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General discussion

SUSE Linux Personal 9.1

Jun 5, 2005 8:51AM PDT

I have a Gateway 300S with Windows XP. I tried to install SUSE Linux Personal 9.1 on it. Well the installation went through. But when it tried to boot up the screen stays on the Gateway boot screen and I can not get into the BIOS for my system, or get Windows XP to load. I kinda regret installing the Linux on my system. Can someone out there help me.

Thanx!

Discussion is locked

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Hmmm...
Jun 5, 2005 9:41AM PDT

I've never heard of this.

So, it won't get past loading the BIOS. Correct?
Did you try entering a bootable CD (Windows or SuSE)?

Maybe you should contact Gateway to send you a flash BIOS replacement disk.

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Maybe you should try what lilsim89 just did.
Jun 5, 2005 10:21AM PDT

Use the recovery console to get the xp bootloader back. Good luck.

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Cant be
Jun 5, 2005 1:00PM PDT

The only thing that can happen is your bios is trying to read the MBR but is having trouble, in which case it may take a while before it "times out" and you able to enter the bios setup - so press DEL and wait for a minute or 2.
Peter

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SuSE Personal Linux 9.1
Jun 6, 2005 1:53AM PDT

I have left the computer on all day and nothing change. It is still at the Gateway BIOS screen and when I try to press F2, F10, or Ctrl+Alt+Del on the keyboard nothing happens. It is like the computer is not recieving any input from the keyboard at all.

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guessing here
Jun 8, 2005 12:09AM PDT

have you tried booting from a floppy?
Maybe your CMOS has got corrupted (wild guess here)-There are also programs around that will clear your CMOS which will allowing bios defaults to be loaded - maybe thats worth a try.
Some Bois's work in funny ways when it comes to hard disks that are having troubles so using a floppy or even another hard disk may help. That way you will tell if it is the HD that is causing the problem.
Peter

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same problem
Jun 7, 2005 8:33AM PDT

my friend has an old gateway (purchased in 2000 maybe) and it started doing that. It would get stuck in the black screen with the gateway logo on it. And it always got stuck on the third dot (the dots are like the progress bar). If this is the same thing that's happening to you, don't blame linux. My friend always used Windows on it. She probably just needs to replace her MOBO or upgrade the BIOS. Anyways, sometimes it WILL boot up all the way, but she's afraid to shut down because it may not boot up again.

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Surely
Jun 7, 2005 10:07AM PDT

the product could be defective. Even if your warranty is expired, I am sure Gateway, with one of the best world class support, will still help guide you to fix the problem-- Especially if their product line may be defective.

I suggest going to Gateway.com or call Gateway to recieve direct help.

-Simon

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Gateway Customer Service
Jun 8, 2005 2:27AM PDT

Customer Service yea right. I bought the computer in 2003 and it did not come with a system restore disk. I did not pay attention until late last year when my operating system crash. Called them and theu told me that I was suppose to call when I got my computer and ask for that disk. Then they told me that I would have to buy Microsoft XP for 199.99. Yea right. I will never buy a computer from gateway again. But I have waited and tried everything it. But it will not boot. It was working perfectly before the installation. Now the computer is useless.

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For your issue.
Jun 7, 2005 9:47PM PDT

I'm betting some tired hardware or connection is the issue. Given what little is in your post, AFTER you backup what you can't lose and if this was my machine I would remove power from the case, then open it up, dust it out then re-seat the memory sticks and cards. Then snug up all the cables and then power up with the cover off to give the fans a look-see for operating speeds.

Best of luck,

Bob

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Gotta Wipe XP First, I think...
Jun 8, 2005 6:19AM PDT

I've been 'told' to start clean with no XP or anything
else first, then load XP.

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Trap for young players
Jun 8, 2005 10:35PM PDT

Just downloaded the version yesterday in ISO form - in the root directory there is a read.me file which gives a "warning" to read the formatting instruction in another read.me file in another directory "otherwise data will be lost - well there is no "other" read.me file (bells ring in my head).
During the installation, it recognises the disk hard disk has been formatted by windows and display a default set of "re-formatting", being, "SuSe will shrink your windows partition" and install with the following :
Windows Partition X Gb
Suse swap file partition Y Gb
Suse System Z Gb

Bells ring again - so I selected manual formatting and all went well.

In short I suspect the disk has either been reformatted similar to the above and your windows XP files deleted, or the installation corrupted your MBR during this repartitioning.

Only thing you can do is use a DOS boot disk with something like "Norton Disk Edit" which is capable of reading the disk in "raw" format. Or put the disk in another computer with XP and hopefully the windows partition can be read and your data can be retrieved.
Peter