HELP! Boot Record Gone?

johan the olive · 02-17-2003, 10:12 AM

I installed mandrake and it screwed over my red hat installation and did something to my boot loader for windows which isn't good. any way to get it back?!?!

moosedaddy · 02-17-2003, 10:29 AM

What version of windows?

fancypiper · 02-17-2003, 10:37 AM

Use your Redhat installation disk and use the rescue function and re-install grub (mandrake uses lilo). Add a stanza to /boot/grub/grub.conf for mandrake.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You do not have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
#          root (hd0,6)
#          kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda7
#          initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hda
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd0,6)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Windows 98
        rootnoverify (hd0,0)
        chainloader +1
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-3)
        root (hd0,6)
        kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-3 ro root=/dev/hda7 hdd=ide-scsi mem=nopentium
        initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.18-3.img
title Gentoo Linux
        root (hd0,4)
        kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/hda2 mem=nopentium hdd=ide-scsi

title Mandrake Linux
        kernel (hd0,7)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda8 devfs=mount quiet vga=788 mem=nopentium hdd=ide-scsi
        initrd (hd0,7)/boot/initrd.img

#title DebianLinux
#       root (hd0,8)
#       kernel /boot

Installing a bootloader

# Redhat links
Red Hat Linux Manuals
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
Easier software management: APT-RPM - Red Carpet

# Redhat 8.0 configuration commands
Configure soundcard:
redhat-config-soundcard
Configure X server:
redhat-config-xfree86

trickykid · 02-17-2003, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fancypiper
Use your Redhat installation disk and use the rescue function and re-install grub (mandrake uses lilo). Add a stanza to /boot/grub/grub.conf for mandrake.

Code:

# grub.conf generated by anaconda # # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file # NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that # all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg. # root (hd0,6) # kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda7 # initrd /boot/initrd-version.img #boot=/dev/hda default=0 timeout=15 splashimage=(hd0,6)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz title Windows 98 rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-3) root (hd0,6) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-3 ro root=/dev/hda7 hdd=ide-scsi mem=nopentium initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.18-3.img title Gentoo Linux root (hd0,4) kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/hda2 mem=nopentium hdd=ide-scsi title Mandrake Linux kernel (hd0,7)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda8 devfs=mount quiet vga=788 mem=nopentium hdd=ide-scsi initrd (hd0,7)/boot/initrd.img #title DebianLinux # root (hd0,8) # kernel /boot

Installing a bootloader

fancypiper, that is nice information you gave but how does it help the user. First off it appears he might be using a Windows loader instead of Linux ? And how do you assume he is using grub ?

johan the olive,

What loader are you specifically using, Windows NT Loader, lilo or grub, etc ? If your using a Windows and Mandrake overwrote it, you can either edit your new loader to boot from your perform a fdisk /MBR to clear your MBR to reconfigure your Windows loader..

Let us know with more details so we can help out..

fancypiper · 02-17-2003, 11:59 AM

What Windows flavor and what Linux distribution and version are you using?

Trickykid, I posted my response based upon what happened when I installed Mandrake and how I re-installed grub (default current Redhat bootloader). The question seemed to fit what I went through, so it may help him as that process fixed mine.

My situation:
Multiboot Windows 98SE, Redhat 7.3, Gentoo and Mandrake 9.0

More information given in questions = better and more accurate answers

GIGO

johan the olive · 02-17-2003, 09:01 PM

well mandrake installed something. not sure what it is. it's graphical though. im running win 2000. what else is their?

fancypiper · 02-18-2003, 12:46 AM

What bootloader were you using before you installed Mandrake? Mandrake installs lilo, FYI.

Were you using grub or the Windows 2000 loader? I have read something about a Windows 2000 rescue console or something like that.

If you were using grub, my first post will solve that.

It's becoming harder to pull information from posters lately......

# Mandrake links
Mandrake home page
Mandrake Users website
Easy software management: Red Carpet
Maximum RPM
rpmfind

# Redhat links
Red Hat Linux Manuals
Maximum RPM
rpmfind
Easier software management: APT-RPM - Red Carpet

# Redhat 8.0 configuration commands
Configure soundcard:
redhat-config-soundcard
Configure X server:
redhat-config-xfree86

Quote:

what else is their?

Windows flavors started with Windows 3.0 (I think), then Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP etc.

ChaoticBob · 02-18-2003, 02:47 AM

The only way I can think of is to use the windows 2000 cd. I have donw it before after installing Redhat overwrote my MBR for Win 2k. Boot up with the cd and go into the rescue console. IN the help there should be an option called fixMBR or something like that. This will reinstall the boot loader as it was when Win 2k was first installed. Hope you have a boot disk for whatever linux you want to keep.

There is probably a way to do this kind of thing with lilo or grub but I wouldn't know about that.

johan the olive · 02-18-2003, 12:30 PM

before any linux, whatever windows installs. with redhat, grub. not sure with mandrake. it installed one itself

probably my biggest problem: no win 2000 disks. had some 98 not sure where....

fancypiper · 02-18-2003, 12:43 PM

Your Windows 2000 install disk is probably labeled something like rescue disk if it is like what came with my friend's Dell computer.

johan the olive · 02-20-2003, 11:04 AM

ha ha that's funny. im not an idiot. i didn't buy my computer i built it. it didn't run windows me right, from my last computer, cause it kept giving me blue screens of doom aka memory problems. so my dad gave it to a friend who installed 2000 and now im gonna try and get the win 2000 disks from him aka copy them for me

m0rl0ck · 02-20-2003, 11:31 AM

vi /etc/lilo.conf
And add an entry for windows:

other=/dev/hd$1
label=windows
table=/dev/hd$

Of course replace the dollar signs with the actual drive letter. After that rerun /sbin/lilo.

Grub is an abomination. Ive had two filesystems toasted by it. Use lilo, simpler fewer headaches.

johan the olive · 02-20-2003, 12:31 PM

not sure who to follow... i want to get back to old windows boot record or remove the one installed by mandrake so that i can format the slave and not have the boot loader it installed screw over my computer so i can't use it.

johan the olive · 02-20-2003, 09:59 PM

i want to wipe the slave, install mandrake and end the problems. how do i go about this with this boot record ordeal? thx

fancypiper · 02-20-2003, 10:21 PM

Ranish Partition Manager is a freeware partitioning tool you can run on a Windows bootable floppy to partition your drive(s) and show your partitions and show any possible problems with your layout. Wipe the Windows partitions you have now and put a legal operating system on there.

If you want to run Windows 2000, I suggest you buy the license for using it and get the disk so you can fix it.

Shoplifting or stealing software is not a good idea and is against the law as well.