Guest ManyBeers Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 WindowsXP SP 3 Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the warning aboutm proceeding. But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is nothing wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr work?
Guest Pegasus \(MVP\) Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... > WindowsXP SP 3 > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the > warning aboutm proceeding. > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is > nothing > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr > work? Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned CD image of one.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: > > "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... > > WindowsXP SP 3 > > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a > > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything > > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the > > warning aboutm proceeding. > > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is > > nothing > > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only > > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr > > work? > > Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned CD > image of one. > Ok I do have a recovery console entry in my boot.ini which was made from instructions taken fron Bill Castner's how-to at this sight http://aumha.net/ I just thought the cd would be better. I don't have an xp cd because my laptop came with Recovery cds and no Recovery Console, So that is why I use alternate methods to obtain it. Should I go ahead and use my boo.ini entry and see if it works? I also have a Win98 bootdisk. form bootdisc.com which you told me about.What would you do?
Guest Pegasus \(MVP\) Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:D0CBDB10-9748-4848-8275-C695E9557824@microsoft.com... > > > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: > >> >> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >> news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... >> > WindowsXP SP 3 >> > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a >> > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) >> > everything >> > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me >> > the >> > warning aboutm proceeding. >> > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is >> > nothing >> > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The >> > only >> > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't >> > fixmbr >> > work? >> >> Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned CD >> image of one. >> Ok I do have a recovery console entry in my boot.ini which was made from >> instructions taken fron Bill Castner's how-to at this sight >> http://aumha.net/ > I just thought the cd would be better. I don't have an xp cd because my > laptop came with Recovery cds and no Recovery Console, So that is why I > use > alternate methods to obtain it. Should I go ahead and use my boo.ini > entry > and see if it works? > I also have a Win98 bootdisk. form bootdisc.com which you told me > about.What > would you do? I would use the Win98 boot disk. Its "fdisk /mbr" will work very nicely for your WinXP installation, regardless of the file system you use.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: > > "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:D0CBDB10-9748-4848-8275-C695E9557824@microsoft.com... > > > > > > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: > > > >> > >> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > >> news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... > >> > WindowsXP SP 3 > >> > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a > >> > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) > >> > everything > >> > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me > >> > the > >> > warning aboutm proceeding. > >> > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is > >> > nothing > >> > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The > >> > only > >> > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't > >> > fixmbr > >> > work? > >> > >> Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned CD > >> image of one. > >> Ok I do have a recovery console entry in my boot.ini which was made from > >> instructions taken fron Bill Castner's how-to at this sight > >> http://aumha.net/ > > I just thought the cd would be better. I don't have an xp cd because my > > laptop came with Recovery cds and no Recovery Console, So that is why I > > use > > alternate methods to obtain it. Should I go ahead and use my boo.ini > > entry > > and see if it works? > > I also have a Win98 bootdisk. form bootdisc.com which you told me > > about.What > > would you do? > > I would use the Win98 boot disk. Its "fdisk /mbr" will work very nicely for > your WinXP installation, regardless of the file system you use. > Thanks for trying to help me out Pegasus but it doesn't matter now. My laptop does not support LBA(logical Block Addressing). When I set out to dualboot Mw Windows xp install and Ubuntu I read about LBA limitations so I knew to avoid any problems make sure to install Ubuntu on my second partition which is well inside the 8.5gb limit. But it was several days later before I actually whetn ahead and installed Ubuntu. And I changed it's location to the 4th partition on my drive(brain fart) which is well outside the LBA limits. It is too much effort to change things now So I will keep using Grub.
Guest Anteaus Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? It's extremely rare to find one that doesn't support LBA. Some HP laptops (530?) default to Large (bit-shift) access, and the issue here is that you cannot change this to LBA without a complete reload of the disk. Why they do this I don't know as LBA is the universal standard these days, Though, I find that Ubuntu's insistence on modifying the MBR is as undesirable as Vista's insistence on doing the same thing. There is in fact no need for an OS to modify the MBR, and most other distros offer the option of not doing so. "ManyBeers" wrote: > Thanks for trying to help me out Pegasus but it doesn't matter now. My > laptop does > not support LBA(logical Block Addressing). When I set out to dualboot Mw > Windows xp install > and Ubuntu I read about LBA limitations so I knew to avoid any problems make > sure to install Ubuntu > on my second partition which is well inside the 8.5gb limit. But it was > several days later before > I actually whetn ahead and installed Ubuntu. And I changed it's location to > the 4th partition on my > drive(brain fart) which is well outside the LBA limits. It is too much > effort to change things now > So I will keep using Grub.
Guest Ronaldo Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? Check this: "use an open source tool called Super Grub Disk". http://www.wikihow.com/Uninstall-the-Grub-Bootloader-from-a-Dual-Boot-XP-System-With-an-XP-CD ---------------------------------------------- "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> escribió en el mensaje news:2C92F6F6-035A-48EE-85A9-B45773ABD2DB@microsoft.com... > > > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: > >> >> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >> news:D0CBDB10-9748-4848-8275-C695E9557824@microsoft.com... >> > >> > >> > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: >> > >> >> >> >> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >> >> news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... >> >> > WindowsXP SP 3 >> >> > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from >> >> > a >> >> > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) >> >> > everything >> >> > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me >> >> > the >> >> > warning aboutm proceeding. >> >> > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is >> >> > nothing >> >> > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The >> >> > only >> >> > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't >> >> > fixmbr >> >> > work? >> >> >> >> Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned >> >> CD >> >> image of one. >> >> Ok I do have a recovery console entry in my boot.ini which was made >> >> from >> >> instructions taken fron Bill Castner's how-to at this sight >> >> http://aumha.net/ >> > I just thought the cd would be better. I don't have an xp cd because my >> > laptop came with Recovery cds and no Recovery Console, So that is why I >> > use >> > alternate methods to obtain it. Should I go ahead and use my boo.ini >> > entry >> > and see if it works? >> > I also have a Win98 bootdisk. form bootdisc.com which you told me >> > about.What >> > would you do? >> >> I would use the Win98 boot disk. Its "fdisk /mbr" will work very nicely >> for >> your WinXP installation, regardless of the file system you use. >> > Thanks for trying to help me out Pegasus but it doesn't matter now. My > laptop does > not support LBA(logical Block Addressing). When I set out to dualboot Mw > Windows xp install > and Ubuntu I read about LBA limitations so I knew to avoid any problems > make > sure to install Ubuntu > on my second partition which is well inside the 8.5gb limit. But it was > several days later before > I actually whetn ahead and installed Ubuntu. And I changed it's location > to > the 4th partition on my > drive(brain fart) which is well outside the LBA limits. It is too much > effort to change things now > So I will keep using Grub. >
Guest Ronaldo Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? Super Grub Disk download links http://www.supergrubdisk.org/index.php?pid=4 --------------------------------------------- "Ronaldo" <private_email5@hotmail.com> escribió en el mensaje news:OqF4kLfFJHA.5104@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > Check this: > > "use an open source tool called Super Grub Disk". > http://www.wikihow.com/Uninstall-the-Grub-Bootloader-from-a-Dual-Boot-XP-System-With-an-XP-CD > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> escribió en el mensaje > news:2C92F6F6-035A-48EE-85A9-B45773ABD2DB@microsoft.com... >> >> >> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: >> >>> >>> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >>> news:D0CBDB10-9748-4848-8275-C695E9557824@microsoft.com... >>> > >>> > >>> > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: >>> > >>> >> >>> >> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >>> >> news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... >>> >> > WindowsXP SP 3 >>> >> > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command >>> >> > from >>> >> > a >>> >> > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) >>> >> > everything >>> >> > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave >>> >> > me >>> >> > the >>> >> > warning aboutm proceeding. >>> >> > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There >>> >> > is >>> >> > nothing >>> >> > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. >>> >> > The >>> >> > only >>> >> > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't >>> >> > fixmbr >>> >> > work? >>> >> >>> >> Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned >>> >> CD >>> >> image of one. >>> >> Ok I do have a recovery console entry in my boot.ini which was made >>> >> from >>> >> instructions taken fron Bill Castner's how-to at this sight >>> >> http://aumha.net/ >>> > I just thought the cd would be better. I don't have an xp cd because >>> > my >>> > laptop came with Recovery cds and no Recovery Console, So that is why >>> > I >>> > use >>> > alternate methods to obtain it. Should I go ahead and use my boo.ini >>> > entry >>> > and see if it works? >>> > I also have a Win98 bootdisk. form bootdisc.com which you told me >>> > about.What >>> > would you do? >>> >>> I would use the Win98 boot disk. Its "fdisk /mbr" will work very nicely >>> for >>> your WinXP installation, regardless of the file system you use. >>> >> Thanks for trying to help me out Pegasus but it doesn't matter now. My >> laptop does >> not support LBA(logical Block Addressing). When I set out to dualboot Mw >> Windows xp install >> and Ubuntu I read about LBA limitations so I knew to avoid any problems >> make >> sure to install Ubuntu >> on my second partition which is well inside the 8.5gb limit. But it was >> several days later before >> I actually whetn ahead and installed Ubuntu. And I changed it's location >> to >> the 4th partition on my >> drive(brain fart) which is well outside the LBA limits. It is too much >> effort to change things now >> So I will keep using Grub. >> > > > >
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 13, 2008 Posted September 13, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > WindowsXP SP 3 > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the > warning aboutm proceeding. > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is nothing > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr work? Do you mean that you made a bootable cd image of Recovery Console that loads before the processes of the operating system? The option in boot.ini gives you a choice to load RC before Windows XP loads. Even if you did make a bootable RC image, you don't know that it is exactly equivalent in terms of files and settings as using cmdcons installed on the disk. Remember this observation from AumHa, "The only question many experienced hands with Windows is why it was not included by default. The answer is in most cases was because the OEMs did not want to pay a modest licensing fee to include it." Bill Castner is not going to provide a method to circumvent MS policy because he is a MS-MVP. Since Bill did not mention the possibility of of writing this to a bootable RC cd, there is probably not a straight- forward way of writing your C:\cmdcons files to a bootable functional RC cd. If there is such a method, legitimate websites and MS-MVPs are not going to say how to do this in order to circumvent MS policy. It is possible for MS to approve the C:\cmdcons method and not approve a bootable RC method and it does little good to speculate on why. It is a very remote possibility that Bill Castner didn't mention the possibility of creating a bootable RC cd because he didn't think of it. The other things Bill mentioned to improve the flexibility of RC with registry edits, OTOH, are likely to prove to be very valuable for reasons that people who are not used to reading instructions and following those instructions precisely and exactly can imagine. Of course there are people who just have to find out the hard way for why they should heed the advice to make backups including the registry and the MBR. ManyBeers wrote: > "There is nothing wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system." SH: So have you backed up this functioning MBR? So that in case using fixmbr or fdisk /mbr doesn't work, and you wind up in the position of being unable to boot to either OS, you can restore an MBR that is known to allow you to boot to either system. This actually happened to me when I was experimenting with both fixboot and fixmbr and BootIt NG. You impress me as a dabbler, So it is better to be safe than sorry, an ounce of prevention...etc Stephen
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: > >> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >> news:D0CBDB10-9748-4848-8275-C695E9557824@microsoft.com... >>> >>> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote: >>> >>>> "ManyBeers" <ManyBeers@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >>>> news:D9D87A7D-4329-4001-931B-BDB2EB145BB9@microsoft.com... >>>>> WindowsXP SP 3 >>>>> Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a >>>>> Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) >>>>> everything >>>>> went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me >>>>> the >>>>> warning aboutm proceeding. >>>>> But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is >>>>> nothing >>>>> wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The >>>>> only >>>>> reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't >>>>> fixmbr >>>>> work? >>>> Maybe you should boot off a real Recovery Console instead of a burned CD >>>> image of one. >>>> Ok I do have a recovery console entry in my boot.ini which was made from >>>> instructions taken fron Bill Castner's how-to at this sight >>>> http://aumha.net/ >>> I just thought the cd would be better. I don't have an xp cd because my >>> laptop came with Recovery cds and no Recovery Console, So that is why I >>> use >>> alternate methods to obtain it. Should I go ahead and use my boo.ini >>> entry >>> and see if it works? >>> I also have a Win98 bootdisk. form bootdisc.com which you told me >>> about.What >>> would you do? >> I would use the Win98 boot disk. Its "fdisk /mbr" will work very nicely for >> your WinXP installation, regardless of the file system you use. >> > Thanks for trying to help me out Pegasus but it doesn't matter now. My > laptop does > not support LBA(logical Block Addressing). When I set out to dualboot Mw > Windows xp install > and Ubuntu I read about LBA limitations so I knew to avoid any problems make > sure to install Ubuntu > on my second partition which is well inside the 8.5gb limit. But it was > several days later before > I actually whetn ahead and installed Ubuntu. And I changed it's location to > the 4th partition on my > drive(brain fart) which is well outside the LBA limits. It is too much > effort to change things now > So I will keep using Grub. I think you can copy/tar the entire contents of the /boot partition (4th) over to your second partition and then update fstab to point to the new partition. If /dev/hda1 is your Windows partition then /dev/hda2 will be your second partition which you can populate with your /boot files. This idea should be checked over on a Ubuntu forum.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Stephen Harris" wrote: > ManyBeers wrote: > > WindowsXP SP 3 > > Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a > > Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything > > went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the > > warning aboutm proceeding. > > But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is nothing > > wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only > > reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr work? > > Do you mean that you made a bootable cd image of Recovery Console > that loads before the processes of the operating system? The option > in boot.ini gives you a choice to load RC before Windows XP loads. Yes. I realize that now. > > Even if you did make a bootable RC image, you don't know that it is > exactly equivalent in terms of files and settings as using cmdcons > installed on the disk. Remember this observation from AumHa, Well cmdcoms on my disk was dowmloaded from links in the Aumha how-to So neither may be equivalent. My laptop has no Recovery Console natively so when I saw that Aumha how-to it sounded like a good idea, even though I had no idea how to use it. I do now...somewhat. > "The only question many experienced hands with Windows is why it was > not included by default. The answer is in most cases was because the > OEMs did not want to pay a modest licensing fee to include it." > > Bill Castner is not going to provide a method to circumvent MS policy > because he is a MS-MVP. Since Bill did not mention the possibility of > of writing this to a bootable RC cd, there is probably not a straight- > forward way of writing your C:\cmdcons files to a bootable functional > RC cd. If there is such a method, legitimate websites and MS-MVPs are > not going to say how to do this in order to circumvent MS policy. It > is possible for MS to approve the C:\cmdcons method and not approve > a bootable RC method and it does little good to speculate on why. It > is a very remote possibility that Bill Castner didn't mention the > possibility of creating a bootable RC cd because he didn't think of it. > > The other things Bill mentioned to improve the flexibility of RC > with registry edits, OTOH, are likely to prove to be very valuable > for reasons that people who are not used to reading instructions > and following those instructions precisely and exactly can imagine. > Of course there are people who just have to find out the hard way > for why they should heed the advice to make backups including the > registry and the MBR. > > ManyBeers wrote: > "There is nothing wrong with my computer mind > you, I can boot in to either system." > > SH: So have you backed up this functioning MBR? So that in case > using fixmbr or fdisk /mbr doesn't work, and you wind up in the > position of being unable to boot to either OS, you can restore > an MBR that is known to allow you to boot to either system. This > actually happened to me when I was experimenting with both fixboot > and fixmbr and BootIt NG. You impress me as a dabbler, I don't know how to back up my MBR. I assumed if something went wrong I would boot into my System Rescue CD and make Ubuntu the bootable partition again., which is relatively easy to do. It will restore Grub to the MBR. Hell ,I used the SRCD to retrieve the GRUB stage 1 file and mounted a fat32 drive to copy the file to(and I have never mounted a drive in my life...unmounted it too). Mounting was done through a Terminal window in SRCD's graphic environment and I unmounted the drive using Gparted another graphic tool. I didn't think I could get in too much trouble so long as I could boot the SRCD. > So it is better to be safe than sorry, an ounce of prevention...etc > Stephen > > >
Guest dennis Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? Pegasus (MVP) wrote: > I would use the Win98 boot disk. Its "fdisk /mbr" will work very nicely for > your WinXP installation, regardless of the file system you use. You just need to make sure that your system doesn't break if the disk signature changes (fdisk /mbr will make that change). Or at least, you know how to recover from it.
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > >> ManyBeers wrote: >>> WindowsXP SP 3 >>> Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a >>> Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything >>> went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the >>> warning aboutm proceeding. >>> But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is nothing >>> wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only >>> reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr work? >> Do you mean that you made a bootable cd image of Recovery Console >> that loads before the processes of the operating system? The option >> in boot.ini gives you a choice to load RC before Windows XP loads. > > Yes. I realize that now. >> Even if you did make a bootable RC image, you don't know that it is >> exactly equivalent in terms of files and settings as using cmdcons >> installed on the disk. Remember this observation from AumHa, > > Well cmdcoms on my disk was dowmloaded from links in the Aumha how-to > So neither may be equivalent. My laptop has no Recovery Console natively > so when I saw that Aumha how-to it sounded like a good idea, even though > I had no idea how to use it. I do now...somewhat. Yes, I think it is a great idea, even if you have an install disk. The reason to load Ubuntu from the XP boot.ini was to ensure that RC boot option (from C:\cmdcons) was maintained. When you booted up you would get choices like boot from Windows XP or Recovery Console or Ubuntu I wasn't sure that if you used grub and you picked Windows XP that it would present you with screen you started with before Ubuntu. Windows XP Recovery Console I thought there was a chance that you would lose the RC option. Now that you have grub installed and can find out, do you still have the RC option when you choose Windows XP or whatever you called the XP boot label? Does it offer the boot.ini choices of Windows XP and Recovery Console? After you installed C:\cmdcons did you follow the step where it had you write the Recovery Console as a boot option to boot.ini? Or did you only try creating a cmdcons cd. Here is a link to a grub tutorial, http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub.html >> >> SH: So have you backed up this functioning MBR? > > I don't know how to back up my MBR. I assumed if something went wrong I would > boot into my System Rescue CD and make Ubuntu the bootable partition again., > which is relatively easy to do. It will restore Grub to the MBR. Hell ,I I don't understand this. I thought you were going to make the first sector of the Ubuntu partition bootable so that the MBR wouldn't be written to so that your RC option would be preserved. Do you have both options appearing in your boot.ini default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Stephen Harris" wrote: > ManyBeers wrote: > > > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > > > >> ManyBeers wrote: > >>> WindowsXP SP 3 > >>> Just a couple of minutes ago I attempted to use fixmbr command from a > >>> Recovery Console cd(a burned cd image file of recovery console) everything > >>> went fine. I saw the command prompt window flash and it even gave me the > >>> warning aboutm proceeding. > >>> But whrn I rebooted grub(linux bootloader) was still there. There is nothing > >>> wrong with my computer mind you, I can boot in to either system. The only > >>> reason I am doing this is to make ntldr my bootloader. Why didn't fixmbr work? > >> Do you mean that you made a bootable cd image of Recovery Console > >> that loads before the processes of the operating system? The option > >> in boot.ini gives you a choice to load RC before Windows XP loads. > > > > Yes. I realize that now. > >> Even if you did make a bootable RC image, you don't know that it is > >> exactly equivalent in terms of files and settings as using cmdcons > >> installed on the disk. Remember this observation from AumHa, > > > > Well cmdcoms on my disk was dowmloaded from links in the Aumha how-to > > So neither may be equivalent. My laptop has no Recovery Console natively > > so when I saw that Aumha how-to it sounded like a good idea, even though > > I had no idea how to use it. I do now...somewhat. > > Yes, I think it is a great idea, even if you have an install disk. > The reason to load Ubuntu from the XP boot.ini was to ensure that > RC boot option (from C:\cmdcons) was maintained. When you booted up > you would get choices like boot from > > Windows XP or > Recovery Console or > Ubuntu > > I wasn't sure that if you used grub and you picked Windows XP that > it would present you with screen you started with before Ubuntu. > > Windows XP > Recovery Console > > I thought there was a chance that you would lose the RC option. > Now that you have grub installed and can find out, do you still > have the RC option when you choose Windows XP or whatever you > called the XP boot label? Does it offer the boot.ini choices of > Windows XP and Recovery Console? After you installed C:\cmdcons > did you follow the step where it had you write the Recovery > Console as a boot option to boot.ini? Or did you only try > creating a cmdcons cd. Here is a link to a grub tutorial, > http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/grub.html > > >> > >> SH: So have you backed up this functioning MBR? > > > > I don't know how to back up my MBR. I assumed if something went wrong I would > > boot into my System Rescue CD and make Ubuntu the bootable partition again., > > which is relatively easy to do. It will restore Grub to the MBR. Hell ,I > > I don't understand this. I thought you were going to make the > first sector of the Ubuntu partition bootable so that the MBR > wouldn't be written to so that your RC option would be preserved. > Do you have both options appearing in your boot.ini Yes I do. And mt Recovery Console is stikk available even thoughGrub is the bootloader. Whrn I make my menu selection in Grub it doesn't boot Windows it boots Windows Boot.ini and I can then select Recovery Console. In fact when my XP wakes up from hibernation it displays Grubs boot menu(which I modified to make XP the default after 10 seconds) , waits for ten seconds then displays XP's boot menu waits 5 seconds and then brings up my desktop. > > default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS > [operating systems] > multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP > Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect > C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons > > Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice > of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, > does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini .
Guest Anteaus Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? There is no need to tar and untar. In principle you can transfer a Linux install to another disk/location using plain ordinary cp with the -a switch, it works much like xcopy did for win98. This should be done from a live CD distro. -Linux has no equivalent of shadow copy so you cannot guarantee a good copy from a running OS. You then need to adjust fstab and the bootloader. fstab is easy, the bootloader not always so. As I use lilo you would be better to ask a grub expert here. Other point to note is that you MUST transfer the permissions (which cp -a does) XP (or even Vista) will work without permissions, Linux will not. "I think you can copy/tar the entire contents of the /boot partition (4th) over to your second partition and then update fstab to point to the new partition. If /dev/hda1 is your Windows partition then /dev/hda2 will be your second partition which you can populate with your /boot files. This idea should be checked over on a Ubuntu forum. "
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > >> >> Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice >> of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, >> does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. > > Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini . Good. I guess it felt sort of heroic mounting and unmounting partitions, not at all your usual Windows fare.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Stephen Harris" wrote: > ManyBeers wrote: > > > > >> > >> Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice > >> of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, > >> does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. > > > > Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini . > > Good. I guess it felt sort of heroic mounting and unmounting > partitions, not at all your usual Windows fare. Oh yeah, lots of fun.I do know one thing-the only reason ntldr woul not boot Linux is because my BIOS does not support LBA(which I verified through Sony support) GRUB does implement it.and can boot OS's located beyond 8.5 gb's. In fact the Gparted partitioning tool clearly showed when Ubuntu was flagged to boot... my storage drive which was located about 6.5 gb's in had an LBA flag on it. When xp was flagged to boot that flag disappeared. I know I could make ntldr do the job but it's just not worth the time and effort now.I.m happy with the way it is right now.
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > >> ManyBeers wrote: >>>> Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice >>>> of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, >>>> does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. >>> >>> Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini . >> Good. I guess it felt sort of heroic mounting and unmounting >> partitions, not at all your usual Windows fare. > > Oh yeah, lots of fun.I do know one thing-the only reason ntldr woul not boot > Linux > is because my BIOS does not support LBA(which I verified through Sony support) > GRUB does implement it.and can boot OS's located beyond 8.5 gb's. In fact the > Gparted partitioning tool clearly showed when Ubuntu was flagged to boot... my > storage drive which was located about 6.5 gb's in had an LBA flag on it. When > xp was flagged to boot that flag disappeared. > > I know I could make ntldr do the job but it's just not > worth the time > and effort now.I.m happy with the way it is right now. > I think that Windows reads the disk geometry from the bios,but Linux does not, it reads the disk geometry directly from disk, so it doesn't need LBA. I don't know why they made laptops so they couldn't switch to LBA in bios.
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > >> ManyBeers wrote: >>>> Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice >>>> of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, >>>> does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. >>> >>> Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini . >> Good. I guess it felt sort of heroic mounting and unmounting >> partitions, not at all your usual Windows fare. > > Oh yeah, lots of fun.I do know one thing-the only reason ntldr woul not boot > Linux > is because my BIOS does not support LBA(which I verified through Sony support) > GRUB does implement it.and can boot OS's located beyond 8.5 gb's. In fact the > Gparted partitioning tool clearly showed when Ubuntu was flagged to boot... my > storage drive which was located about 6.5 gb's in had an LBA flag on it. When > xp was flagged to boot that flag disappeared. > > I know I could make ntldr do the job but it's just not > worth the time > and effort now.I.m happy with the way it is right now. > I tested this (am replying from Ubuntu) and the boot.ini method works although I have a desktop and LBA enabled. My experience was that I got practice deleting and reinstalling my Linux distributions. :-)
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Stephen Harris" wrote: > ManyBeers wrote: > > > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > > > >> ManyBeers wrote: > >>>> Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice > >>>> of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, > >>>> does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. > >>> > >>> Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini . > >> Good. I guess it felt sort of heroic mounting and unmounting > >> partitions, not at all your usual Windows fare. > > > > Oh yeah, lots of fun.I do know one thing-the only reason ntldr woul not boot > > Linux > > is because my BIOS does not support LBA(which I verified through Sony support) > > GRUB does implement it.and can boot OS's located beyond 8.5 gb's. In fact the > > Gparted partitioning tool clearly showed when Ubuntu was flagged to boot... my > > storage drive which was located about 6.5 gb's in had an LBA flag on it. When > > xp was flagged to boot that flag disappeared. > > > > I know I could make ntldr do the job but it's just not > > worth the time > > and effort now.I.m happy with the way it is right now. > > > > I think that Windows reads the disk geometry from the bios,but > Linux does not, it reads the disk geometry directly from disk, > so it doesn't need LBA. I don't know why they made laptops so > they couldn't switch to LBA in bios. Yes I believe you are correct.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Stephen Harris" wrote: > ManyBeers wrote: > > > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > > > >> ManyBeers wrote: > >>>> Since you are using Grub, and it should offer you the choice > >>>> of booting Windows XP, when you select the Windows XP option, > >>>> does it also offer you the choice of the Recovery Console bootup. > >>> > >>> Yes it does so via XP's boot.ini . > >> Good. I guess it felt sort of heroic mounting and unmounting > >> partitions, not at all your usual Windows fare. > > > > Oh yeah, lots of fun.I do know one thing-the only reason ntldr woul not boot > > Linux > > is because my BIOS does not support LBA(which I verified through Sony support) > > GRUB does implement it.and can boot OS's located beyond 8.5 gb's. In fact the > > Gparted partitioning tool clearly showed when Ubuntu was flagged to boot... my > > storage drive which was located about 6.5 gb's in had an LBA flag on it. When > > xp was flagged to boot that flag disappeared. > > > > I know I could make ntldr do the job but it's just not > > worth the time > > and effort now.I.m happy with the way it is right now. > > > > I tested this (am replying from Ubuntu) and the boot.ini method works > although I have a desktop and LBA enabled. My experience was that I > got practice deleting and reinstalling my Linux distributions. :-) Let me ask you a question. Have you put this software on your dual boot setup? http://www.fs-driver.org/index.html. It reads and writes to ext2/3 for Windows. My Ubuntu install is now L: drive in Windows and Swap is S: drive.I named them.
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > Let me ask you a question. Have you put this software on your dual boot > setup? > http://www.fs-driver.org/index.html. It reads and writes to ext2/3 for > Windows. > My Ubuntu install is now L: drive in Windows and Swap is S: drive.I named > them. No, I didn't know anything about it. I see one warning, "If you mount an Ext3 file system as an Ext2 file system and the file system is not cleanly dismounted, (e.g. due to a system crash), you have to run the e2fsck tool. (Linux does it automatically.) Running e2fsck can take several hours on large volumes. You do not benefit from journaling the Ext3 file system, because you have to run e2fsck." I ran the automatic install for installing Ubuntu on the largest free space. I think it made everything Ext3 except the swap file which is 82. I deleted most of the Acronis Secure Zone which is fat32. So I had a partition which Linux and Windows could share. mkdir /mnt/share mount -t msdos(or vfat) /dev/sda5(my fat32 F: drive) /mnt/share Then you also have to umount it so one can make manual scripts for both operations which is like a batch file or put it in fstab which is automatic. So you can transfer files, but it takes reboots. This Ext2IFS_1_11.exe may very well work better. You can email me at "TeX" plus "tonyx", one word, at gmail dot com. since the topic is drifting away from Windows XP, if you like.
Guest ManyBeers Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: FixMbr? "Stephen Harris" wrote: > ManyBeers wrote: > > > > Let me ask you a question. Have you put this software on your dual boot > > setup? > > http://www.fs-driver.org/index.html. It reads and writes to ext2/3 for > > Windows. > > My Ubuntu install is now L: drive in Windows and Swap is S: drive.I named > > them. > > No, I didn't know anything about it. I see one warning, > "If you mount an Ext3 file system as an Ext2 file system and the file > system is not cleanly dismounted, (e.g. due to a system crash), you have > to run the e2fsck tool. (Linux does it automatically.) Running e2fsck > can take several hours on large volumes. You do not benefit from > journaling the Ext3 file system, because you have to run e2fsck." > > I ran the automatic install for installing Ubuntu on the largest free > space. I think it made everything Ext3 except the swap file which is 82. > > I deleted most of the Acronis Secure Zone which is fat32. So I had > a partition which Linux and Windows could share. > mkdir /mnt/share > mount -t msdos(or vfat) /dev/sda5(my fat32 F: drive) /mnt/share > Then you also have to umount it so one can make manual scripts for > both operations which is like a batch file or put it in fstab which > is automatic. So you can transfer files, but it takes reboots. > This Ext2IFS_1_11.exe may very well work better. > You can email me at "TeX" plus "tonyx", one word, at gmail dot com. > since the topic is drifting away from Windows XP, if you like. The only reason I asked about the exts read/write software is because the other day Windows left some kind of 1kb file on the drive without me knowing about it. I don't know if that would be a problem or not. Ubuntu doesn't show the file. I might reinstall the program and set the Linux drives as read only to avoid that situation from happening again. I don't see any way of doing it from within Windows.
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > "Stephen Harris" wrote: > >> ManyBeers wrote: >>> Let me ask you a question. Have you put this software on your dual boot >>> setup? >>> http://www.fs-driver.org/index.html. It reads and writes to ext2/3 for >>> Windows. >>> My Ubuntu install is now L: drive in Windows and Swap is S: drive. > The only reason I asked about the exts read/write software is because the > other day Windows > left some kind of 1kb file on the drive without me knowing about it. I don't > know if that would be a problem or not. Ubuntu doesn't show the file. I might > reinstall the program and set the Linux > drives as read only to avoid that situation from happening again. I don't > see any way of doing it > from within Windows. http://www.fs-driver.org/faq.html#not_sup_feat "The current version of the Ext2 file system driver does not maintain access rights. All users can access all the Ext2 volumes that a drive letter is created for. For example, if a drive letter has been created for an Ext2 volume, which is the root volume of a Linux installation, you can simply read and modify files such as /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow. User names are readable and passwords of these users can be quite easily cracked and modified!" SH: Perhaps your situation is also dangerous, I don't know, are you the sole user? The program below is designed to do what you are thinking of doing now, making Linux read only. http://www.diskinternals.com/linux-reader/ "How to get safe and quick access to alternative file systems? DiskInternals Linux Reader is a new easy way to do this. This program plays the role of a bridge between your Windows and Ext2/Ext3 Linux file systems. This easy-to-use tool runs under Windows and allows you to browse Ext2/Ext3 Linux file systems and extract files from there. There are a number of evident merits of the program, which you should know. First of all, DiskInternals Linux Reader is absolutely free. Secondly, the program provides for read-only access and *does not allow you to make records* in Ext2/Ext3 file system partitions. This guarantees that the interference in an alternative file system will not affect the work of Linux later. Apart from this, it is necessary to note, that it gives you an opportunity to use common Windows Explorer for extracting data. A preview option for pictures is one more pleasant point, which is worth mentioning." SH: I will download this, experiment and let you know the results.
Guest Stephen Harris Posted September 15, 2008 Posted September 15, 2008 Re: FixMbr? ManyBeers wrote: > > The only reason I asked about the exts read/write software is because the > other day Windows > left some kind of 1kb file on the drive without me knowing about it. I don't > know if that would be a problem or not. Ubuntu doesn't show the file. I might > reinstall the program and set the Linux > drives as read only to avoid that situation from happening again. I don't > see any way of doing it > from within Windows. http://www.diskinternals.com/linux-reader/ Well, it seems to work well, I extracted a Ubuntu ebook from my Linux home partition and imported it into Windows. It didn't ask me for any money yet. I think the Fat32 partition will still be necessary as a transport point to import files into Ubuntu so they can be "journaled".
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