cannot find Boot Loader password

3ti3nn3 · 07-26-2004, 12:05 AM

I'm using Mandrake 10 and trying to install Windoze XP. The XP installation is going has usual until the reformat is done and then it is rebootibg by itself. When the computer reboot I have an error mesasge saying CANNOT FIND BOOT LOADER. I did put a boot loader password with The redhat 9 installation but cannot remember it or figure out how to erase it. PLease Help I'm a lnux newbie.

ppuru · 07-26-2004, 12:58 AM

This is not related to security.

Quote:

CANNOT FIND BOOT LOADER

This means you do not have a valid boot loader on your MBR. You can try to reinstall XP, get through the installation process, make sure you can get into XP, Reboot, pop in your Mandrake Distribution Disk, go into rescue mode and have Mandrake fix the boot loader.

BIACS · 07-26-2004, 07:20 AM

Use a Win9x boot floppy, boot without CD rom support. When you get to the A prompt type in fdisk /mbr this will erase your current mbr (master boot record). That will kill the RedHat loader.

ppuru · 07-26-2004, 07:26 AM

Quote:

That will kill the RedHat loader.

You will need to go through the Mandrake rescue mode after that if you want to dualboot Fedora/XP.

BIACS · 07-26-2004, 10:30 AM

Since he said he was using MDK 10 I just assumed he was only going to dual boot MDK and XP.

ppuru · 07-26-2004, 10:38 AM

Thankyou BIACS ... It should have been Mandrake/XP ... this shows how much RedHat/Fedora has affected me

And it didn't strike me when I quoted your "RedHat loader line". Too bad my brain equates Linux to RedHat

Capt_Caveman · 07-26-2004, 02:28 PM

//Doesn't appear to be security-related. Moving to Linux - General forum.

3ti3nn3 · 07-26-2004, 10:51 PM

Thanks for all the help. Sorry for posting in the wrong tread. I am kind of new to all these forums things and not a computer whiz . But I still have more questions if I may still ask them. I don't have any Windows 9x instalation cd. So is booting in safemode with mandrake do the trick. If yes, how I am supposed to do that? And after I am in safemode how do i fix the boot loader problem and install my multiboot Mandrake/WinXP. I have installed Redhat 9 right now because the boot loader password was set up with that distro. Can anyone provide me with detailed step by step explanation, has I desperately need my Windoze system to be up and running as quickly as possible.

MS3FGX · 07-26-2004, 10:56 PM

You can get the Windows boot disk from:

http://www.bootdisk.com

ppuru · 07-27-2004, 01:54 AM

The XP Install CD has a Recovery Console. Not exactly sure where / what stage ... Once on this recovery console command prompt, you run fixmbr.