can load Linux but not windows

I've got a hard drive that will not take a win OS 98, 2000, or XP but will load any Linux distro I care to install. Whats going on?? I tried "fdisk /mbr" and it made no difference. That is how you delete the MBR isn't it? Any other ideas, It's not my puter or I'd just leave it as I like linux, my buddy how ever doesn't like Linux and wants windows put back on it.

 

I'm thinking I already did all that. Will have to read it a little closer. If a HD will run one OS it ought to run another.

 

DL the drive setup software from your HDD manufacturer. The drive has either a ext2, ext3, or ReiserFS drive partition. Of course Windows won't load and run on any of those partitions. Once the drive is partititoned and formated for FAT32 or NTFS you should be good to go.

 

Yea - why exactly isn't it loading???

'fdisk /mbr' re-writes a portion of the Master Boot Record. This is the first sector of the hard disk and typically contains a pointer to the boot loader and the File Allocation Table.

This does need to be done after Linux has been installed on a system - Linux uses different boot loaders, e.g. Grub/LILO etc, whereas Windows uses... well a different one - not sure what it's called.

I remember once trying to isntall Windows on a hard disk which had previously had Linux installed and it wouldn't get too far before it failed - it turns out Windows didn't know how to use the native SCSI controller.
So check the hardware and if its using something a little different (SCSI/RAID/whatever) ensure you find the relevant windows driver (there is an option to get this installed before you look at the hard disk) and then once Windows Setup can see the hard disk you can remove the other partitions and get FAT32/NTFS installed.

Hope some of htis helps.

 

might try maxtors utility and do a "low level" format before putting NTFS on it

 

Well I've done all of the above except for the maxtor thing and I still can't get more then half of a win system loaded. On 2000 I get to saving information then the machine freezes. XP goes bsod at different points. gave up on 98. I've got a maxtor setup disk from a unit I bought I'll try it. In the mean time I have ordered another hard drive.