[nmglug] Argghhh!!! I hosed my MBR

[js at jasonschaefer.com]

If you don't want to change to grub, boot up with knoppix or similar.
mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1 (give the full /dev path since you need it to 
be writable, knoppix defaults to ro)
chroot /mnt/hda1
edit (emacs/vi) /etc/lilo.conf (make appropriate changes)
lilo -v (installs lilo verbosely, check for errors)
exit (from chroot)
reboot



Tim Emerick wrote:

>I updated my Win98 partition on my dual boot debian/Windows machine to
>Windows XP.  I expected XP to take over the MBR but didn't realize how
>difficult it was to have LILO take it all back.  I'm now stuck with a dead
>machine.
>
>Partititions are all intact, checked them with knoppix.
>
>I tried booting knoppix and following some directions on restoring the MBR so
>that LILO could handle the bootup.  Got lost since most of the directions I
>could find were redhat related and I'm running debian.  I also got lost since
>everytime I tried to run lilo it was looking at the knoppix generated
>/etc/lilo.conf that resided on the ram disk.
>
>Found some generic linux instructions on running lilo from a virtual terminal
>using the install CD (I used my Debian/Testing netinst CD).  Couldn't get
>lilo to run.
>
>I also tried popping in the Debian install disk and typing linux
>root=/dev/hda1 and root=/dev/hda3.  Bounced back an error about not being
>able to mount the root.
>
>So, I'm pretty much at a loss.  My lack of technical expertise is surely
>hindering my efforts at getting this box back up and running.
>
>I've looked at some doc's that showed how to edit Windows XP's boot.ini file
>to boot the linux partition but I prefer the lilo setup I had.
>
>With all that said.....HELP!!!!!!  I really need either dummy's approach or a
>link to a dummy's approach.
>
>Here's my Partition info.
>/dev/hda1 - 10MB  - ext3 - /boot
>/dev/hda2 - 256MB - swap
>/dev/hda3 - 8GB   - ext3 - /
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Tim Emerick
>/dev/hda4 - 70GB  - vfat - /c (windows XP fat32 partition)
>
>
>		
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