LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Andrew Halliday <andrew@recalldesign.com>
  To  : Lyndon Zimmermann <lyndon.zimmermann@adelaide.edu.au>
  Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 10:06:59 +1030

Re: Reinstating NT boot sector

> I was endeavouring to reinstall Linux on my home PC (already running NT)
> and Red Hat Linux 7 overwrote NTs boot sector so now I have a
> semi-functioning Linux install and no NT.  I tried reinstalling NT but
> this didn't help.  I need dual (or is it duel?) boot.  How should I
> proceed?

I am assuming that you selected the setup option to 'Install LILO as the
primary boot loader'?  This means that you see a LILO prompt just before
linux boots.
I have had Windows over-write my linux boot, but have never had linux
overwrite my windows boot - what has probably happened is LILO has
maintained the NT boot but defaults to booting linux - have you tried
pressing TAB (or is it SHIFT+TAB?) to get a list of bootable partitions.
Quite often, RH installs will set one of these to 'win' or 'dos' or
something other than 'linux' ... type the partition of choice.

If its not there, boot into linux and edit /etc/lilo.conf
In here you will find the configuration for lilo.  All you have to do here
is add another entry similar to the one that you will find for linux -
change the boot path and the name of the boot entry from memory, then, as
root, type (ie run) lilo.  Im brief here because there is copious amounts of
help on this subject in HOWTOS, man pages (type 'man lilo') and using the
info command.

When it comes to the topic of dual booting, two options have worked for me:
1) LILO over the NT boot loader
2) NT boot loader over LILO

Both work fine, but 1 works more reliably.  For 2 you need a program that
grabs the boot section of the linux partition and puts it in a file for NT
to load when you select it.  If you want the name of this software I mail
you with it when im home - its free software.

AndrewH




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