User Feedback :: MBR + XP + RedHat + DSL + GRUB

So here's the deal:

IBM T21 Laptop w/ 20Gb HD, 256Mb RAM, 800Hmz.
Dual boot: XP/RedHat

RedHat sucks, so I deleted the files and reformatted the partition to FAT32. Had RedHat for many months, but see no benefit in using it. It is slower than XP, ( !! ), and hardware detection is horrible. So, to the trash bin it went.
Well, after reformatting the RedHat partition, i rebooted. Guess what? GRUB didn't know what to do. Didn't even have a prompt to enter boot params. Great. Couldn't boot into XP. I was supposed to be working so I needed to get this thing going, as in now. What did I do? I whipped out my DSL 1.4 LiveCD, slapped it in and rebooted. With DSL running on the T21 then, I chose to "Frugal GRUB Install" via the "Tools" menu. This was the fastest way I knew of to 'reinstall' GRUB. I just happened to have an ~500Mb linux partition already on the HD. So that is where the frugal went to take up residence. Once done, about 3 or 4 mintues, I rebooted without the DSL LiveCD. Guess what? It worked!!! The DSL Frugal GRUB install put GRUB on the MBR, and listed Windows as a boot option. It works great!

Now, I am quite sure that there is a better, more effecient way of doing this. However, I needed it done now so I could work and this was the only way I knew would work quickly.

So, if anyone cares to explain a better way, I'll listen.

EDIT: Oh yeah, HURRAY for DSL !!!!

If you are just wanting to boot Windows, get a DOS boot floppy from bootdisk.com and do fdisk /mbr, if I remember right.

Or you can use the Windows 2k/XP cd to do much the same thing. just go into recovery mode and type "fix mbr".

-J.P.

Thanks, SU.
Methinks to try that XP cd thing AND get a boot disk.

Since we're on the subject, does anyone have any suggestions for doing a backup of docs 'n data on this same machine?

I hate the thought of losing everything, which is where my mind went when i first discovered the boot problem. I have some files burned to CD, but would rather do some kind of real backup, if you know what i mean.

Check this out:

http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....+fedora

It's not for XP, however some type of option to make it a raw data transfer (binary?) might be possible. I'm reaching a little beyond my experience.

original here.