:-) i can appreciate that, but it is something i have done repeatedly in the past and know it is functional. but you now have 2 tools both know to work :-) On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 11:01 AM, kitepilot@kitepilot.com wrote: > I would BLINDLY trust: > dd if=other-MBR.iso of=/dev/sda bs=446 count=1 > > I would NOT trust FIXBOOT and/or just about anything Micro$haft to > manipulate my partitions...   ;-) > THANKS!!! > ET > > > > Stephen writes: > >> yes, however if you have a windows XP disk you just boot it, hit the >> option to go to the repair console type FIXBOOT and then fdisk /mbr >> and it rebuilds the MBR as well. >> >> On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 8:16 AM, kitepilot@kitepilot.com >> wrote: >>>>> get the 446-byte boot record from somewhere and dd it to /dev/sda >>> I LIKE THIS IDEA!!!   :) >>> Are you telling me that I can just grab those 446 bytes from *ANY* WinXP >>> box, copy them to my MBR and the laptop will boot?  8) >>> That's a pretty "un-risky" proposition...   :) >>> Thanks! >>> ET >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Matt Graham writes: >>> >>>> From: "kitepilot@kitepilot.com" >>>>> I went and installed Kubuntu 9.10 (which uses GRUB 2) on the flash >>>>> drive and forgot to tell the thing to leave /dev/sda alone... >>>>> >>>>> Now the machine only boots from the flash drive. >>>>> My plan is to backup the 512 bytes of the MBR and (MOST IMPORTANT!) >>>>> the partition table and use "something" (insert cloud of ignorance >>>>> here) to rebuild the windoze boot record. >>>> >>>> Run FIXMBR or FDISK /MBR from a 'Doze boot CD.  Failing that, get the >>>> 446-byte boot record from somewhere and dd it to /dev/sda .  There's >>>> actually no need to do anything with the partition table here. >>>> >>>>> Can I trust whichever tool I use (and hope you will tell me) to >>>>> leave the partition contents alone or [had] I better dd the whole >>>>> 250GB of /dev/sda somewhere else in case *IT* happens? >>>> >>>> There will be no need to back up things if you use the tools in the >>>> previous paragraph. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Matt G / Dances With Crows >>>> The Crow202 Blog:  http://crow202.org/wordpress/ >>>> There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> --------------------------------------------------- >>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> --------------------------------------------------- >>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from >> rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. >> >> Stephen >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss -- A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. Stephen --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss