Huge GRUB Problem
 

Hi Folks,

I recently restored my Toshiba laptop to XP using the DVD-ROM provided with the computer, but I cannot actually USE it because GRUB tries to load and does nto let me into Windows. I got an "Error 7" message on my screen and I have no way of acessing Windows. For a few weeks, I've just had a big black screen. Every other time I've tried to put Windows back on this computer, I've had to give up and go back to Linux, but now I desperately need Windows back, as I am moving and will no longer have two computers.

Now, I know the common responses here: use a Win 98 boot disk, press F8 to get into some kind of utility with the XP disk...

Here's my problem: I have NO floppy drive on my computer, and I have no XP disk. I only have the DVD-ROM from Toshiba that restores the system back to its original state by formatting the HD and re-installing the OEM software. I have absolutely no way of running Fdisk or any of the programs that are usually suggested for this.

I've been at this for literally WEEKS and now I am moving in a few days and will have no computer. I'm desperate folks. ANY help would be appreicated immensely! :(

So the issue is that your grub configuration is screwy? You can post it here (along with your partition/hard drive info), and we'll try to help you out if you like?

The alternative would be to burn the files which a dos boot disk normally contains onto a cd, and then boot with that (an .iso is here, at the bottom where it says "cd rom boot image"). It's not particularly good with much file handling on XP, being that DOS boot disks can't read NTFS and all, but it should be ok for fdisk.

Well, all I need to do is to restore the original boot loader that came with my Toshiba laptop so I can get into XP. Right now, GRUB is on there and it throws up an "Error 7" and I cannot get into Windows.

My computer only came with a restore DVD that does NOT have any utilities on it, and the computer doesn't have a floppy drive. As far as partitions go, that's all fine. I just want to get GRUB off my computer so I can use only XP on my system. I no longer want Linux on that computer, and even though I installed XP using the restore disk from Toshiba, I cannot get into XP because GRUB comes up and gives me the Error 7.

Thanks!

I just burned the DOS ISO file twice using two different ISO burning programs and both times when I loaded the CDs into my laptop a simple black screen (with flashing underscore) appeared on the screen.

Please, if anyone can help me find a way to run Fdisk or somehow get GRUB out of my computer, I am BEGGING for your help!

Thank you!

OK go here http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm and go down to the heading of XP Quick Boot Diskette. Read the Readme.

If that is not what you want it should be on this site somewhere.

Once you have booted you can use Fdisk /mbr to fix the mbr.

Look at this for any other help http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315224/


Dingo

Most of the problem is that he doesn't have a floppy drive. Diskettes are out of the question.

Why not borrow someone’s win 2k or xp installation cd?

All you need the CD for is to boot into the repair mode (recovery console) and run fixmbr.