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So my wife's Windows Vista OS died, completely, even the inbuilt recovery systems failed to bring the machine back to a bootable condition. I told her I could install Linux, as I had a Ubuntu 12.04 disk, and that it would make its' own partition and she could still access all her personal files in the Windows partition.
I ran into a problem installing Linux, as it said I had resized the partition table and it would have to implement that; however, even though I hadn't, it took me to an advanced partitioning table that I was unfamiliar with. In the interest of expediency for my wife, I told her to just run it from the disk until I learned what to do. The disk was out of the machine as I had shut it down. When she turned on the machine in order to open the disk drive, it booted windows with no glitches, and it is running normally.
Somehow attempting to install Linux, fixed Windows.
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Maybe someone at microsoft added sneaky back door!
I don't think the helpdesk advisors have that in their checklist.
Glad it worked, though!
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Your Linux dick fixed the problem with the drives failed kernel well done.
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I have found that windows often corrupts partitions on hard drives of all sorts, especiallu USB sticks. For some reason, Windows often writes outside the physical boundaries set by a partition. Although Windows seems not to notice for a time, enough of this type of error will eventually make the drive unreadable.
Linux will tolerate none of this and corrects these problems when given the opportunity. I have even had to repair newly made Windows partitions with my Linux machine.
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Epi, Your topic reads like a headline!
Years ago when I was still using XP, my new housemate, the queen geek, had just got Vista (she would always get the latest technology), and advised me that no matter what happens with my own computer, DO NOT EVER get Vista. Fortunately, I didn't need anything newer til Windows 7 time. Whew!!
Still, good news on all that. And worthy information. Thanks!
Alice
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Thanks everyone, yea I was pretty astonished.
Thank you Redgriffin, and Mythman, for the info, it never even occurred, to me to realize? that the partition tables must be OS independent, and written at the HD controller level. I haven't thought about that stuff since the days of MFM, and RLL. At least I'm assuming that is what it means. Her box is still running fine though.
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Epiphileon wrote:Thanks everyone, yea I was pretty astonished.
Thank you Redgriffin, and Mythman, for the info, it never even occurred, to me to realize? that the partition tables must be OS independent, and written at the HD controller level. I haven't thought about that stuff since the days of MFM, and RLL. At least I'm assuming that is what it means. Her box is still running fine though. Sorry I didn't see this when it happened, but I wanted to clarify what took place. When checking the status of the hard drive, the partitioning utility ran a formatting check on it, identified a primary partition with an NTFS volume as the designated boot volume, and updated the master boot directory (MBR) for you. The way different operating systems identify the boot sector isn't independent of OS or filesystem type, but because so many people want to dual boot, the Linux utilities take extra care to keep any other installed systems viable. Whether Microsoft wants to admit it or not, a so-called "live" Linux CD-ROM has long been an essential tool in a computer technician's kit. Glad your discovery of this led to a happy outcome. 
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Thanks Leon, her computer is still working, although I think with Vista it is only a matter of time.
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Epiphileon wrote:Thanks Leon, her computer is still working, although I think with Vista it is only a matter of time.  Please, move on to Windows 7 and be happy. Seriously. I was a beta tester for Vista, and that is why I argued so strongly for extended support for XP. Friends don't let friends do Vista! :)
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