GRUB and 3rd Party software conflict

[ChasM Marshall]

Hiya,

 I first read something about Adobe Publisher (full install) using a part
of track zero.  They directly write there, outside of O.S. processes, to
lock in their copy protection to a one machine installation.  Nice guys.
Later, I read that GRUB 2.0 is trying to use the same bytes.
 Last write wins.  :-(

> blindly overwriting hard disk content between the MBR and the first partition

  Yep. I've heard about it.  There've been some "work-arounds" talked about that
utilize Grub's MBR backup facility, backup-before and restore-after, the Windows boot.
This contains the damage and recovers the ability to boot to a Grub menu.
The Windows bootloader is not dynamic like Grub.  That is, Grub can interactively
change the MBR, on the fly, and needs no secondary program (lilo-install, fixmbr.exe).
The older Grub (prior to 1.0) stays in the first 512 bytes, and won't be affected.
Microsoft is stuck in the middle of this, and prolly won't do anything.

  Personally, I think if you give that much money to Adobe for an MS based program...
Good money after bad.  Use an Apple machine instead.

  (-:  Chas.M.  :-)
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:32:14 -0700
Subject: GRUB and 3rd Party software conflict
From: lthielster at gmail.com
To: plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us

Apparently both GRUB and some 3rd party Windows software make use of something called the "embedding area" of a hard disk and not standardized.  The result is apparently a possibility for both to use the same space and for that software to make GRUB unable to boot the system.




http://linux.slashdot.org/story/10/08/28/2112208/Some-Windows-Apps-Make-GRUB-2-Unbootable
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~cjwatson/blosxom/debian/2010-08-28-windows-applications-making-grub2-unbootable.html




Be sure to read the comments to the Slashdot story.  With no standard governing use of that non-partitioned area of the disk, it is perhaps not surprising that is is not a good idea to depend on it.  Since I doubt the proprietary world will do anything about it, I guess I hope that GRUB will change to avoid the problem.




Has anyone seen this happen?  What system/software?  I am now wondering if problem we saw with Roger's machine at the installfest could be related.  I don't think so, but it might impact the new HP machine he bought.  See the HP article reference and the fact the machine came with 4 primary partitions already in place (only noting they are using some of the new techniques).


-- 
Dazed_75 a.k.a. Larry

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.

  - Thomas Jefferson


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