Bootloader Problem - how can i restore the windows bootloader

my friends computer died some time ago and i installed ubuntu on it so that he could still use it a bit. to do this i had to partition the last part of the drive and install in there becasue he wanted to still be able to access his old windows files. they were fine but some system files had been deleated by a virus of some sort.

since then he managed to get another friend to install a copy of xp on it. and he had also broken the ubuntu installation. [he is what you might call a typical computer user!] he wanted me to remove linux so that he could have some more space. or thats what i thought he wanted. i think he really wanted to be rid of grub and go straight into windows.

me being slack and not really thinking just reformatted the linux partition in windows disk manager. then installed some importand anti spyware etc. programs on his new windows and left some scans going and went off. when he rext rebooted the computer it just came up with a grub error. but that is becasue grub has been deleated i presume. i think i now understand about the /boot, is that where linux bootloader files are kept? mot the mbr. anyhow thats not the point.

how can i return the computer to using the windows bootloader and removing both grub and linux?

 

 

 

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I can't be sure if the fix I'm proposing is available to Windows XP or not, but still it might be worth a shot.

Try booting up the computer using a Bootable System Disk from any Windows version (floppy, CD, whatever). When you reach the prompt, type:

FDISK /mbr

I tried this a lot in the days of Windows 98 and Windows Millennium editions, and it restored the Master Boot Record (MBR) like a charm.

Give it a try, perhaps it still works :smile2:.

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It still does. I've done it number of times and it works just fine. There is one more command, I think it is fixmbr or something. But you need to boot from the WindowsXP CD into Repair Console mode and then issue the command.

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As Abhiram says, you need to boot from the Windows Install CD and have it drop you into the repair console. Type fixmbr and it should be fine. I've done it several times

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just type:

fixmbr

into the command line?

just checking. that easy!?

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Step by step

1. Put Disc in drive

2. Startup PC

3. Let the PC run into the CD

4. Choose the Recovery Console

5. Type you admin username

6. Type your admin password

7. Type Fixmbr

8. Type exit

9. Eject Disc

10. Load windows !

11. Enjoy !

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u can boot with any bootable media to boot into dos in case of winxp also u can use the command fdisk /mbr to clean the linux bootloader and reinstall the window bootloader.

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windows 7 bootloader
Bootloader Problem

Replying to abhay

1. Restart the PC

2. When you get to the bios screen, press whatever key the system tells you to hit to go to SETUP

3. Find the boot sequence section (usually under Advanced BIOS...) and make sure it is set to boot from CD/DVD.

4. Put the Windows XP installation CD into the drive and then save settings and exit in BIOS.

5. The system will reboot on its own usually at this point.

6. When it asks to press any key to boot from CD, hit anything

7. Let the Windows CD load to the first menu section asking you what you want to do and then press are for the recovery console

8. When it prompts you, log in under the administrator account

9. It will put you at a command prompt at this point... Issue the following commands:

C:\> fixmbr
C:\> fixboot

10. Take the Windows CD out at this point and then restart the computer.

It should load into Windows XP properly at that point.

-VegasTechGeek

 

 

 

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Hi

Assuming one somehow removes the GRUB  bootloader from the installed WIN XP (Primary) hard disk (with WIN Recovery Console, fixmbr etc.), how then does one get the presumably newly installed NT Bootloader to recognize the installed Linux OS on the second hard disk? I guess some change must be made to the boot.Ini file?

I'm not unhappy with GRUB, but I don't like the idea of having a LINUX boot loader "commingled" with a WIN OS disk. I'd rather have the primary HDD (with WIN installed), have it's own bootloader, with a boot option to boot LINUX on the second HDD.

Thanks

George (wombat53)

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This may or may not work now, I wrote it years ago.

Using NTLoader to boot Linux

I prefer using Grub, but I no longer dual boot Windows, I run Windows in Virtualbox under Linux.


Cheers,


MC

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