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How to re-write MBR but keep WIN XP and all programs installed

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3 replies

by lracolta

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I have a pc that has 2 HDD: in first is running Linux(suse9.1)and on second is running win Xp.

the pc is booting a grub made under linux from where I choose linux or win.

but now I want to give up linux because I don't use it anymore and use that hdd in other porpuse.

THE PROBLEM starts here. the MBR is made under linux and on the HDD on which is winXp installed I have only one partition.

So, I want to have in my PC only the HDD with win Xp O.S. and to modified the mbr in order to start booting win xp.

Very important: in WIN i have a lots of programs allready installeed and I don't have kits of them. I don't want to lose the winXP and all others programs.

Thanks

3 replies

by seanferd

Make sure that the XP drive is the first hard drive in BIOS, either by BIOS settings or by changing the drive order on the cable.

Reboot once so the drives are detected. If you get a non-system disk error, put the XP CD in the CD drive and reboot. Enter the Recovery Console and Fix MBR. It may just boot XP, as GRUB is probably installed on the Linux disk as it was primary. Simply removing the Linux drive or making the XP drive primary may work.

edit to note: Fixing the MBR will not cause data loss.

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