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11-25-2008, 06:56 PM
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#1
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LQ Newbie
Registered: Nov 2008
Posts: 13
Rep:
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I tried to remove linux by deleting the partions now i get an error.
I followed this guide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r3czVPTmoo now it still try loads grub boot loader and gives me error 5 and i can't do anything my laptop is useless can someone help me please.
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11-25-2008, 07:30 PM
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#2
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Member
Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Distribution: Debian
Posts: 454
Rep:
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If you deleted the partitions but the bootloader gives an error, it is likely because the bootloader points to a file in a non-existent partition. A new installation of some OS or a wipe of the boot track will clear that. The installation will create the partitions and files you need and will install a new bootloader. If you wanted to delete GNU/Linux completely, you need to remove/change the bootloader as well as the partitions.
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda or sda will erase the whole drive, not just the partitions but also the bootloader. A full-surface write is also a check of the operation of the disc. If you get no errors, the disc is OK.
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11-25-2008, 07:34 PM
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#3
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LQ Newbie
Registered: Nov 2008
Posts: 13
Original Poster
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertP
If you deleted the partitions but the bootloader gives an error, it is likely because the bootloader points to a file in a non-existent partition. A new installation of some OS or a wipe of the boot track will clear that. The installation will create the partitions and files you need and will install a new bootloader. If you wanted to delete GNU/Linux completely, you need to remove/change the bootloader as well as the partitions.
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda or sda will erase the whole drive, not just the partitions but also the bootloader. A full-surface write is also a check of the operation of the disc. If you get no errors, the disc is OK.
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ok thanks but how i install another os system if i can't do any thing other than watch it tell me error.
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11-25-2008, 07:44 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Registered: May 2008
Location: planet earth
Distribution: Debian
Posts: 1,732
Rep:
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Do you already have another system installed on the HD and do you want to continue using it?
If you have no system at all, then (re)installation makes sense. If you have a system, then the best thing to do is fix up the mess so that the system can boot and you can access all your files again.
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11-25-2008, 07:45 PM
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#5
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Member
Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Distribution: Debian
Posts: 454
Rep:
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Boot from the installation CD before it tries to boot from the hard drive. You may need to set the BIOS boot order to CD before Hard Drive.
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11-25-2008, 07:46 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: North America
Distribution: Debian testing Mandriva Ubuntu
Posts: 2,687
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dordor09
ok thanks but how i install another os system if i can't do any thing other than watch it tell me error.
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Go into bios (setup) when first booting the computer and set the boot order to boot from the optical drive before the hard drive, stick a CD/DVD of the OS you want to install into the optical drive and re-boot. If you set it up right the computer should boot the OS installation CD/DVD instead of trying to boot something off the hard drive, thus eliminating the grub error.
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11-25-2008, 07:47 PM
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#7
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Member
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Tasmania
Distribution: Xen Debian Lenny/Sid
Posts: 578
Rep:
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Install from CD (or other bootable external media)
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11-25-2008, 07:48 PM
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#8
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LQ Newbie
Registered: Nov 2008
Posts: 13
Original Poster
Rep:
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i have windows vista already installed
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11-25-2008, 07:53 PM
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#9
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LQ Newbie
Registered: Nov 2008
Posts: 13
Original Poster
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Junior Hacker
Go into bios (setup) when first booting the computer and set the boot order to boot from the optical drive before the hard drive, stick a CD/DVD of the OS you want to install into the optical drive and re-boot. If you set it up right the computer should boot the OS installation CD/DVD instead of trying to boot something off the hard drive, thus eliminating the grub error.
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i am in the boot order how do i know wich one is the optical drive is it cd/dvd: pioneer dvd-rw dvr-k17rs-(
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11-25-2008, 08:22 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: North America
Distribution: Debian testing Mandriva Ubuntu
Posts: 2,687
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dordor09
i am in the boot order how do i know wich one is the optical drive is it cd/dvd: pioneer dvd-rw dvr-k17rs-(
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Which ever one you want to use, normally I use the ROM drive (cd/dvd) and not the burner (rw). If you're still not sure, pick one and see if the computer boots the CD, if is doesn't, try booting it with the other optical drive.
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11-25-2008, 08:57 PM
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#11
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Member
Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Tasmania
Distribution: Xen Debian Lenny/Sid
Posts: 578
Rep:
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either:
1) Boot from Windows CD and fixmbr (google).
or
2) reinstall grub with chainloader menu option (google!!).
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11-26-2008, 04:09 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Registered: May 2008
Location: planet earth
Distribution: Debian
Posts: 1,732
Rep:
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If you have Linux LiveCD then:
1. boot from the CD
2. make a copy of the HD's bootsector - for example, if the HD is /dev/sda then:
dd if=/dev/sda of=bootsect.bak bs=512 count=1
Make sure you make another copy of that file somewhere safe (like a USB stick); if you accidentally damage the MBR you need the unaltered copy to restore things to the not-so-broken state.
3. Kill the "magic number" which the BIOS uses to identify a boot block:
dd if=/dev/zero of=bootsect.bak bs=1 count=2 seek=510
4. Copy the altered bootsector back:
dd if=bootsect.bak of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
5. run 'fdisk' and set the Winduhs partition as 'bootable' (if it's not yet marked bootable). You can check what partition is marked bootable via:
fdisk -l /dev/sda
The bootable partition will be marked with '*'.
Once that's done you should be able to just boot straight to VisDuh; the VisDuh partition should still have its boot code.
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