Ubuntu

Broke boot loader. Need emergency method to boot up

Asked by Albert Gerber

I Installed Linux XP 2006 to another hdd which broke the boot up for Ubuntu. I am running LinuxI on a HDD in a caddy so I can swap around HDDs and try other programs. I ended up replacing the MBR in WinXP but even screwed that up and had to reinstall Windows. I have ubuntu set up the way I want it so don't want to have to re-install. I would like to have the ability to use a floppy disk but don't know how to go about it. The alternative is knowing how to set up Windows Boot.ini allowing me to write in the boot information.

TIA Li'l Al

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Frode M. Døving (frode) said : 		#1

Hi.

You might want to take a look at these:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GrubHowto
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

- Frode

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williamts99 (williamts99) said : 		#2

Also, if you only messed up your MBR on windows, you can fix that.

Boot from the WinXP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a Y.

:-)

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pitwalker (pitwalker) said : 		#3

If I were you I solve this problem with a boot manager.
I prefer GAG:
http://gag.sourceforge.net/

- I move the Ubuntu's boot manager (the GRUB) to the partition of Ubuntu.

(The GRUB's full manual:
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html)

Install GRUB to a partition:
If you can boot with a Linux to console:
If your Ubuntu in the first SATA disk, on the 2nd partition:
grub-install /dev/sda2

- Then run GAG from floppy or from "http://www.sysresccd.org/Download".
When GAG runs you can install it.
you can select: install, select keyboard, select language, add operating systems (partitions)
and finally save this to the first hard disk's MBR (or a floppy)
(XP and Linux need'nt the boot flag)

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