Re: HELP- Grub problem, I can't load WInXP

[Andy <andrew@shadwell.amoeba.org>]

On Monday 26 September 2005 3:17, Dennis Stosberg wrote:
> Windows XP is on /dev/hda, which is (hd0,0) in GRUB's notation.  So,
> if you install the GRUB boot sector into /dev/hda1, you overwrite
> Windows XP's boot sector in that partition.  That means you won't be
> able to boot Windows XP at all, because GRUB will simply reload
> itself when it tries to chain-load from (hd0,0).

Ah, didn't realise that, oops.

> What you probably wanted was to overwrite /dev/hda's MBR, which is
> (hd0) in GRUB's notation with the GRUB boot loader.  So the BIOS
> would start grub at (hd0), which in turn can chain-load Windows XP
> from (hd0,0).  Or other systems/kernels from other devices.

Double oops.

> I'd suggest you to let the Windows XP setup restore the boot sector
> of /dev/hda1 again.  After that you can reinstall GRUB to (hd0) and
> _not_ to (hd0,0).

Well, I booted using the XP recovery console and have tried various fixmbr and 
fixboot commands but none of them brought windows back. So I've just 
installed grub again in hd0 to get an OS back.

> I guess you have a current backup...

Erm, kinda :) It's on another drive. I'm going to be copying it somewhere else 
for the time being. I can see a new HDD and XP install coming up :(

Thanks,
Andy