grub, ubuntu9.10 and XP with encryption: bad combo!
Linux - NewbieThis Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question?
If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide
This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.
Click Here to receive this Complete Guide absolutely free.
grub, ubuntu9.10 and XP with encryption: bad combo!
Hello,
my first post here.
Unfortunately to report a bad experience just happened.
I have a laptop with XP and software encryption on it (Safeboot).
Safeboot used to load before XP.
I had an USB HDD where I wanted to install Ubuntu9.10. So I booted from a liveCD and installed the Ubuntu distro on the USB disk. Right? Wrong.
Now there is grub on my laptop internal HDD and when the USB disk is disconnected I get the grub rescue prompt.
If I insert the USB disk I get the safeboot prompt complaining that it has been corrupted.
I feel there isn't much to do but I will ask anyway: is there a way to remove grub from the internal drive and recover safeboot as it was?
I expect you installed Grub stage1 file to the master boot record of the internal hard drive inadvertently which is why you get the error. The last time I installed Ubuntu, there was an option as to where to install Grub bootloader, mbr, root partition, not at all but I believe the default is to install to the mbr of the first harddrive. I don't know anything about Safeboot but usually to repair a windows mbr with xp, you would use your installation CD and get to a Rescue/Recovery prompt and run the commands: fixmbr and/or fixboot consecutively.
If you don't have the xp CD or the above fails, post back with that info and someone should be able to explain how to overwrite your mbr.
I don't have the XP CD since it was imaged by IT (company PC).
I imagine that GRUB copied the original MBR and sectors somewhere else. Is it possible to undo it?
The encryption works trapping the hard disk calls and encrypting/decrypting the data as it gets written/read.
I can't re-install the XP MBR since it wouldn't have the safeboot program. Is there a way to move
physically the previous MBR/boot program from where it is now to where it was?
Google has told me that since Smartboot loads before any MBR, any attempt to repair the MBR before dealing with Smartboot is likely to make things worse.
It appears that there is a CD that can be used with a special key to restore Safeboot. You or the IT department should perhaps be in touch with McAfee for help and instructions. Google also mentions that if a backup of this Smartboot installation was made, it will fix the problem. Was whoever did the installation so thorough?
Might I strongly suggest that you make a cloned copy of the HDD using either Clonezilla or the linux command "dd". I don't think that you can make any misstep with this problem without getting in deeper trouble. A clone will let you try, then try again from the same point, if not a better one, then one none the worse
Last edited by thorkelljarl; 02-01-2010 at 07:28 PM.
I found out that if I but from the liveCD and then I select
"boot from hard drive" option I get to the grub menu.
Is there anything I can learn from here?
How can I copy my laptop HDD partition (I have a disk big enough)?
You can get to GRUB, but can you boot? You can also boot a live-cd, but as I understand Safeboot, it acts as a scrambler on any input or output, and no live-cd will read the files.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.