No Linux after Win98se install

[jga2z]

I installed Corel linux into a 10GB partition on a new Maxtor 40GB HDD, the rest free space. All was working fine. next day installed Win98se into the 1 30GB partition, now I have no access to Linux at boot. System boots into Win98 no problem, all works fine, except I can't boot Linux even with boot magic.
I would like to keep both OS's and possibly add WinXP, and have ability to boot to any of the three.
I have Partition Magic(which shows all Linux,Windows partitions) but it errors on resize,delete operations. Something to do with boot sector/MBR? as I recall.
Surely this isn't that big a problem to fix.
Can I start by doing fdisk /mbr?
I can't backup the 15GB of Win98 data so I am very risk averse.
Suggestions Please!

[bailey]

98 normally should be installed first then linux second.
reinstalling linux will set up the dual boot lilo thing for you.

[jga2z]

Have already tried reinstall- says no free space to install.
I realized a little later that I should have done Win98 1st then Linux.

[bailey]

ok no problem
I did the same thing
just use PM to remove the linux partition
and leave it as free spave first
then reinstall it to the free space

[kilgoretrout]

win98 overwrote your linux boot loader. You just have to reinstall the boot loader. Not familiar with Corel linux but most distros have a rescue mode which can be accessed through the first install cd and which allow you to reinstall the boot loader. If not, when you reinstall, see if there is an "upgrade" installation option. That way you won't have to reinstall the entire thing. Don't select any packages for install and the corel installer should reinstall your boot loader as part of the "upgrade".

[jga2z]

No upgrade option with Corel linux install process.
I cannot delete partitions with PM or add linux to boot with Boot magic- both give error: "unable to write to boot sector".

I should have mentioned that I have "Go Back" installed in windows. Does it have to be disabled to give access to boot sector? I tried just closing it before doing the PM operations with same results. As I recall I had same errror before I installed Goback. Also there is no BIOS option to disable virus warning, but I thought that only comes into play when booting not within a PM windows operation. Although these operations require reboot, this error occurs in windows before it tries to reboot.

To reiterate, what about doing fdisk /mbr, and then maybe doing /sbin/lilo from linux boot disk?

[kilgoretrout]

Disable Go Back before trying to do anything. It's not compatible with the linux boot loaders and can make a real mess of things.
Which boot loader does Corel use, lilo or grub? My guess would be lilo, but please confirm.

You can't reinstall these boot loaders from within windows or with boot magic.

You mention a "linux boot disk". If by that you mean a boot disk which will allow you to boot into Corel, then this is easy. Just boot into Corel with the boot disk and run the following as root in a terminal:

# /sbin/lilo -v

That will rewrite lilo to the mbr.

If by "linux boot disk" you mean a bare bones linux system that you can load from a floppy, then it's a little more complicated but still may be possible. Post back if this applies and I'll go into more detail.

[jga2z]

If all else fails read the directions!
Indeed I had to disable Go back. Partition magic worked fine after that. I tried to use boot magic to get to linux, but it hung at L I ...(no L O). So have deleted the linux partitions, and am going to reinstall later. I will probobly still have to do fdisk /mbr to clear any reference to LILO.
BTW the linux floppy was just an install disk for sys with no CD boot so not much use otherwise.
Thanks for all the help.