On November 20, 2004 08:02, Lanman wrote:
...
> But the fact that something is preventing me from writing to the MBR has
> me very curious too. This is the first time I've ever seen this at all
> in about 10 years, and re-doing the BIOS would usually kill any TSR or
> other virus embedded onto the motherboard.
...
> If anyone has another idea, please keep them coming. I'll check in once
> in a while from the jobsite to see what's what (IMAP is a wonderful
> thing!), since I don't go anywhere without Mr. Laptop!
>
> Adios Amigos! Buenos Dias!
Just a wild guess, but it sounds like there might be something in the BIOS or
the drive (or something to do with the BIOS/motherboard/drive combination)
that's preventing writing to the MBR. Perhaps something intended to prevent
boot sector viruses (someone with the Windoze only mindset might have decided
that you don't need to ever change the MBR; the same "we know best" mindset
that keeps them from letting you turn off the abs brakes or the air bags in
your car, and keeps pilots from taking evasive action in fly-by-wire planes).
Try looking for an "MBR write protect" BIOS setting or drive jumper. Maybe
even a motherboard jumper.
Or maybe it has some of the new DRM ("Denial of your Right to Modify")
technology from M$. You might have to go to Redmond on bended knee and kiss
Gates' ring for permission to install non-M$ software. Google "Trustworthy
Computing" for details.
--
Ron
ron dot hunterduvar at shaw dot ca
Opinions expressed here are all mine. Rights to have
the same opinions are granted under the GNU GPL :^)
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