[techtalk] Lost MBR

[Nicole Zimmerman]

I think this will work, it is worth a shot.

Download to your windows box:
http://http.us.debian.org/debian/dists/potato/main/disks-i386/current/dosutils/rawrite2.exe

http://http.us.debian.org/debian/dists/potato/main/disks-i386/current/images-1.44/rescue.bin

Run command prompt and cd to the directory of these 2 files (if command
doesn't take you there already). Insert a floppy and run rawrite2 ... I
don't remember the syntax so you'll probably have to do a little fudging
if it requires command line arguments (if anything I imagine it would be
rawrite2 rescue.bin).

Reboot with the floppy in the drive.

When the debian rescue disk comes up with the LILO prompt, type  

linux root=/dev/hda1

be sure to replace /dev/hda1 with wherever your linux root partition is.
If you don't know this try the logical choices. If it is first partition
of first drive, /dev/hda1. First partition of second drive, /dev/hdb1.
First logical partition on first drive, /dev/hda5 (I think that's how that
one works). If you are wrong, I'm sure it will tell you.

Once you are "in", run lilo again to have it rewrite the master boot
record. cd to / and run /sbin/lilo as root.

This could be avoided if you already have a mandrake boot disk :o)

This method is untested (by me, at least)  but I would imagine it should
work.

-nicole


At 21:44 on Feb 3, Kath combined all the right letters to say:

> I had to reinstall Windows ME and lost my boot manager, so I can no longer get to Mandrake 7.2.  Is there anyway to get it back?  A rescue disk I could make or something?
> 
> - Kath
>