how to install MBR?

mrgrieves · 05-16-2004, 07:42 PM

I recently bought a 120gig HD. Installed windowsXP on the entire disk, and then resized ntfs to install slackware.

All went well, except for the fact that I can't install a bootloader. Not grub or lilo. The windows recovery console tells me that the mbr is invalid or irregular (something like that,) and I've tried all sorts of combinations, including fixmbr, fixboot and so on.

Is there any way to install an mbr, or an alternate booting thing? I can't install to the superblock either....

-Thanks

rose_bud4201 · 05-16-2004, 07:47 PM

Have you tried booting into linux, and running /sbin/lilo (assuming that your lilo.conf file says what you want it to say)? Trying to make the windows bootloader accept linux is sort of like making molasses run uphill...

mrgrieves · 05-16-2004, 08:00 PM

Yup, it says:
*linux added

Any ideas? I'd hate to resort to adding it to the windows bootloader.

vectordrake · 05-16-2004, 11:24 PM

Windows is first? /dev/hda1?
Add to your /etc/lilo.conf this stanza and reboot. It should work.

Code:

other=/dev/hda1
label=windows

It should boot with that, actually.

jacky · 05-17-2004, 12:11 AM

windows xp by default system restoration option is checked.Thats why you are getting system recovery message.

First you have to disable system restortation option in windows xp.
do folowing steps
Go to Control Panel-->System,
and then click the Performance tab.
Click File System button,
and then click the Troubleshooting tab.
Select the Disable System Restore check box,
click Apply and Close

after this reboot to linux.
type
# lilo -v
this will install boot loader. Befor issuing it veryfy the /etc/lilo.conf entry