Howto : GfxBoot ( Grub like suse )

[Malac]

Metroid48
Try this page : http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

XPQUICK files may do the job. If not there are some CD .iso files as you don't have a floppy. You'll probably also need the one with NTLDR and NTDETECT on also, they're on that site if you search.

Or if you can get a Bootable DOS CD with fdisk.exe on it(maybe from a friend or from inside Ubuntu) you could try DOS Command fdisk /mbr.

From Microsoft.com

Fdisk has an undocumented parameter called /mbr that causes it to write the master boot record to the hard disk without altering the partition table information.

This only works on the first hard drive but can be dangerous as it can, on rare occassions, make the files that are on the disk unreadable so do it at your own risk.

[Metroid48]

Well, I found a recovery CD that doesn't require me to have my installation cd.

fixboot works fine, but fixmbr warns that I have a non-standard configuration. It says partitions may become unstable if I proceed.

I have three partitions (1system file thingy, one C:/ drive, and some other system file thingy) and of course the messed up Grub boot loader.

Should I still try fixmbr?

Thanks,
-Metroid48

[Metroid48]

Hey, so is fixmbr stable enough or could it actually destroy my Windows install?

[Malac]

Hey, so is fixmbr stable enough or could it actually destroy my Windows install?

Theoretically; Yes, but if you can do a backup of any data you don't want to lose, it may be worth a try.
I, too, had that warning with fixmbr when GRUB installed in my hd0 MBR. I ran the command anyway as I had backups of data and it worked out fine and restored my MBR to Windows XP version.
The GRUB MBR on your first drive could be what it means by "non-standard".

It's ultimately upto you.

[latebeat]

@latebeat
Refer to post #153
.

I don't think u read my post at all
I solved the problem but had to reboot and reboot and go through 10 pages of this thread until I came up to ltmon's post. It never occured to me doing grub-install /dev/sdx instead of grub, root bla bla, setup bla bla as they are essentially the same thing. Anyway, just thought I'd post my experience as well to help update the howto and save others the trouble I had.

thanks tho

[ciscosurfer]

@latebeat
I'm not sure what you mean. Your last post (two posts ago) you quoted ltmon and agreed with him/her that the method he lists didn't work for you either. My method, on the other hand, is a little different than that. Maybe take a look at it again to verify this. Either way, glad you solved your problem with whichever way worked for you (no solution is a catch-all solution).

[distroman]

This howto should get added to the first page as an alternative.
It seems to me that the howto as it is now, don't cover, multiple partitions, dual boot, boot partitions etc.

If you are still having trouble getting Gfxboot work, try the following steps (modified from this post) that have worked for me:

1. Download the files (grub-gfxboot.deb and message.suse [you can use the files at the bottom of this UDSF page as well, or the end of the first post of this thread!])
2. Uninstall grub

sudo aptitude remove grub

3. Install .deb file 'cd' to wherever you downloaded the .deb file, then issue

sudo dpkg -i grub-gfxboot_0.97-5_i386.deb

4. Copy message.suse file to /boot/grub 'cd' to wherever you downloaded the theme file, then issue

sudo cp message.suse /boot/grub/ ## you can copy any message file over from the bottom of the UDSF page as well

5. Add line to beginning of /boot/grub/menu.lst file

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.suse ## modify message.suse to whichever theme you downloaded, message.snowish, for example

6. Enter the following GRUB commands (use sudo fdisk -l to find out where your Ubuntu drive/partition is located...mine happens to be on sda1, so I use that.) Each line is a separate command:

sudo grub-install /dev/hdx ## put your drive values in...mine happens to be sda1, so I use that

sudo grub

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1  ## use the output of this to fill in the following values...output will look like this (hdx,y) ... mine is (hd1,0)

grub> root (hdx,y)  ## put your values in here from previous step ... I put in (hd1,0) here including the parentheses

grub> setup (hdx,y)  ## put your values in here from previous step ... again, I use (hd1,0)

grub> quit

Save all open files, close out, reboot.  I like to use sudo reboot b/c it's quick...but be sure to save any open file(s) and close out programs before you do this!

7. Reboot and enjoy your new GRUB modification!

FYI: If you have your "Pretty Colors" line enabled (uncommented) or have added your own to your menu.lst file, I have found commenting it out once again, like it is by default on a fresh Ubuntu install, has been helpful...don't know whether this is important or not

Perhaps this howto should have some sort of warning as well, don't these kind of howto's usually have that?
When I mess with stuff like this, I always backup first. Secondly I have messed up so many MBR's, (because I am really dumb, with stuff like this) that I feel I can fix them with a little luck. However it could be that, not all feel that way.

During this I managed to both screw up grub and last, but not least windows MBR, I know
To my surprise I could fix windows with “fixboot” without messing up grub. I think I know why now, as beside getting a nice picture in grub, I have learned a bit.

Thank you for this second howto, because I needed a bit more help, then the post it is based on.

[distroman]

Hey, so is fixmbr stable enough or could it actually destroy my Windows install?

I had to use “fixboot” because I was so clever, that I installed grub on my NTFS partition. If you have done nothing else, then follow this howto, you should not worry about any of these commands.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/

FIXBOOT
fixboot drive name:
Use this command to write the new Windows boot sector code on the system partition. In the command syntax, drive name is the drive letter where the boot sector will be written. This command fixes damage in the Windows boot sector. This command overrides the default setting, which writes to the system boot partition. The fixboot command is supported only on x86-based computers.

FIXMBR
fixmbr device name
Use this command to repair the MBR of the boot partition. In the command syntax, device name is an optional device name that specifies the device that requires a new MBR. Use this command if a virus has damaged the MBR and Windows cannot start.

Warning This command can damage your partition tables if a virus is present or if a hardware problem exists. If you use this command, you may create inaccessible partitions. We recommend that you run antivirus software before you use this command.

You can obtain the device name from the output of the map command. If you do not specify a device name, the MBR of the boot device is repaired, for example:
fixmbr \device\harddisk2
If the fixmbr command detects an invalid or non-standard partition table signature, fixmbr command prompts you for permission before rewriting the MBR. The fixmbr command is supported only on x86-based computers.

Hope it workes out for you.

[cpslim7626]

i get a grub error sayiing /boot/grub/message.ubugrey is to large

[spockrock]

that happens when you message file is too large, it has to be below 170K i believe.