Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

steve_s · Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 1543 Location: Austin, TX, USA

Does anyone have this as a pet file for download? I couldn't find it on any of the puppy searches, so thought I'd ask...

Evil20071 · Posted: Wed 14 Jan 2009, 15:31 Post subject:

No... but I can try making it for you... give me a bit...

rcrsn51 · Posted: Wed 14 Jan 2009, 17:03 Post subject:

Go here and get the "fixmbr" download.

steve_s · Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 1543 Location: Austin, TX, USA

Man I love this forum! Smile

Once again, I asked 'cause I knew a simple logical solution would most likely be available.

Evil20071: appreciated! But it looks like the other will be just fine; just was looking for something puppy related that was simple and would fix the mbr.

rcrsn51: thanks! That's exactly what I'll do; looks like just the thing for a quick, simple, easy linux fix of a Windows issue. Cool

Bruce B · Posted: Sat 17 Jan 2009, 03:26 Post subject:

A fixed MBR is what?

I suppose it means patch up the MBR to make it Microsoft compatible.

Then call it 'fixmbr' or something like that.

There is a fix for a Linux user if there ever was one.

Sylvander · Posted: Sat 19 Sep 2009, 17:24 Post subject:

1. "A fixed MBR is what?"
I'm no expert, but...
A fixed MBR is one that is capable of doing the job of playing its part in the loading the Windows operating system.
BEWARE!
(a) The fixmbr command run in the Windows Recovery Console is [so I hear] NOT the same as the fdisk /mbr command.

(b) See this webpage by Paul Komski, particularly where it says:
"One of the reasons for using fixmbr from the RecoveryConsole instead of the MSDOS fdisk /mbr equivalent is that the former doesn't and the latter does create a new disk signature. Use fdisk /mbr with caution on these systems since it can cause the system to fail to boot if the remapped drive letters cant find what it requires to start up. It can also be used to force the OS to reassign all the drive letters to their default assignments (as can deleting the whole MountedDevices key). These measures can correct but can also create certain problems and should only be done if you really understand what is going on and the possible consequences including the need to re-assign drive letters appropriately. A back-up of the MBR can be invaluable if the system fails to reboot after fdisk /mbr.

2. The NT-based OSes (Microsoft's New Technology Operating Systems) started with Windows NT and also include Windows 2000 (which despite its name is not Milennium), XP, 2003 Server, PE and Vista. These systems can use both FAT and NTFS formatted partitions and, even if installed on FAT, can properly "see" other NTFS partitions. Once Drive Letters have been assigned to partitions they remain (with some exceptions when there are later conflicts) assigned as long as the partition's size and its partition table reference and its hard drive signature remain unchanged. Under Windows Vista changing the disk signature (say by running fdisk /mbr) can not only cause the Drive Letters to be re-assigned but also to prevent booting along with a winloader.exe warning message."

mikeb · Joined: 23 Nov 2006 Posts: 4378

I use install-mbr
http://www.wlug.org.nz/install-mbr(8)
seems to work well

mike

B-Diddy · Joined: 06 Sep 2011 Posts: 1

lol the average windows user is going to use their own windows CD to fix the MBR, because they will not have copies of anything else lying around. Plus, they would have to go to the local public library to get Ubuntu, something which many people have never done in their lives.

steve_s · Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 1543 Location: Austin, TX, USA

The average Windows user doesn't even know there is something else...

rcrsn51 · Posted: Tue 06 Sep 2011, 10:06 Post subject:

Ms-sys is now a standard component of Puppy.

steve_s · Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 1543 Location: Austin, TX, USA

8-bit · Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 3016 Location: Oregon

Bruce B · Posted: Tue 06 Sep 2011, 20:12 Post subject:

Bruce B · Posted: Tue 06 Sep 2011, 20:24 Post subject:

I've had MBRs get screwed up is by a Windows installation. Knowing in advance what it is going to do to the MBR, I prepare for it.

Also, sometimes I've let Linux installations screw up the MBR. Knowing in advance I'm going to allow it or it might happen, I prepare for that also.

Also, if I don't trust the success of a GRUB installation I'm about to make, I'll prepare for that.

I suspect most topics I read about fixing MBRs are from people who want to put Windows back and do away with Linux. What they want is to get rid of the GRUB or some other bootloader.

~

tlchost · Posted: Tue 06 Sep 2011, 20:30 Post subject: