Re: Problems reinstalling grub/lilo (they always hang at boot time ...)
- From: "iforone" <floydstestemail@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 28 Apr 2006 09:10:49 -0700
Douglas Mayne wrote:
I could post a grub bootable CD image if you think that would help.
This would most certainly help me in the future :-)
[ Concerning the OP's GRUB problem ]
*Considerations*;
I *have not* used XP in a dual-boot situation.
I *have not* run into this issue (yet, thankfully) using 2 physical
HDDs.
I *have* run into very similar issues with GRUB dual-booting win98 and
Debian.
I *have* always installed GRUB into the MBR.
Perhaps;
Just to get XP to boot again, and since the OP is booting through XP's
Boot.ini, Ntdetect.com and Ntldr (and whatever else gets placed on C:\
in this situation, such as in a LiLo config) - and chainloading through
Boot.ini (instead of GRUB);
I might suggest the OP boot into XP CDROM and run the commands;
CHKDSK C: /r
FIXMBR
FIXBOOT
BOOTCFG /rebuild
Then, perhaps reinstalling GRUB.
I only suggest above, because I'm unsure of how to directly clear up
the GRUB issues.
NOTE: ** Some of this info _below_ may be inaccurate or non-precise **
It appears either 1 or both HDDs xMBR is damaged...(allow me to try and
explain - and note; some of this *not* exact! ...nor precise).
Windows (atleast Fat32 on win98) uses an *xMBR* (e'X'tended MBR) which
is larger than the typical "standard" Boot sector size of 512Bytes.
This xMBR (Douglas refers to this xMBR as the
*partition_boot_sector(s)*) can/does span across atleast 6 more 512Byte
sectors (in a Ext'd win95 LBA partitioning scheme, this area on the HDD
is usually Logical sectors 63-69). IIRC - one of these sectors contains
the BPB(BIOS Parameter Block), which is hit along the way, during a
boot.
The MBR/MPT area of a physical HDD (512Bytes), as Douglas has
explained, is only large enough to contain the 4 Primary partition (or
3 Pri + 1 Ext'd) entries, some code, and other id info only.
One a single solitary HDD dual-boot installation using Debian Sarge - I
noticed GRUB, (_when_installed_to_the_MBR_), lives in the area(sectors)
*between* the MBR and the xMBR (especially the Stage 1.5 and Stage 2
aspects). I've confirmed this using the 'dd' utility. I can venture
into much further detail, but at the moment I will refrain.
Installing LiLo, IMHO, would likely only make things worse and more
confusing (though I'm unsure if it is actually _damaging_), in this
situation - yet unfortunately the OP has past the time for that
decision.
Windows also will place the MBR (and/or it's mirror copy) wherever it
likes on the HDD, including at the "end of the disk".
/NOTE: ** Some of this info _above_ may be inaccurate or non-precise **
Grant and Douglas have much more experience in this area than do I, so
please await their further replies, before acting upon the information
I have posted. Plus, I'm fairly new to GNU/Linux as well :-)
Regards
.
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