can't boot XPPro from install disk

I have the bios set to boot from teh cd drive. when I start the computer, I hear the cd spinning up, but evidently there's nothing resembling a boot record on my installation disk. I get a message boot record not found. I can boot from a floppy into winxp, but I need to get to the recovery console to fix my master boot record, and I can't get there from here.

 

If you are unable to boot from the CD, then create the XP setup floppy set and boot from the first diskette and enter the recovery console.

Microsoft Download site for XP floppy set http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

What error message are you receiving that makes you think you need to repair your MBR?

 

On a slave hdd I had a linux distro installed and not knowing what I was doing, I pointed the mbr to the grub on teh slave. well, the slave drive has crashed--totally non-functional, and the mbr is looking for the grub.

 

OK, in that case; yes you need to rebuild your MBR.