Deleted Linux Partition and Can't Boot XP

Okay, there is a long list of things I screwed up with my AAO and I'm at my wits end.

AOA150-1049
160GB HDD
Windows XP factory install

So I partitioned 20GB to set aside for Ubuntu Netbook Remix but ended up using XP every time I turned the computer on. I had a friend help me do this so I don't know what we (he) had done to change my boot sequence to read: "GRUB Loading stage" so on and so forth. Basically I had to scroll all the way to to bottom to tell the computer I wanted to start Windows XP.

Lately, my computer had been freezing up after just about 10 min of use. After looking at anything and everything, I went ahead and reformatted using the Acer eRecovery. Note: to do this eRecovery I had to reboot and after the "GRUB Loading stage" screen passed, I scrolled down to select the "Windows NT..." option instead of the normal "Windows XP" option that I normally select to get into Windows.

Reformatted and the computer kept freezing again. Sounds like my HDD has kicked the bucket but I decided to try one more thing and go into Disk Management and completely delete the 20GB partition I had set aside for Ubuntu. This, I admit, was probably a bad idea but I'm at the point where I'll try anything. After deleting and reformatting the partition, I rebooted the computer and it took me to the same screen that now says:

GRUB Loading stage1.5.
GRUB loading, please wait...
Error 17

Looks like the computer still wants to boot Linux so I tried Flashing the BIOS (http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/07/flashing-bios.html) in hopes of resetting my boot sequence. No luck there.

This is where I've decided to just stop and ask for some help. Again, I understand that my HDD might have completely died, but I know I can get into windows for a few minutes and I want to at least get that far before I try to buy and replace another HDD. Any help would be greatly appreacted.

Just to summarize, here is what I have done so far:

1. Partitioned 20GB for Ubuntu
2. Used Windows XP despite the partition
3. Reformatted Windows XP using the Acer eRecovery
4. Deleted and reformatted the 20GB Ubuntu partition.
5. Flashed the BIOS in hopes of resetting it

 

Re-install WinXp and tell it to use the entire HD.

The problem is that your MBR is corrupted and must be reset.

There are some programs out there that will reset the MBR, do a Google search, if you want to try only re-setting the MBR.

 

I tried the fixmbr this morning still with no luck.

To do this, I had to create a recovery USB disk following the instructions on this site (http://tuts4tech.net/2009/07/14/creatin ... y-console/)

After I booted from the USB, I ran fixmbr and fixboot on both the C: drive (windows installation) and the D: drive (former linux partition)

The AAO still wants to use GRUB to boot though.

 

I had something similar happen with my dual booting Win7 and Ubuntu 9.10 AAO. I used a Win7 recovery DVD to over write the boot info.

The fixmbr command didn't work - but there was another option in the tools on the DVD that did.

You may need to boot with an xp cd - delete the Ubuntu partition and have xp use the whole disk. Then do a fresh install.

 

Quick update from the last 5 minutes.

I went into the recovery console and used diskpart to delete the old linux partition. Luckily that did the trick because it turned partitioned space into unpartitioned space and my AAO quit trying to boot from GRUB.

Now that I have that fixed, I want to use greenfrog's advice and reformat my computer again using all partitions (except for the recovery PQSERVICE Of course). I can't find a good way to do this through Acer eRecovery so I'm wondering if there is an alternative? If I can do it through eRecovery I prefer that method, but if I can't, what is another good way to do this?

Thanks!

 

Just a quick question,

Have you tried booting from a Windows XP disk / other media and attempted running the following:

BOOTCFG /REBUILD

from the disk?

This utility scans your computers primary boot information, scans your hard drive for Windows installations, and rebuilds the boot info accordingly.