Hi

I have this problem with with the grub loader.

a few months ago I installed fedora core 3 for the first time on my pc.
next to the partition for fc3 I also had a windows XP partition under FAT32.
I used the grub loader to switch OSs from boot because fedora recommends this.

since almost a week ago i need a 2nd windows OS for an upcoming project.
So what did i do?
I deleted the fedora partition with fdisk (from windows 98 startup-disk).
I did the same with the ex3 /boot partition. (I suggested that this would also kill the grub loader)

after rebooting I could'nt boot my win XP partition.
what else shoot i expect when you change your partition table.
this was no problem. I used a bootmagic startup-disk--- sett the active partition --- reboot --- windows says that the file c:/windows/system32/hal.dll is corrupt or missing---I had this problem before so i usually backup this file and simply replace it (don't actually know what tis file is exactly specified for but it works)---- I had to restart again ---- and my windows xp OS worked again.

till this far no really big problems.

now I installed my 2nd win OS. created the new partition with the xp install cd.
after I needed a reboot THE GRUB LOADER WAS BACK

I have searched various forums and they all had the same solutions
run fdisk /mbr
fixmbr
from the command prompt. and directly from dos
also used windows recovery console try to fix it,
did deleted all partitions on my HD with fdisk, partitionmagic and knoppix,
but grub still remains!!!!!!!

what can I do else????
do I have to make a new ex3 /boot partition and install the grub loader again so I can tweak it and remove it properly???
or won't this work???

I have good backups of everything on my HD so I don't mind loosing partition etc.

posting this i feel kinda stupid with all those other articles on the forums
but i can't get rid of it

hope someone can help me

greets
dennis

Put in your WIN XP CD and run into console recovery mode. Once there, run fdisk /fixmbr.

This will clear the MBR of GRUB and boot you straight into windows. Then see the internet on how to create a windows bootloader. It has something to do with adding an extra line to the boot.ini file (just to know where and what to look for...)

Good luck!

I have tried this before. I have noticed that the path you're in is very important.
during recovery console it asks me what OS I want to recover

1. C: win xp
2. D: win xp

I have activated "1" the C: win xp OS.
it puts me down in the path C:/WINDOWS
cd ..
now in the root directory C:>
I have typed "fdisk /fixmbr"
it says "the command is not recognized".
I have typed "fixmbr"
it asks me if I'm shure (with a coution line)
I've typed "y"

to be sure I did the same thing to the 2nd OS on D:

once i've rebooted the grub loader is still on.

did I used the wrong path to run fixmbr???
and why is the thing with "fdisk /fixmbr" when the command is not recognized?

I also tried to install another bootloader with the hopes of overwriting the grub boot loader.
I used bootmagic for this
now when rebooting, my pc first runs bootmagic.
after this he runs the grub loader again

my problem still isn't fixed.

I don't know if I'm wright but adding an extra line to the boot.ini file sounds to me like a way of making an extra OS addressable (bootable) and visible for a boot loader.

booting up with grub is no problem. so adding extra lines in the boot.ini file wont disable grub I guess.

please correct me if I see things completely wrong