being able to boot windows or linux with ms bootloader

[Tonglebeak]

Right now I have the grub bootloader installed for dual-boot with windows and ubuntu.

Thing is, I rarely use ubuntu anymore, so what I'm wondering is if I reinstall the MS bootloader, is there anyway to add linux to the bootloader, and to set the bootloader to auto-boot windows unless a key is pressed?

[oldguy51]

Maybe this link will help, http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/gru...en.html#TOCq10

I don't dual boot now and haven't for quite awhile.

The Grub Site has many FAQ's and this one (#10) might let you just use what you have if I understand your issue correctly.

I looked at my MS bootloader and it appears that you could do a little editing to have it time out and boot to Windows or choose an alternate OS also. I haven't done this in quite awhile so someone more expereinced may have a better resolution.

[Time-Warrior]

http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm

[Shadow_Puter_Dude]

Once you let GRUB write to the MBR it is no longer usable by NTLoader. Anything we do at this point to make the MBR readable by NTLoader will zero out the Partition Table, causing you to lose all the data on the drive.

[Tonglebeak]

Originally Posted by Shadow_Puter_Dude

Once you let GRUB write to the MBR it is no longer usable by NTLoader. Anything we do at this point to make the MBR readable by NTLoader will zero out the Partition Table, causing you to lose all the data on the drive.

And why would fixmbr not work?

[Shadow_Puter_Dude]

Originally Posted by Tonglebeak

And why would fixmbr not work?

Because fixmbr does not rewrite the Partition table, which is part of the MBR, to make it useable by NTLoader. Any Partiton editor you use to alter the partition table to make it useable by NTLoader, will cause you to lose your data.

[Tonglebeak]

What am I missing here? Is GRUB not simply just a bootloader? Why would partition tables need to be editted to let ntldr work?

[Shadow_Puter_Dude]

Originally Posted by Tonglebeak

What am I missing here? Is GRUB not simply just a bootloader? Why would partition tables need to be editted to let ntldr work?

Linux works differently than Windows. A Linux Partiton is not one partition but a series of partitons, The GRUB/LILO boot loader resides in a specific location on the HDD. When you installed GRUB and allowed it to write to the Boot Sector of the Boot Partition, you rendered the MBR and Partition Table unreadable by NTLoader, and nothing will fix this without creating a completely new MBR. FIXMBR does not create a new MBR; instead it repairs the MBR without altering the Partition Table.

[Tonglebeak]

So how about using fixboot, then fixmbr?
'

[Shadow_Puter_Dude]

Originally Posted by Tonglebeak

So how about using fixboot, then fixmbr?
'

That won't fix it either. Like I said nothing short of creating a completely new MBR will fix the problem. Issuing mkdiskraw #, where # is the device number(0, 1 ,2, 3) from the Recovery Console, using the drive manufacturers tools, or a program like Micro 2000's MicroScope are the only ways I know that will write a completely new MBR that will be usable by NTLoader, once the drive has been partitoned and formated.

[Tonglebeak]

Just did fixmbr, then fixboot, and grub is no longer there any everything is bootable

After doing a lot of googling, fixmbr and fixboot combined makes a brand new mbr (rewrites mbr and rewrites partition tables to be used by ntldr)

Even have ntldr dual-booting linux now

[Shadow_Puter_Dude]

Originally Posted by Tonglebeak

Just did fixmbr, then fixboot, and grub is no longer there any everything is bootable

After doing a lot of googling, fixmbr and fixboot combined makes a brand new mbr (rewrites mbr and rewrites partition tables to be used by ntldr)

Even have ntldr dual-booting linux now

Cool, glad it worked. Many times it won't as the Partition Table becomes corrupt.