Cannot boot into Windows from Linux

[Was_Just19]

It is all a dastardly Linux plot to make it even more difficult to get into Windows ......  and it seems to work well   

[ms_meme]

Edit: It appears that Just19 explained everything much better.

You are entitled to your opinion......

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Let me summarize what I think you said because you can say it all day and if .............

1. reboot from Linux.....Chose Leave/Restart........the menu appears and I choose Windows (doesn't go immediately...I have to arrow down to Windows)  This does not work althought it used to.

2. shutdown Linux....Chose Leave/Shutdown.  The computer goes OFF. I then press on the ON button and the Menus appears and I arrow down and choose Windows.  I do believe this is what I reported I did.  And I can get to Windows.

3. Cold boot.....The power is completely off.  I did this last Tuesday when the trouble started.  When I had the gray screen and couldn't get out of it.  I stepped on the red-light button on the power strip and everything went off.  (I did this because the ON/OFF button would not work.  Then after a short wait I turned the red light on from the power strip and then pushed on the ON/OFF computer button and from there chose Windows option.  I never had problem getting to Windows except on the first example.

[AS]

I did the recent update last weekend.  I mention that because the problem seemed to occur after that update.

Hi ms_meme,

did you updated the kernel too ? what is your current running kernel ?
To check what is your kernel, type the following command from a console windows: uname -r

AS

[ms_meme]

I did the recent update last weekend.  I mention that because the problem seemed to occur after that update.

Hi ms_meme,

did you updated the kernel too ? what is your current running kernel ?
To check what is your kernel, type the following command from a console windows: uname -r

AS

[meme@localhost ~]$ uname -r
2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs
[meme@localhost ~]$

[Was_Just19]

 

I did this because the ON/OFF button would not work.

If you should find yourself in this situation again, try holding the power button pressed for (up to) 10 secs.
Quite a lot of builds have this facility ....  holding the power button pressed for 5 or 6 secs will switch off the unit.

[Was_Just19]

Edit: It appears that Just19 explained everything much better.

You are entitled to your opinion......

I do believe he was referring to

It is all a dastardly Linux plot to make it even more difficult to get into Windows ......  and it seems to work well   

 

[Bald Brick]

Edit: It appears that Just19 explained everything much better.

You are entitled to your opinion......

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me summarize what I think you said because you can say it all day and if .............

1. reboot from Linux.....Chose Leave/Restart........the menu appears and I choose Windows (doesn't go immediately...I have to arrow down to Windows)  This does not work althought it used to.

Yes, This much I understood.

2. shutdown Linux....Chose Leave/Shutdown.  The computer goes OFF. I then press on the ON button and the Menus appears and I arrow down and choose Windows.  I do believe this is what I reported I did.  And I can get to Windows.

This is what I recommended that you'd try instead of the third alternative below. I didn't know you had tried it already, nor that it worked.

3. Cold boot.....The power is completely off.  I did this last Tuesday when the trouble started.  When I had the gray screen and couldn't get out of it.  I stepped on the red-light button on the power strip and everything went off.  (I did this because the ON/OFF button would not work.  Then after a short wait I turned the red light on from the power strip and then pushed on the ON/OFF computer button and from there chose Windows option.

This I also understood. Note that, as Just19 pointed out, some boxes have an ON/OFF switch on the rear. If it exists it works like the button on your power strip, and not like the normal ON/OFF button. It cuts the power completely and immediately.

I never had problem getting to Windows except on the first example.

And this, of course, is the real mystery. What has changed? In Linux or in Windows? It's interesting that alternative 2 and alternative 3 both work. So you don't really have to completely disconnect the power.

[ms_meme]

New Information

I reported that this had happened twice.  The 1st time I didn't see it happen...just saw the gray screen after returning to the room.
The 2nd time I had forgotten that anything was amiss and booted to Windows but really wasn't watching what was happening......the gray screen just appeared.

So I decided to try again (thinking something magical might have happened) and this time I watched.
I rebooted from Linux, chose Windows from the menu.  It does its little thing AND the Windows logo appears but then the gray screen appears.  END!  Never gets past that opening page.
(Yes, I could turn off computer by holding On/Off button for a longer time)

Now you are probably going to say......it's a Windows problem and wash your hands.    but it still only happens when switching from Linux! 

[Was_Just19]

We had the opposite problem with some things a while ago .....  booting into Linux from Windows left some hardware in a non-working state.
It was, IIRC, due to some setting applied to the hardware that was carried over to Linux, on a reboot. The solution at the time was to power off before booting into Linux.

It seems you might have a similar situation.

There may be a setting in BIOS that would help overcome this, but you do not wish to visit there so .......

[AS]

Now you are probably going to say......it's a Windows problem and wash your hands.  Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry  but it still only happens when switching from Linux!  Tongue

The problem now is to fix a "windows problem" by performing some change on linux side.... nice challenge!

ms_meme. can you try to boot from a liveCD, perform a reboot, remove the CD when asked to do, and then boot in Windows ?
at least we can try to understand if the problem really didn't exist using a non updated PCLinuxOS.

AS

[ms_meme]

We had the opposite problem with some things a while ago .....  booting into Linux from Windows left some hardware in a non-working state.
It was, IIRC, due to some setting applied to the hardware that was carried over to Linux, on a reboot. The solution at the time was to power off before booting into Linux.

It seems you might have a similar situation.

There may be a setting in BIOS that would help overcome this, but you do not wish to visit there so .......

I did receive this message the first time I rebooted to Linux after that last update.  I just keep telling it NO and it pops up every time I start up.  I was going to post and ask about it......but then the other problem started.
Just trying to provide anything that might be something related.  But it probably isn't.



I am not anti-bios.  But I remember noting that everybody's bios looked a bit different. (not that I go around looking) and it was difficult to really give instructions.

Now you are probably going to say......it's a Windows problem and wash your hands.  Cry Cry Cry Cry Cry  but it still only happens when switching from Linux!  Tongue

The problem now is to fix a "windows problem" by performing some change on linux side.... nice challenge!

ms_meme. can you try to boot from a liveCD, perform a reboot, remove the CD when asked to do, and then boot in Windows ?
at least we can try to understand if the problem really didn't exist using a non updated PCLinuxOS.

AS

AS.....I am not exactly sure of what to do.  Can't remember what all that looked like.

1. Find the CD 
2. Boot up
3. Go immediately to REBOOT
4. Take the CD out when asked.
5. (Here is where I am not sure what will happen)  I think I will see the regular boot menu screen?  And instead of letting it open up Linux, choose the Windows.  Am I still on the liveCD version?  Or am I back to the installed version.

I just want to be sure of the steps........

[AS]

AS.....I am not exactly sure of what to do.  Can't remember what all that looked like.

1. Find the CD  Shocked
2. Boot up
3. Go immediately to REBOOT
4. Take the CD out when asked.
5. (Here is where I am not sure what will happen)  I think I will see the regular boot menu screen?  And instead of letting it open up Linux, choose the Windows.  Am I still on the liveCD version?  Or am I back to the installed version.

I just want to be sure of the steps........

Being removed the liveCD, you will be on the installed version of bootloader, here you will choose "... Windows ..."

AS

[ms_meme]

No, I haven't done anything yet.  I finally put the CD into the drive. In the corner... this picture came up.  I know I am not doing something right.   I think I don't know what or when to put the CD in.  I did get the where part right.
I thought it was suppose to go right to the liveCD.  I am missing the step to get it there.

[AS]

No, I haven't done anything yet.  I finally put the CD into the drive. In the corner... this picture came up.  I know I am not doing something right.   I think I don't know what or when to put the CD in.  I did get the where part right.
I thought it was suppose to go right to the liveCD.  I am missing the step to get it there.

Your are half the way  because your liveCD is in the drive. Now, ignore the messages from your picture and turn off your computer completely.
When you turn on again your computer, it should boot directly from liveCD. I need to say should
because may depend from your BIOS settings.

Anyway, if you are successful in booting from liveCD, proceed as described before, once system is up choose reboot, remove liveCD when asked and then try to go
into Windows. Simple.  Isn't it ?

AS

[Was_Just19]

With the CD inserted as per your pic, select Leave, Turn Off the PC .......  when the PC is off, withdraw power from it for 30 secs or so,
Then switch on again and hopefully it will boot the CD.

Having booted the CD, select Leave, Reboot ......  withdraw the CD when prompted, and the PC will again boot, and this time select Windows from the list.

Report back .....  grey screen or successful boot of Windows.

****

The other prompt about the sound devices ......  I suggest you select No and also select not to get the reminder again.


regards.