I'm a noob when it comes to linux but basically, I've been trying to install windows Xp on my netbook (samsung N150+ dual core model) from usb since it doesn't have a disc drive and I do not have an external dvd drive.

I used a tool called 'flashboot' to prepare an XP iso to make it boot from a usb flash drive. Beforehand on my netbook, I resized and created a new partition for XP using 'Easy Partition maker' (something like that) and it did that. I then booted the XP USB flash drive prepared with flashboot and it said there were no available partitions so I had to use 'FDISK' which is included on the flash drive but I mucked it up and it appears that all my partitions are no gone (windows 7 no longer boots).

I made new flash drive to boot 'TestDisk' from 'Parted Magic' from 'UBCD' using 'Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.3.6.exe' to prepare the UBCD iso onto my flash drive.

UBCD booted onto my netbook and I managed to load up Testdisk and anylase partition table. It found it and selected 'write' and it required me to reboot. I rebooted but nothing happens in terms of it recovering the partition table. This is what I get when a few seconds after I reboot. The picture isn't very clear but it's something about a fatal error and couldn't load a file:


I then used a tutorial on this site to make UBCD bootable on a usb flash drive using 'RMPREPUSB'. I followed the steps correctly but everytime I try to boot the usb I get an error in regards with Syslinux and COM32.

If anyone can help it'd be much appreciated.

The Syslinux version installed and the COM32 (R) files (and all other Syslinux files like for example memdisk) need to be of the same exact version.

Download the latest Syslinux, expand it, and replace every Syslinux file that currently resides in your UFD with the latest version you downloaded.

The only "problem" is that Syslinux has all the final binaries distributed in several different folders/directories of the zip package, so you need to do this manually.

After copying (replacing) the relevant Syslinux files, run Syslinux.exe from the UFD. Then you can reboot your netbook with the UFD.

***

ALTERNATIVE:
1_ Backup any files from UFD that you want to save.
2_ Format your UFD (with RMPrepUSB if it worked for you). This shouldn't be a necessary step, but who knows.
3_ Expand your (customized) UBCD ISO image, if you haven't done it yet.
4_ Go to ubcd\tools\win32 (or ubcd/tools/linux if corresponds) in the UBCD expanded tree.
5_ Open a command prompt there.
6_ From the command prompt, run the ubcd2usb script.

Let us know if anything of this works correctly.

Ok. I've tried your Alternative method because I cba to copy those syslinux files lol.
The usb has booted successfully! But nothing happens with testdisk. After it's anylased the partitions and I allow it to 'write', it tells me to reboot which I did and it does reboot. But Windows still doesn't load up. Am I doing something wrong?

EDIT:

After 12 hours non stop trying to get my netbook running and get testdisk running from partition magic, I turned to a different solution. The reason for my netbook gettin g mucked was because I wanted to install XP. I found another tut which let me boot xp installation from usb and success! The partitions were all available in the setup and I selected a blank one. Once it's done, I'll run testdisk from Windows and restore the other partitions. Thanks for the help though.

OK, so now the UFD works, which means that the "subject" of this topic is resolved.


You gave TestDisk permission to write, but have you checked the TestDisk's results? Are you sure that the TestDisk process actually gave you what you were looking for?


How do you know it reboots? Are you extracting the UFD before the system powers off (IMHO, you shouldn't)?

Have you tried completely powering off the system (instead of rebooting)?

Is your UFD still working? (read as, is there any possibility that you wrote something to your UFD instead of writing to your HDD? )

After you try this, can you describe/copy what you see at the screen when you expect Windows to boot? I mean, if you know that the system correctly boots up, but Windows doesn't load, then instead of Windows, what are you seeing? (please copy any displayed messages).

BTW,

This MAYBE helps you, IF you are using only Windows in your netbook, and IF you ran TestDisk correctly:

From http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/After_using_TestDisk




Now, if you have any doubts about CORRECTLY running TestDisk, then CAREFULLY read http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step.

In any case, as I mentioned before, if you have error messages (instead of booting Windows), we may be able to reduce your troubleshooting steps if you copy those messages here.

I will note, the latest version of RMPREP doesn't work properly with UBCD v5.0.3 and installing syslinux. Just use it to format the device or use an older version of RMPREP.

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Currently Working on Common Issues and Repair Tips on the Wiki.

Just for the general readers' information, the ubcd2usb script in UBCD is used to transfer UBCD into the UFD. In addition, the script has an option to also format the usb, in case it is necessary, before transferring the relevant content, hence making RMprepUSB not needed. That's why I posted it as an optional step.

RMprepUSB can format the USB correctly, but avoid using the "boot" or "bootable" methods of it to add SysLinux or Grub4DOS if you want to use the UFD for UBCD503. The ubcd2usb script of UBCD should take care of that part correctly.