACE

It is SCSI2 (sda) that is the primary drive.

Any ideas?

If I should reformat; in what order?

XP before Windows 7 but should I put Linux on before these two or try to do it again afterwards?

 

[BadBigBen]

The MISSING OPERATING SYSTEM statement occurs, when the BIOS cannot find (in the BOOT order) a bootable drive...

it can also occur when you have a USB device (USB Flash/HDD/etc.) inserted and it is attempted to boot from that device... remedy here: Remove that DEVICE (USB devices take precedence over built in drives on many mainboards)...

also check your BOOT ORDER and the SUB MENUS and adjust accordingly, e.g. many mainboards have a simple BOOT ORDER Menu (REMOVABLE/HDD/CDROM) and the fine tuning is done under sub menus (HDD then would list all drives attached to the SATA and IDE ports, etc.)...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
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