Re-installing Grub Bootloader?
 

Help!!!
I have a dual boot laptop with Redhat 8.0 and Winslow 2000. Unfortunately my winslow 2000 virus is acting badly and I think its time (once again) to re-install the pos.

The problem is that if I re-install the MS virus then it will of course assume that it is the only OS on my box and overwrite my bootloader.

My question is, once I re-install the windows 2000 virus, how do I get my bootloader back so i can still boot into a real OS ?

first off, I assume what you are saying is that you are reinstalling w2k, not an actual virus? I assume you are just attempting to show contempt for the OS?

make a boot disk for your redhat install. after you reinstall w2k then use the boot disk to get back into redhat and use the following command:

grub-install /dev/hda

that is if hda is where you want to put it.

this will put grub back in the MBR of the hd that you specify..

Your assumption is correct, thanks for the input. Also how do I go about creating a boot disk?

Depending on your distro and kde/gnome/other desktop there may be a gui app to do it, have a look. If not, use the trusty 'mkbootdisk'. Usually mkbootdisk fd0, but read the manpage...

Ok, I just saw you are using RH8, there is definately a gui tool to make boot disks. Probably in 'system tools' or somewhere similar.

Hey guys i have the same problem, except i stupidly instaleld XP over already and how dont have access to my linux partition... :( that makes my sad.. opps forgot too add the real problem im having is that i dont have a floppy drive...

If you dont't have a floppy, or don't want to make one, then you can probably use your distributions install CD. For RedHat, type "linux rescue" at the boot prompt. Then you can go about reinstalling grub, lilo, or whatever else might need fixing.

Don't forget to modify your grub.conf file to account for the new OS.

You should be able to boot your system with the install cd, at the prompt type "linux root = /dev/hd??", where ?? is the location of your root partition.

thanks guys!

Even more stupid than the last guy!
 

ok, i am guilty of the most fantastic oversight here. i too have had to reinstall windoze which has of course meant losing my bootloader (grub).
you suggest using a bootdisk - but i have already reinstalled so can't get in to make one!
you suggest booting from the distro cd - but i installed via ftp (suse 8.1) so don't have one!
hmmm.
is there perhaps a windows-installable bootloader which would allow me to get into linux and then reinstall grub from there? or perhaps some other more esoteric method?
rest assured, i shall be making a bootdisk once i DO get in!

cheers

There are a host of downloadable linux rescue flopy images, you should be able to find a suitable one on the LWN distro list.

thanks.

how about the boot floppy used to start the ftp installation? would this allow me to get in and reinstall grub?

Maybe, the suse docs should be able to tell if the install floppy can be used as a rescue disk.

Yes it can :-)

Or you can use SuSE Live-Eval CD for the rescue -> you will have a graphical one ;-)


Have a lot of fun!

i am still having problems here.
i am using the boot cd (image file downloaded from the suse ftp site) to get the rescue system so i now have a command line. however, none of the procedures i try (such as using grub-install or the grub command line sequence detailed elsewhere on this forum) seem to work. it appears that i only have access to the files located on the boot cd and it's associated kernel, NOT my actual linux hd partition, which i suppose would explain why i cannot install grub. do i have to mount my hd partition then? and how?

What are you typing at the prompt?