> I'm a newby to this group. But I've had numerous problems with GRUB, > trying > to install Suse, Ubuntu, Knoppix all to no avail. However, I suspect the > problem lies not so much with GRUB, but with code in the MBR.
When grub is installed to the MBR it should overwrite what was there previously. In the case of dual boot the usual practice is to start grub (or lilo) and then have grub (or lilo) start windows, or of course the superior OS that you installed at the same time as grub. This works pretty well in all the circumstances I have seen. I have also seen grub (or lilo) installed on the linux partition and the MBR left intact. You then amend windows' boot.ini to give it the option to boot the linux partition, which will give you a grub (or lilo) menu. Sometimes I have seen it suggested in cases of corrupted mbr's that the user write zeros to the MBR with dd. This will certainly stop the machine booting direct from that drive until you replace it with something, but of course doesn't stop you booting from a grub floppy, or a live cd (including a windows install/repair cd). > > As far as I can tell, there's an MBR on every hard drive... it MUST be > there > for the drive to work. So, a pre-used drive already has the MBR > configured > somehow. (And I suspect that all new ones aren't completely blank. There > may even be instructions in the BIOS of the motherboard that disallows > changing the MBR.) > I think they are. For example if you don't want to boot from a drive (e.g.. its a second, data drive) it doesn't need anything in the mbr. Try putting a brand new disk in as the first hard drive, the computer will tell you something like "No OS present, try again" > So, the unsuspecting user trying to install *nix on a drive (box?) that > previously ran a non*nix OS (or on a new drive/box that was 'prepared' to > run non*nix) may hit a brick wall. > No, because linux will overwrite the MBR (well it gives you the option to, and its usually the default) > That was certainly my situation til last week. My 1st box didn't work with > a > dual boot... didn't even work after getting a new 2nd hard drive. I suspect operator error or some form of corruption. > > But I finally got a 2nd box up and running with MEPIS (via the live CD, > and > thanks to the personal recommendation of someone on the Canadian WTFL > digest > http://www.marcelgagne.com/wftl-lug.html). > > That was after I made the decision to have one box running *nix ONLY. > (The > other box still must use non*nix, cos its programs haven't been developed > for *nix... yet.) Perhaps you mean you haven't found a programme to do what you want, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. But you shouldn't make such a provocative statement without saying what you think is lacking - but perhaps thats a new thread :-) > > Am I acting fairly? By locking out non*nix from the 2nd box... when the > 1st > box locks out *nix? > Weird question, but I don't see that you have prevented non linux OSes from being on the machine. grub on the mbr does NOT prevent the operation of other OSes. DISCLAIMER: nothing above should be construed as encouragement to run windows!
