Getting rid of a Linux boot loader
Some time ago I installed the Storm Linux distribution (it's based on top of Debian). However during installation, it overwrote my master boot record with its own loader (brings up an vga graphic choice between linux and windows with Storm branding). Since then I have removed Storm Linux, formatted the hd, but the loader remains. I was wondering how to get rid of the boot loader, or in some way overwrite it with another? Any hints are appreciated. Ashley Dr. Ashley T. Howes PhD Web Developer Email: ashley@blueskyresearch.net Web: http://www.ashleyhowes.com "They think they've beaten us. We smile and say, welcome to the Next Level"
On Sun, Dec 10, 2000 at 09:06:07AM +0000, Ashley T. Howes wrote:
Some time ago I installed the Storm Linux distribution (it's based on top of Debian). However during installation, it overwrote my master boot record with its own loader (brings up an vga graphic choice between linux and windows with Storm branding). Since then I have removed Storm Linux, formatted the hd, but the loader remains.
I was wondering how to get rid of the boot loader, or in some way overwrite it with another?
right, if you've got DOS you can use: fdisk /mbr which will kill the MBR. Not sure how you'd do it in nux, have never (yet) needed to. Hope that helps, Brett
Some time ago I installed the Storm Linux distribution (it's based on top of Debian). However during installation, it overwrote my master boot record with its own loader (brings up an vga graphic choice between linux and windows with Storm branding). Since then I have removed Storm Linux, formatted the hd, but the loader remains.
I was wondering how to get rid of the boot loader, or in some way overwrite it with another?
Any hints are appreciated.
If you are running dual boot and have windows left on ther the you can do: fdisk /mbr This is the well known undocumented feature that clears the master boot recors of loaders. If you install another Linux dist'n this will over write this anyway. Ian Ian Thompson-Bell The Technology Partnership plc Melbourn Science Park Melbourn Herts SG8 6EE United Kingdom Tel: +44 1763 262626 Fax: +44 1763 261582 mailto:itb@techprt.co.uk
Folks, Just a quick update: not something I ever thought I'd be posting... What with IR35, and a million other reasons, after 18 years I've hung up my contracting boots and gone permy. I've taken a job as a senior technical consultant with a company called Internet Designers Ltd., one of BT's BrightStar incubations. The job is fantastic, and gives me the chance to carry on with my Linux work, alongside the experience built up after 27 years in the IT world. I start at Adastral Park, Martlesham on Monday 18 December. Gawd help me! Stonking salary, share options, paid holidays (YES!), no managers, working in a technocracy, and so on, I simply couldn't refuse it... Dancing Hippo still ticks along, for those who remember all that fun... Anyone need a cheap hosting deal? Cheers, Laurie. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurie Brown laurie@brownowl.com PGP key at http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Folks,
Just a quick update: not something I ever thought I'd be posting...
What with IR35, and a million other reasons, after 18 years I've hung up my contracting boots and gone permy.
It's all about phases in your life. I just made a pile of dosh on the flotation of TTPCom so I retire at Xmas at the ripe old age of 50. Yes!!!
I've taken a job as a senior technical consultant with a company called Internet Designers Ltd., one of BT's BrightStar incubations. The job is fantastic, and gives me the chance to carry on with my Linux work, alongside the experience built up after 27 years in the IT world. I start at Adastral Park, Martlesham on Monday 18 December. Gawd help me! Stonking salary, share options, paid holidays (YES!), no managers, working in a technocracy, and so on, I simply couldn't refuse it...
Best of luck. I have worked on joint projects with quite a few guys down at Martlesham in the last few years and they are a great bunch. Ian Ian Thompson-Bell The Technology Partnership plc Melbourn Science Park Melbourn Herts SG8 6EE United Kingdom Tel: +44 1763 262626 Fax: +44 1763 261582 mailto:itb@techprt.co.uk
On Tue, 12 Dec 2000, Laurie Brown wrote:
What with IR35, and a million other reasons, after 18 years I've hung up my contracting boots and gone permy.
I'll keep this short, but with reference to this, any other independant contractors may be interested in the following sites: The Professional Contractors Group, a professional organisation for independant contractors - http://www.pcgroup.org.uk/ - who are fighting IR35 through the courts - http://www.pcgroup.org.uk/press_pn1000.html A news site for contractors - http://ww.shout99.com/ I will leave it at that since this is off topic as far as Linux is concerned, but you are welcome to contact me off line. My link to these is that I work for the company that runs the web sites - on Linux of course ;-) Good luck to you Laurie. --- Paul Tansom: Talking to penguins can be inTUXicating, whereas talking to windows is only 1 step away from talking to the wall! --- Smoothwall project home page: http://www.smoothwall.org/ Smoothwall project community contact: community@smoothwall.org
Paul Tansom wrote:
On Tue, 12 Dec 2000, Laurie Brown wrote:
What with IR35, and a million other reasons, after 18 years I've hung up my contracting boots and gone permy.
I'll keep this short, but with reference to this, any other independant contractors may be interested in the following sites:
The Professional Contractors Group, a professional organisation for independant contractors - http://www.pcgroup.org.uk/ - who are fighting IR35 through the courts - http://www.pcgroup.org.uk/press_pn1000.html
I've been a member of the PCG almost since inception, and have coughed up for the JR. Even though I'm now a permy, I intend to maintain my membership, and will continue to answer a call for dosh for the legal fighting fund. I'm doing this because I belive in the PCG and all it stands for, and I'm more angry than words can convey about the way this government is screwing our livelihood. I'm not about to abandon the cause simply because I've decided the uncertainty isn't worth it any more. That said, I don't want to pollute this list with politics, and won't respond to any further argument of a political nature. I urge any contractors reading this to join the PCG if they haven't already.
A news site for contractors - http://ww.shout99.com/
This is a good site.
I will leave it at that since this is off topic as far as Linux is concerned, but you are welcome to contact me off line. My link to these is that I work for the company that runs the web sites - on Linux of course ;-)
Good luck to you Laurie.
Thanks. I haven't met you yet, but I've met a few other members of this LUG, and even hosted a few meetings (which is why I've mentioned this at all!). Cheers, Laurie. -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Laurie Brown laurie@brownowl.com PGP key at http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
I've taken a job as a senior technical consultant with a company called Internet Designers Ltd., one of BT's BrightStar incubations. The job is fantastic, and gives me the chance to carry on with my Linux work, alongside the experience built up after 27 years in the IT world. I start at Adastral Park, Martlesham on Monday 18 December. Gawd help me! Stonking salary, share options, paid holidays (YES!), no managers, working in a technocracy, and so on, I simply couldn't refuse it... Is there a way to keep an eye on jobs that are available at Adastral Park?
Joe
On Tue, Dec 12, 2000 at 09:53:46AM -0000, Ian Thompson-Bell wrote:
If you are running dual boot and have windows left on ther the you can do:
fdisk /mbr
This is the well known undocumented feature that clears the master boot recors of loaders.
That's almost right. What fdisk /mbr actually does is to install the default DOS boot loader onto the master boot record, i.e. the first sector of the hard disk which also holds the partition table. The DOS boot loader is usually silent and its only job is to search the partition table for an active partion and load the boot record from that partition.
If you install another Linux dist'n this will over write this anyway.
It certainly can do, but doesn't have to. LILO, the linux boot loader used by most Linuxes can be installed either as the MBR boot loader or as a partition specific boot loader. If installed as the MBR it can offer the choice to load other OSes. Steve.
On Tue, Dec 12, 2000 at 09:53:46AM -0000, Ian Thompson-Bell wrote:
If you are running dual boot and have windows left on ther the you can do:
fdisk /mbr
This is the well known undocumented feature that clears the master boot recors of loaders.
That's almost right. What fdisk /mbr actually does is to install the default DOS boot loader onto the master boot record, i.e. the first sector of the hard disk which also holds the partition table.
The DOS boot loader is usually silent and its only job is to search the partition table for an active partion and load the boot record from that partition.
Thanks for the added info. I new the trick but not the deatils of what it did.
If you install another Linux dist'n this will over write this anyway.
It certainly can do, but doesn't have to. LILO, the linux boot loader used by most Linuxes can be installed either as the MBR boot loader or as a partition specific boot loader. If installed as the MBR it can offer the choice to load other OSes.
Again, thanks for the added info. What I meant was that most Linux distributions do overwrite it by default. Ian
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Ian Thompson-Bell The Technology Partnership plc Melbourn Science Park Melbourn Herts SG8 6EE United Kingdom Tel: +44 1763 262626 Fax: +44 1763 261582 mailto:itb@techprt.co.uk
participants (7)
-
Ashley T. Howes -
Brett Parker -
Ian Thompson-Bell -
Joe Frost -
Laurie Brown -
Paul Tansom -
Steven Fosdick