Re: Repairing my MBR

[Alvin Oga <aoga@ns.Linux-Consulting.com>]

On Sun, 6 Jun 2004 res0nid7@verizon.net wrote:

> Hi,
> My machine has the Lindows(linspire) linux system as well 
> as debian sarge.  I was booting through the Grub menu that 
> Sarge setup and had CHmodded the jiffyboot program in Lindows
>  to prevent it writing to the MBR, which it does every time it 
> is rebooting. Somehow, however it did do it and so I now have 
> a Lilo boot for lindows only.  My Sarge install is intact but 
> I can't get at it.
> 
> Is there a way to boot into Lindows, chroot to Sarge and rerun 
> the Grub MBR write so that I can get my Grub menu back?  (If 
> there is please provide clear instructions :)  I'm a noob!!

assuming you're booting something ... even if its the lindows 
trying to boot ..

if you have a boot floppy .. stick it in ..
	if you wanna just erase what's in the mbr

	root# fdisk /mbr
	( now it wont boot anything from hard disk,
	( so hopefully you have a fd or knoppix cd or any other 
	( install cd or floppy or hd

at the lilo or grub prompt, tell it to boot into  "debian" (hda999)

	lilo: root=/dev/hda999
 
	root# grub-install /dev/hda

- or if its grub ... you have to tell grub the same thing to boot 
  a different partition
	type "root=/dev/hda999" at the grub prompt

	or hit "e" for edit, than add "root=/dev/hda999" at the
	end of the line

	hit "b" to boot it into debian

	than
	root# grub-install /dev/hda

if you wanna do things the harder way ... there's a dozen ways
to skin the cat

c ya
alvin