Resolved remove dual bootloader

Hello,

I installed a LINUX dual bootloader which didn't work. Deleted the
LINUX directory and now the WindowsPE primary partition will not boot.
How do you get back to the original MBR without the LINUX GRUB
bootloader in the way stopping Windows.

This is an external drive and needs a plug and play MBR. The WindowsPE
"typical MBR" recovery option didn't work. I think it's for a fixed disk.

Will deleting all partitions and recreating and reformatting this external
drive produce a fresh plug and play MBR so WindowsPE can boot again ?


Thanks,

patrick013

 

I agree, but if I wanted to be certain, I would use the HDD manufacturer's disk setup utilities.

 

remove bootloader

Hello,

The setup program registered the HD but I don't think it
formatted it. The MBR is supposed to be created when
the first partition is made. Fdisk /mbr is supposed to fix
this too but fdisk (DOS) has to be available.

I don't have alot of time to monkey with this but it looks
like the above will work. Need to do it actually someday.


thanks for the response,

patrick013

 

That's OK, but we have very (very) little information to go by. You talk about WindowsPE, so I expect you are using Vista or Windows 7. FDISK was for DOS based Windows (Windows ME and prior). Later versions use DISKPART (from my understanding). I believe you can still use the FIXMBR command, but I haven't used it for Vista/Windows 7. FIXMBR can only reset the MBR to what is "basic ", if the system is not basic (hidden recovery partitions, etc) FIXMBR will only do it's best.

What is the make and model of the HDD and what setup utility did you use?

The utilities might offer the option to zero/low-level format the HDD, which will remove the MBR altogether. You might have an option to format the first 32MB of the HDD, which will remove the MBR/Boot Sector.

(As far as I know) Windows doesn't recognise Linux built partitions or it's boot files.

Matt

 

Thanks for the response. The WindowsPE is ActiveBootDisk product.
It's a Vista shell with some backup programs. Very good, too. There's
a Fdisk with Linux that should work. Claims to delete the GRUB bootloader. FIXMBR I have also heard of. I need to look at my XP DOS stuff and see what is in there, Fdisk, Diskpart, or FIXMBR. Whatever is in there will be run against XP then towards the external drive. The other problem is the external drive is plug and play...so if I repair the MBR with the ActiveBootDisk program I appears to enter a MBR for a fixed drive instead. It still will not boot the external drive. I think the "fixed" MBR is looking for an internal drive.

This is a Seagate 250gb. Active Partition Manager was used to setup
several partitions and I deleted the Seagate setup program after I registered
the hard drive with them. That's all it did. Registered the hard drive on
their website, asked if you wanted email ads, but nothing to really partition
or setup the hard drive. Active Partition Manager partitions with a quick format or a regular, slow format. You say if I partition and slow format the first 32MB of the HD it will remove the MBR/Boot Sector. I did not know that. That seems very doable.

Without any partitions there should be no MBR also. Totally zero. I can then setup up new partitions with a quick format and be OK in half an hour or so.
That is if I can't get FIXMBR or something to work. There's not much on the Seagate yet so that's OK. I think Windows should be kept separate from Linux in the future here. These dual bootloader GRUB's work but if something happens you have to read ten pages about GRUB to figure out how to remedy it.

I need some time to perform the above then.

Thanks again for the response.


patrick013

 

The Seagate setup utility is DiscWizard. You install it under Windows (I think it is Linux compatible). You can use it to set up (partition and format) other HDDs. If you want to set up the primary HDD, you use it to make a boot CD.

The other Seagate utility is SeaTools and (I think) it contains the low-level (zero) format abilities to remove the MBR.

You can find the utilities at the Seagate website.

The MBR holds the partition and file system information. Boot files (boot-loaders) are on the partition, not in the MBR.

You can remove the partitions and the MBR might still be corrupt.

Sorry, I don't know Grub or WindowsPE. You should try to find some instructions for setting them up. Windows (itself), won't work from an external HDD, unless it is eSATA.

Matt

 

Hello,

Thanks for the Seagate info. There may be something specific about their drives
that their utility might remedy.

Upon reading about GRUB dual bootloaders last night it says the GRUB would be on the
MBR, boot sector, first partition (LINUX), and possibly in unallocated space on the
drive. Like I said if you want LINUX put in on a totally separate disk or flash drive
seems like the best overall advice if you might want to change back to 100% Windows
later or if one thing goes wrong and needs to be reinstalled, fixed, or whatever.

I'm going to get and try this Seagate utility. They must have their drives well programmed.


Thanks for the response,

patrick013

 

if you have dd available, that would do the trick.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/remove-mbr-in-linux-fdisk-408657/

 

remove bootloader

The best way to remedy this was to take an image of the ActiveBootDisk flash drive and restore it to the portable disk drive. Booted up, repartitioned and reformatted, and works as intended for emergency boot and data storage.
The only way to get both the GRUB bootloader and the "fixed MBR" for a fixed drive off the external drive.


FYI

patrick013

 

Thanks for letting us know. Somewhat entailed

Don't forget to mark your thread Resolved if it comes to a resolution. It is in the Thread Tools. I will mark it this time.

PS Patrick, if you would like to ask questions of our members (concerning your own computer), you should put your system details in your WindowsBBS user profile. I know I don't have it in mine, I have several computers, but if I was to ask a question, I would include the system details. We might spend several replies (which turn into days) finding out the system details, whereas, it may have been covered in just one reply.

 

Thanks for the info. I can't find the button to mark this resolved maybe because it's already marked. This is a ASUS EeePC900 900mhz 16gb SSD,
only 9" screen, 400mhz motherboard (slightly slow), 1gb RAM with WindowsXP Home and several 16gb flash drives and a Seagate 250gb portable drive. Reads webpages OK.


thanks,

patrick013

 

Oh, I thought I had given a link to how to add your system details
http://www.windowsbbs.com/adding_system_specifications.html

Thanks for taking note.