Before I say anything, here's my setup:

Windows XP on master disk (hda)
Red Hat Linux 8.0 on slave disk (hdb)
Linux was installed over XP
Installed the boot loader to the MBR of the master
The master disk is formatted in NTFS
The slave is formatted in ext3 (Linux) format

I installed Red Hat Linux a few days ago, and ever since, my computer will not start up unless I use the boot disk setup created for me. It's a serious problem, but it might be easy to fix, who knows ...

So, with the disk out, if I start it up, it all goes good, going through the BIOS screens, everything goes normally, yadda yadda ... then it tries to read from the MBR and BOOM! Massive crash. I want to get GRUB on there, but I've recently tried LILO due to all the crashing. So at the end it says "L" with the flashing cusor after it in the DOS-like screen ... ? The error on the GRUB boot loader said some english, but to be honest, I forgot what it said. But it hangs the exact same way.

Sooooo weird, but the worst thing ... I am a digital musician, so I have thousands of dollars worth of virtual studio technolody, about 200 songs, 8,000 samples, and about a dozen professional virtual studio programs! I just can't let all my work and all my virtual pro-audio equipment go in a format. The recovery of Windows XP is massively vital.

HELP! I'll do anything to get hda running on XP again!

I tried running the GRUB boot loader install, which, for some reason, appeared to install fine but did nothing to my boot loader whatsoever. So I'm going to post again and report what the terminal said, maybe you can point out a problem in the install ... I'm very new at Linux but I think I'm really catching on.

Thanks!!

[root@localhost grub-0.93]# ./configure
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for gawk... gawk
checking whether make sets ${MAKE}... yes
checking build system type... i686-pc-linux-gnu
checking host system type... i686-pc-linux-gnu
checking whether to enable maintainer-specific portions of Makefiles... no
checking for gcc... gcc
checking for gcc... (cached) gcc
checking for C compiler default output... a.out
checking whether the C compiler works... yes
checking whether we are cross compiling... no
checking for suffix of executables...
checking for suffix of object files... o
checking whether we are using the GNU C compiler... yes
checking whether gcc accepts -g... yes
checking for style of include used by make... GNU
checking dependency style of gcc... gcc3
checking dependency style of gcc... (cached) gcc3
checking for ranlib... ranlib
checking whether optimization for size works... yes
checking whether -Wundef works... yes
checking whether -falign-loops works... yes
checking for objcopy... objcopy
checking if C symbols get an underscore after compilation... no
checking whether objcopy works for absolute addresses... yes
checking whether addr32 must be in the same line as the instruction... yes
checking for .code16 addr32 assembler support... yes
checking whether an absolute indirect call/jump must not be prefixed with an asterisk... no
checking if start is defined by the compiler... no
checking if _start is defined by the compiler... yes
checking if __bss_start is defined by the compiler... yes
checking if _edata is defined by the compiler... yes
checking if edata is defined by the compiler... yes
checking if end is defined by the compiler... yes
checking if _end is defined by the compiler... yes
checking for opendisk in -lutil... no
checking for wgetch in -lncurses... yes
checking how to run the C preprocessor... gcc -E
checking for ANSI C header files... yes
checking for sys/types.h... yes
checking for sys/stat.h... yes
checking for stdlib.h... yes
checking for string.h... yes
checking for memory.h... yes
checking for strings.h... yes
checking for inttypes.h... yes
checking for stdint.h... yes
checking for unistd.h... yes
checking for string.h... (cached) yes
checking for strings.h... (cached) yes
checking ncurses/curses.h usability... yes
checking ncurses/curses.h presence... yes
checking for ncurses/curses.h... yes
checking ncurses.h usability... yes
checking ncurses.h presence... yes
checking for ncurses.h... yes
checking curses.h usability... yes
checking curses.h presence... yes
checking for curses.h... yes
configure: creating ./config.status
config.status: creating Makefile
config.status: creating stage1/Makefile
config.status: creating stage2/Makefile
config.status: creating docs/Makefile
config.status: creating lib/Makefile
config.status: creating util/Makefile
config.status: creating grub/Makefile
config.status: creating netboot/Makefile
config.status: creating util/grub-image
config.status: creating util/grub-install
config.status: creating util/grub-md5-crypt
config.status: creating util/grub-terminfo
config.status: creating config.h
config.status: config.h is unchanged
config.status: executing default-1 commands

[root@localhost grub-0.93]# make
cd . \
&& CONFIG_FILES= CONFIG_HEADERS=config.h \
/bin/sh ./config.status
config.status: creating config.h
config.status: config.h is unchanged
config.status: executing default-1 commands
make all-recursive
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
Making all in netboot
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
Making all in stage2
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make all-am
make[3]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all-am'.
make[3]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
Making all in stage1
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
Making all in lib
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
Making all in grub
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
Making all in util
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
Making all in docs
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `all'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'

[root@localhost grub-0.93]# make check
Making check in netboot
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `check'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
Making check in stage2
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make check-TESTS
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
PASS: size_test
==================
All 1 tests passed
==================
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
Making check in stage1
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `check'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
Making check in lib
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `check'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
Making check in grub
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `check'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
Making check in util
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `check'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
Making check in docs
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for `check'.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'

[root@localhost grub-0.93]# make install
Making install in netboot
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/netboot'
Making install in stage2
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 stage2 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/stage2
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 e2fs_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/e2fs_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 fat_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/fat_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ffs_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/ffs_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 jfs_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/jfs_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 minix_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/minix_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 reiserfs_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/reiserfs_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 vstafs_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/vstafs_stage1_5
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 xfs_stage1_5 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/xfs_stage1_5
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage2'
Making install in stage1
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 stage1 /usr/local/share/grub/i386-pc/stage1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/stage1'
Making install in lib
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/lib'
Making install in grub
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/sbin
/usr/bin/install -c grub /usr/local/sbin/grub
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/grub'
Making install in util
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/bin
/usr/bin/install -c mbchk /usr/local/bin/mbchk
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/sbin
/usr/bin/install -c grub-install /usr/local/sbin/grub-install
/usr/bin/install -c grub-md5-crypt /usr/local/sbin/grub-md5-crypt
/usr/bin/install -c grub-terminfo /usr/local/sbin/grub-terminfo
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.

make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/util'
Making install in docs
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/info
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub.info /usr/local/info/grub.info
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub.info-1 /usr/local/info/grub.info-1
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub.info-2 /usr/local/info/grub.info-2
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub.info-3 /usr/local/info/grub.info-3
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./multiboot.info /usr/local/info/multiboot.info
install-info --info-dir=/usr/local/info /usr/local/info/grub.info
install-info --info-dir=/usr/local/info /usr/local/info/multiboot.info
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/man/man1
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./mbchk.1 /usr/local/man/man1/mbchk.1
/bin/sh ../mkinstalldirs /usr/local/man/man8
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub.8 /usr/local/man/man8/grub.8
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub-install.8 /usr/local/man/man8/grub-install.8
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub-md5-crypt.8 /usr/local/man/man8/grub-md5-crypt.8
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 ./grub-terminfo.8 /usr/local/man/man8/grub-terminfo.8
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93/docs'
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/files/grub-0.93'

Yeah I know it's a lotta jibba jabba ... but my FTP server is down right now so I can't just link to a file, sorry ...

Put your XP cd in and goto Recovery Console. At the prompt type "fixmbr" and reboot. Check your BIOS to make sure your HDDs are registered correctly. If not put both on "Auto" and reboot.

I just solved it!!!

It was such a simple solution, and I came upon it mistakenly!

I didn't configure hdb up in the BIOS, so Windows and Linux were loading the drive themselves. And when I was just peeking around my BIOS to try to disable LBA mode like that other guy, I found out that my slave wan't even configured! The LBA does screw up the boot sometimes, my 486 wouldn't even get past the BIOS screens with the LBA mode running on the drive. Anyways, I thought ... HEY! My boot folder is on the SLAVE, and the boot runs BEFORE any of the OSs, so I need to ENABLE this sucker! And I did, and walla, the GRUB boot loader worked beautifully.

Thank you for your help but I closed the case. I am in rejoice as I can load Windows with 100% stability and accuracy through GRUB!! All my work is totally back!! I think I'll be burning my files to discs soon ...

All I have to say is I'm amazed, I feel like it's fine shiny weather outside even though it's just 2:06 in the morning with me at the computer trying to solve this rig ... successfully!

Awesome forum guys, I got a response in like 10 minutes, very very cool. I'll be stickin around here for a long time.

Hey, Bellevue eh (I looked since you said 2AM)? I'm up here on Whidbey, and just about to head to bed. Figured I'd congratulate you on fixing your box, it feels great doesn't it? See ya on the boards

Cool

Just a little advice: If you know, that you have a lot of VIFs (very important files) on your harddrive, you _must_ use backups.