master boot record

[HondaF1]

Hi. I run multiple operating systems. XP and Linux on the same system. I have tried the installation of Linux many times and over times I mess up the boot sector. Suppose I mess up the boot sector and XP doesnt start up, how can I reset the MBR to its original previous state?

 

[n0cmonkey]

To fix it to run just Windows XP, boot from your cd and go into the recovery console. I think the command is fixmbr. To fix it in Linux, you should just run /sbin/lilo or read the grub docs to figure that thing out.

Please use the search feature next time. A quick search on mbr would have probably given you this answer quickly. This, and plenty of other questions get asked frequently, and have been answered better than I can do right now. Hope that helps.

 

[HondaF1]

The recovery console is the dos prompt kind of thing when one inserts a floppy boot disk?

 

[joinT]

you can likely fix it with a util on the ultimate boot cd

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: HondaF1
The recovery console is the dos prompt kind of thing when one inserts a floppy boot disk?

Yes, I believe so. I just know you put your cd in, choose recovery console, and it puts you at a DOS-like prompt.

 

[Smilin]

Yes, to clarify:

To get to the recovery console you need to boot with your XP CD and choose to repair with the recovery console. Booting with a dos disk won't allow you to read ntfs properly.

 

[TiziteLayinLow]

does anyone have a list of commands for the recovery console? i just started messing with it today but i dont know much about it? can it be a useful tool if you fix computers on a regular basis?

thanks,
matt enderle

 

[Nothinman]

type 'help' in the recovery console.

 

[TiziteLayinLow]

thanks.. i also found one on google.. so this is just like booting to win 98 boot disk only more options and will work with NTFS..?

 

[Nothinman]

It's nothing like Win98, it's basically just a stripped down (annoyingly limited) version of XP that only lets you use cmd.

For a real rescue disc you should look at Bart's PE CD.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
It's nothing like Win98, it's basically just a stripped down (annoyingly limited) version of XP that only lets you use cmd.

For a real rescue disc you should look at Bart's PE CD.

Windows PE is only distributed in limited circumstances to MS's Premier and OEM customers. Bart's is pretty much a warez site.

There are some legal utilities available if recovery console doesn't work for you. Sysinternals ERD is a good one. There are some linux utilities that read NTFS as well.

 

[Nothinman]

Windows PE is only distributed in limited circumstances to MS's Premier and OEM customers. Bart's is pretty much a warez site.

Not true, he took down the original PE setup because MS told him he couldn't reuse some of the stuff he was using. So he rewrote all the infringing parts on his own, if there were still legal problems I'm sure MS would have said something by now.

 

[TiziteLayinLow]

where can i get a copy of this PE?

 

[Nothinman]

I keep a copy on google.

 

[Smilin]

I'm sure MS would have said something by now.

Stand by.

 

[Nothinman]

Have you read his site? The thing has been available since Summer of 2003, do you really think it would take MS this long to tell him to take it down?