Installation question please ...

vibinlakshman · 02-19-2009, 07:44 PM

I need to reinstall windows xp , i have ubuntu too , i had installed windows first then ubuntu , forgot which is in MBR , i dont knw either it is GRUB or windows boot loader
When i reinstall windows xp , will it make any problem to my ubuntu, i'm supposed to install in earlier windows location itself
Please help ..

rtrahan · 02-19-2009, 08:00 PM

For a dual-boot always install Windows first..is that what you are asking?

syg00 · 02-19-2009, 08:26 PM

XP will replace the loader in the MBR. No big deal - you can re-install grub easily enough after the event. Your Ubuntu system will still be there, but you won't be able to access it directly after the XP re-install.

vibinlakshman · 02-19-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

XP will replace the loader in the MBR. No big deal - you can re-install grub easily enough after the event. Your Ubuntu system will still be there, but you won't be able to access it directly after the XP re-install.

How can i access my ubuntu then .. ? Shud anything done in MBR , please help me to perform , i dont knw much about MBR , or grub reinstall , that kind of words

vibinlakshman · 02-19-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtrahan

For a dual-boot always install Windows first..is that what you are asking?

I was supposed to reinstall ..Still having ubutntu in another partition

ic_torres · 02-19-2009, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vibinlakshman

I was supposed to reinstall ..Still having ubutntu in another partition

if you reinstall windows with ubuntu still existing, xp will over write your MBR so your boot loader (whether grub or lilo) will be gone. BUT your ubuntu is still available. you have just to reinstall your boot loader via using the ubuntu install cd.. (if i am saying it right) i have done this before. . .

alan_ri · 02-19-2009, 09:24 PM

Reinstall XP,then reinstall Ubuntu.Problem solved.

Tinkster · 02-19-2009, 09:47 PM

And a quick note on the usage of English words:

Please compare
http://www.dictionary.net/doubt
http://www.dictionary.net/question

Thanks...

Cheers,
Tink

P.S.: I took the liberty to rename your thread to reflect
the different meanings explained above.

jonny5tails · 02-19-2009, 11:27 PM

Hi vibi,
Not sure why you feel you need to re-install windows (care to explain?). If not, here is the definitive & easiest way to restore your Grub. I think I got it from Ubuntu Forums...You might want to try this before re-installing anything!!!

How to restore Grub from a live Ubuntu cd.
This will restore grub if you already had grub installed but lost it to a windows install or some other occurence that erased/changed your MBR so that grub no longer appears at start up or it returns an error.

(This how to is written for Ubuntu but should work on other systems. The only thing to take note of, when you see "sudo" that will mean to you that the following command should be entered at a root terminal.)

Boot into the live Ubuntu cd. This can be the live installer cd or the older live session Ubuntu cds.

When you get to the desktop open a terminal and enter. (I am going to give you the commands and then I will explain them later)

Code:

sudo grub

This will get you a "grub>" prompt (i.e. the grub shell). At grub>. enter these commands

Code:

find /boot/grub/stage1

This will return a location. If you have more than one, select the installation that you want to provide the grub files.
Next, THIS IS IMPORTANT, whatever was returned for the find command use it in the next line (you are still at grub>. when you enter the next 3 commands)

Code:

root (hd?,?)

Again use the value from the find command i.e. if find returned (hd0,1) then you would enter root (hd0,1)

Next enter the command to install grub to the mbr

Code:

setup (hd0)

Finally exit the grub shell
Code:

quit

That is it. Grub will be installed to the mbr.
When you reboot, you will have the grub menu at startup.

Good Luck

vibinlakshman · 02-20-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonny5tails

Hi vibi,
Not sure why you feel you need to re-install windows (care to explain?). If not, here is the definitive & easiest way to restore your Grub. I think I got it from Ubuntu Forums...You might want to try this before re-installing anything!!!

How to restore Grub from a live Ubuntu cd.
This will restore grub if you already had grub installed but lost it to a windows install or some other occurence that erased/changed your MBR so that grub no longer appears at start up or it returns an error.

(This how to is written for Ubuntu but should work on other systems. The only thing to take note of, when you see "sudo" that will mean to you that the following command should be entered at a root terminal.)

Boot into the live Ubuntu cd. This can be the live installer cd or the older live session Ubuntu cds.

When you get to the desktop open a terminal and enter. (I am going to give you the commands and then I will explain them later)

Code:

sudo grub

This will get you a "grub>" prompt (i.e. the grub shell). At grub>. enter these commands

Code:

find /boot/grub/stage1

This will return a location. If you have more than one, select the installation that you want to provide the grub files.
Next, THIS IS IMPORTANT, whatever was returned for the find command use it in the next line (you are still at grub>. when you enter the next 3 commands)

Code:

root (hd?,?)

Again use the value from the find command i.e. if find returned (hd0,1) then you would enter root (hd0,1)

Next enter the command to install grub to the mbr

Code:

setup (hd0)

Finally exit the grub shell
Code:

quit

That is it. Grub will be installed to the mbr.
When you reboot, you will have the grub menu at startup.

Good Luck

Oh man u were so good , I got it .. Will perform it