specs:

asus u46e-bal notebook
dual boot windows 7 and mandriva linux 2011
grub boot loader ( still intact)

Now, when trying to boot into linux it tries and then stops with only a black screen - just cannot boot into linux but CAN still boot into Windows7,


Have tried knoppix but will not mount disk

error message:

" cannot mount disk to /mnt -system"


The mbr is of course on the windows7 partition.

Would like to know if there a safe way to restore the mbr in attempts to recover entry into linux partition.

specs:

asus u46e-bal notebook
dual boot windows 7 and mandriva linux 2011
grub boot loader ( still intact)

Now, when trying to boot into linux it tries and then stops with only a black screen - just cannot boot into linux but CAN still boot into Windows7,


Have tried knoppix but will not mount disk

error message:

" cannot mount disk to /mnt -system"


The mbr is of course on the windows7 partition.

Would like to know if there a safe way to restore the mbr in attempts to recover entry into linux partition.

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Update.....

The black screen disappears
But only if I have the HDMI
cable plugged in while grub is booting up.

The problem now is how to get back to a
normal diplsay.

Two possible things: Either your grub is pointing to a wrong partition; or it is pointing to a mismatched kernel. Are you using initrd? Which OS installed the grub? How was grub installed? How far does linux go each time you attempt to boot into it?

This is a separate problem. What error it gives? how did you install knopix?


The MBR is not contained in a partition, it is generally at the beginning sector.


First you create an MBR backup. But since you are not running a linux (is knopix still running? from where, partition or livecd?) you will need to run at least a linux from a liveCD. Try Linux Mint LiveCD here and boot it up from CD/DVD drive. Once running you can back up your current MBR by this--

First mount a partition where you can write and keep the MBR backup file (this is very small file).

Example:
Then backup the MBR--

Having done it, check your backup file by this command:

It returns an enumeration of addresses in the first 512bytes in the first sectors.

======

In case you want to restore the backup into the MBR just issue this--

Reboot into the current situation. That's assuming you have not altered anything in the partition distribution of the entire hard disk.

Hope this helps Goodluck.

and will reply asap. Thanks

Are you using initrd? Which OS installed the grub? How was grub installed? How far does linux go each time you attempt to boot into it?

I installed grub with Mandriva One 2011.

Without the HDMI plugged in, it will load the boot menu and then it stops
short of the blue screen opening for KDE ….stays black.

I know of /etc/initrd but I don’t know if Im using it.


I can delete the current Linux partition altogether and re install it no problem.

That won't mess with the Windows partition will it?

If you can do that without issues then you may do that solution, it is better because you would be able to test other distros.


So long as you dont touch the partition where Windows is installed it would'nt do any harm to it. Only be sure to install the Grub with and from on the newly intalled Linux. The setting up of OS options in grub is automatically done by grub at installation.


Try Linux Mint here.

Hope it helps.

mm

Reinstalled using One ISO image.

In retrospect, this was not a grub issue but some kind of graphics/display
issue .

It happened because I tweaked the graphics server somehow defaulting
HDMI only.

Thanks.