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XP MBR FIX?

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3 replies

by chris_carter_zero

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Situation:

HP computer WInXP Professional
{OEM install == no recovery disk}
{FAT32 partition == backup}
{NTFS partition == main}

Linux install on separate physical disk overwrites master boot record on primary drive LILO now owns primary drive.

I'm Linux illiterate and was hoping to change that. I knew better than to install Linux secondarily in a multi boot configuration but for some reason I thought having a separate physical disk might not cause the same types of conflicts.

I have a WIN 98 boot disk and read about a MBR fix with it but can no longer find the article. I imagine it involves fdisk but am not certain of changes or commands that need to be entered.

Someone please help me redeem myself here. I've OEM'd myself into a corner and I'm about to do something very apelike to a very good computer.

3 replies

by captbilly1eye

Are you wanting to repair the XP Master Boot Record?
If so, that can easily be done using the XP Recovery Console. However, the Recovery Console would need to either have been previously installed so that it could be accessed as a boot option OR accessed using an XP install CD (the XP CD can be a Full or Upgrade CD). The CD can belong to anyone since for that procedure you will not be installing the OS.

Let me know if you need detailed steps.
Please forgive me if I misunderstood.

by chris_carter_zero

You didn't misunderstand... It's just that there is no upgrade CD or INstallation CD because it's an OEM pre-install and because it is what it is the only recovery option offered by HP and Microsoft is a six disk reformat to the original configuration. Needless to say, that's a bit out of the question.

I'm working with boot master.. It was a pretty high ranking download from this site for my tags and the owner/support specialist is helping me through this troubling time.

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