Windows install disc can't see my FC4 partitions

[Michael Wiktowy]

Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 01:19:33 -0500
From: Ken Schutte <kschutte at csail.mit.edu>

>I need to setup a dual boot system on my x40 Thinkpad laptop.  I've done 
>it without problems before, but this time I have FC4 installed first, 
>and now want to add a Windows XP partition.  On intial FC4 setup, I used 
>disk druid and kept some open space, then later used qtparted in knoppix 
>to create an NTFS partition.  Currently fdisk -l shows:
>
>Disk /dev/hda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
>255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders
>Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
>    Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
>/dev/hda1   *           1          13      104391   83  Linux
>/dev/hda2              14        3582    28667992+  83  Linux
>/dev/hda3            3583        3647      522112+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
>/dev/hda4            3648        4864     9775552+   7  HPFS/NTFS
>
>When I try to boot from a Windows XP disc to install Windows, it quickly 
>flashes some text saying something like "please wait while checks your 
>system...", then the screen is blank and nothing happens and I have to 
>just reset.  Should I be able to boot and install from a WinXP disc 
>given that partition table?
>
>Sorry if this it a bit of a windows question, but all these partions 
>were created in linux, so maybe somebody could help.
>
>Thanks!
>Ken
>  
>

Try deleting your primary partition 4 (/dev/hda4) with something like
fdisk and just leave the free space.
Sometimes Windows barfs on NTFS-type partitions created by something
non-Windows. It could be expecting it to be formatted already and it may
not be (qtparted doesn't format it, IIRC) and the junk at the beginning
makes the installer unhappy and comatose. Having just free space there
might make the installer go into a different "fresh install" mode. Be
prepared to have grub clobbered and read up on how to get it back or how
to boot linux with the NTLoader. There is info on how to do this in
various googlable HOWTOs.

Also waiting a long time might solve your problem. It may just take a
long, long, long time to "check your system".

/Mike