[ltp] t21 won't boot after aborted install

[Michael Selway]

Phil Suh writes:
 > I had a really old copy of Partition Magic (4.0) but rather than use it, I
 > assumed that I could use fdisk/disk druid to repartition the drive. I
 > didn't realize that creating new partitions, and resizing the one big
 > win2k partition, would wipe the drive.

If the only thing you've done is to change the partition table
using fdisk or disk druid, then you should be able simply to put
back a correct partition table, using the same program, and your
disc will be just as it was before you started.  This does mean
you need to know the exact original partition sizes, starting
cylinders, etc.

 > I've attempted to fiddle with the BIOS so I can boot from my "Product
 > Recovery CD-ROM (IBM Thinkpad T21 MT 2647)". I can't get the BIOS to boot
 > from the DVD-ROM.

you should be able to hit F12 during power-up and it will ask you
what you want to boot from.  On my T21, this option is advertised
in a message on the multi-coloured IBM-logo power-up display.
This saves having to tinker with BIOS settings for a one-off CD
boot.  I haven't tried booting the recovery disc in this machine,
but it booted OK in my ThinkPad 600E which also had a DVD-ROM
(although that machine doesn't have the F12 facility afaik).

 >   2. and then subsequently, how to get this machine dual-booting linux?

I've always had a good experience using the ms-dos program FIPS,
which RedHat put on their CD-ROMs in (IIRC) the dos/ directory.
It can shrink an ms-windows partition, releasing space for linux
partitions.  While I repartitioned the T21 with fips, I put the
floppy drive in the ultrabay in place of the DVD.  Note that my
t21 came with w98, I have no experience with w2000.

HTH,
Good luck,
Michael.

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