Ok so i just destroyed my linux Grub boot loader

I was running windows on hda

Linux on hdb (kernel 2.6 Debian Sarge)

I'm a newbie and hence the name

So I was trying to run my slave drive as the first boot device and let GRUB load off that, then have it default to windows on drive hda. but if i saved it in time i could run linux so my sister can use windows without linux disturbing her.

up until now i've been runing the setup with GRUB on a floppy so that linux boots if i put the floppy in.

so now that i can't get into linux because somehow grub screwed with that disk my question is can i do this all from windows?

BTW I absolutely don't wan't to touch the MBR on hda cos as you may have noticed i'm likely (and liable) to screw things up.

copy your kernel in a directory accessible for windows.
In windows, install the loadlin program you find in install cd, prepare a script with something like 'DIR1\loadlin DIR\your kernel', launch it and you will boot linux.
chearch 'loadlin' in the tutorial

How can i get access to my kernel if i cannot boot linux?

If I reinstall, can i just keep my /usr and /home partitions as they are? So i don't have to download all the programs again.

don't reinstall, update with the same cd of your first install. it takes some time but let instact all your partition.
during the boot of the cd, it propose you to restor the grub loader. choise it and insert a new floppy. the program know where boot loader where was in the past.

I wish I could have read that earlier, i just reinstalled.

Its ok though because with my /home partition it doesn't effect much, i've done that install about 10 times in a month!

Now that I can get into linux this might be easier to answer:

Since linux is on hdb is there anyway i can set the BIOS to boot from that drive and have grub then redirect everything?

So can i put grub on the MBR of hdb and have it load windows automatically (which is on hda)? I understand that there were issues in lilo doing this because the bios fools the boot loader into believing hdb is really hda but then when the boot loader goes to access hdb it is really access hda.

Does that make sense?

no matter grub, don't install it.
You can boot on hdb, its name believe hdb. It's because it have a number on the device. see "ls -l /dev/hda".
now you have linux installed, copy your kernel in a dircetory accessible from windows.
restore the windows mbr : fdisk /mbr
and inside windows, launch the command loadlin your_kernel to boot linux, without reboot computer.
to have windows, simply your linux machine.no-one can know you have a linux until you bott on it.

loadlin? without rebooting? so i'll be running linux from windows?

I have windows xp does that matter?

Boot from a slave and want Windows in master disk untouched like a virgin

One can put Grub just about anywhere in any disk and in any partition and it can still boot every system in a PC. My Grub boots 50+ systems in 4 disks, including DOS, BSD and Solaris. Yes One Grub boots the whole lot!

I haven't touch Loadin since the first month I went into Linux. It is a DOS program and has all the limitation of DOS. Grub is simpler and about 100 times more powerful as it boots XP's bootloader NTLDR, itself and Linux's Lilo too, beyond 137Gb and in the partition numbers that some distros can even be installed there, say hda40.

The XP's MBR can be restored by boot up a DOS floppy and type fdisk /mbr. What is the big deal if you have have it back any time your want? I must have changed the mbr in hda over 100 times in installing 50+ systems. I settle on Grub after hitting the limits of NTLDR and Lilo.

Ok so you're saying it has to be on hda?

As to my question... what if i edit the boot menu in grub on hdb so it says linux: boot from hda (even though it's on hdb) and windows hdb so that if i swap the boot process to boot from hdb when the bios fools grub into thinking hdb is hda it will boot linux otherwise if i don't touch anything it boots hdb (hda()

GRUB and LILO always conflict with Windows. And GNU GRUB is not so robust, causing many problems during boot.

So try GRUB for DOS please. It is a cross-platform boot loader based on GNU GRUB. The GRUB.EXE can be started from DOS/Win9x; and GRLDR can be started from BOOT.INI of Windows NT/2K/XP/2003; and even more, the GRUB.EXE can be started from LINUX via the KEXEC tool.

By using GRUB.EXE or GRLDR, you don't have to touch your MBR. It is the safest way coexisting with DOS/Windows.

You needn't install GRUB for DOS. Just run GRUB.EXE from DOS, or append a line of "C:\GRLDR=START GRUB" into your BOOT.INI(restart and select the "START GRUB" menu item), that will do.

Download GRUB for DOS here: http://freshmeat.net/projects/grub4dos/

There is a fat12grldr.img file with the GRUB for DOS release. You can create a GRUB bootable floppy with this fat12grldr.img file.

Or, you can just copy GRUB.EXE to your DOS floppy and run GRUB.EXE to enter the GRUB environment.

I did this and it worked