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Re: How to de-Grub?



OK, so it's a Windows question, not a Linux one...

BUT in case anyone else here ever has the same problem, here's the fix:

Recap - I allowed Grub to install itself in my MBR while trying to install sarge, and then found I couldn't wipe out the sarge installation because that left Grub without its menu.lst config file for booting anything; so how was I to get rid of Grub so that I could reliably boot Windows XP on start-up, or boot to various Linux flavors using CD or floppy boot disks. (I had to re-install sarge just to get at menu.lst!!!)

Problem - I have an OEM Windows XP installation, without Windows XP CD to access Recovery Console.

Solution - c/o Microsoft {duck} Knowledge base: get (free download) Windows XP SP1 boot floppy set - one .exe file, which makes 6 floppies when you run it.

Boot from these floppies into Windows XP Setup, choose R for recovery/repair.

This opens Recovery Console; issue command

fixmbr

confirm despite warning that the mbr is all messed up and trying fix it may make it impossible to boot some or all partitions.

Success.

Reboot, Windows XP starts without intervention of Grub.

What I found very interesting was watching the floppies loading a Windows XP base system, very much the same way a linux install goes. Less verbose, but once you have an idea of what is happening from messing around with linux it all looks very familiar......

Good luck all - I may be back - keep up the good work

Stephen Cradock




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