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05-12-2005, 11:33 AM
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#1 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Phx, AZ
Posts: 317
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Must be 1000 ways to destroy your master boot record
I have a PC with two hard dirves, one running Windows and the other was NTFS formatted. I wanted to try Vector Linux on the second drive and installed it there. It mentioned dectecting Windows and asked if I wanted a multi boot loader. I said yes, thinking it was only for the second HD - if I wanted to add Windows later.
The resulting system works fine, I can boot iinto Linux or Windows just fine. However, the boot loader was evidently installed on my second HD and the Winodws master boot record was removed from the primary HD. I remember having this problem before and it wasn't as easy to solve as I thought. I tried a couple of utilities but they didn't work. Seems to me I had to install NT Loader, and it was a hassle. Anyone know of a utility that can fixe this? |
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05-12-2005, 11:44 AM
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#2 |
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Professional gadfly
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,364
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What version of Windows do you have?
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05-12-2005, 12:24 PM
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#3 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Phx, AZ
Posts: 317
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Win 2000
I could change it to XP... |
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05-12-2005, 12:26 PM
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#4 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Phx, AZ
Posts: 317
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I know I could probably use a Windows XP disk, but I am afraid of osing data. I thought there might be a utitility.
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05-12-2005, 12:27 PM
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#5 |
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Professional gadfly
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,364
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If you have your Windows 2000 installation CD, boot from the CD, go into the recovery console, and type "fixmbr"
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05-12-2005, 12:49 PM
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#6 |
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Member (8 bit)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 207
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I have limited Linux experience so any of the Linux people here feel free to correct me. When you installed Linux in a multi boot system, the boot loader, lilo was installed and controls the multi boot configuration. If you are able to boot and choose your OS as you stated then everything is working as it should, but if you remove the Linux OS then the mbr will have to be repaired for Windows to boot. You will get a "no operating system found" error. I fixed this myself by running fdisk /mbr but doctorgonzos suggestion should also work. Haven`t tried it though.
edit: By the way, the mbr will always be on the first sector of the primary hard drive so the bios knows where to look regardless of what drive\partition the OS is installed on. Last edited by Digitalic; 05-12-2005 at 12:52 PM. |
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05-12-2005, 01:47 PM
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#7 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Phx, AZ
Posts: 317
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Sounds good. Easier than I thought. Thanks.
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