Is there some reason you don't simply put /boot in a separate partition?
If/when the mbr gets clobbered, restoring grub to the mbr is easy. Simply
boot a knoppix or rescue cd and:
# grub
grub> root (hd0,0)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit
# reboot
JT Moree wrote:
> Anyone here know assembler and want to pick up a project?
>
> BACKGROUND
> I have started using the GAG (http://gag.sourceforge.net) boot loader
> instead of grub to manage my multiple OSes because it is small and self
> contained and does not require files to be in a partition (i know.
> that's the reason FOR using grub in the first place)
>
> Every time I do a new install of an OS i have been putting the boot
> loader in the root partition. some installers dont give you that option
> and blow away grub in the MBR. Since my MBR GRUB was not tied to a
> particular OS but to the system overall (i faked it into working this
> way) it is never easy to get grub set back the way I want it.
>
> Hence the reason for using GAG. if GAG gets blown away I simply boot
> sysrescuecd and re-install it. I don't have to worry about having a
> running distro and pointing grub files to correct locations. I have
> toyed with the idea of making a specialized grub boot distro that works
> more like this--if you know of one already please bring it to my attention.)
>
> THE PROJECTS
> GAG works great but looks like Win 3.1. I'd like to make it look
> better. There are some issues:
> 1) It is written in assembler--i don't know how to program assembler and
> looking at the code hasn't helped.
> 2) It's in Borland Turbo Assembler
>
> PROJECT #1
> find a TASM compatible free software assembler. been trying with no
> success. popasm says it supports tasm syntax but project is dead and
> code doesn't work.
>
> #2
> port GAG from turbo assembler (TASM) syntax to something else that can
> be compiled with free software
>
> #3
> Find borland TASM. if you have borland's turbo assembler and are not
> using it or know where it can be legally downloaded I would like to try
> to compile GAG using it. or you can compile GAG for me but I still
> can't program in assembler so this project is only marginally helpful.
>
> #4 HACK GAG. make changes to GAG so it looks like this
> http://pcxperience.org/jt/gag/mockup.jpg
> instead of looking like this
> http://gag.sourceforge.net/pics.html
>
> #5 IMPROVE GAG. I have a whole page dedicated to ideas on making GAG
> themes.
> http://www.cwelug.org/cgi-bin/wiki.cgi?GagThemes
>
> If someone can do 4 or 5 we can send the code to the original developer
> to compile it but that seems like a very inefficient way to develop code.
>
> OTHER INFO
> I am not tied to a particular OS for these projects. FreeDOS works just
> as well as Linux. Windows is even an option since most of us have it.
> The key component is using Free Software to compile the GAG program
> (which is GPL'd).
>
> Thank you for taking the time to read this entire email.
>
--
-Eric 'shubes'
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![M](../imgs/g.png "Eric \\"Shubes\\" at 2006-11-25 15:05")
%0A>%20grub>%20setup%20(hd0)%0A>%20grub>%20quit%0A>%20#%20reboot%0A>%20%0A>%20JT%20Moree%20wrote:%0A>%20>%20Anyone%20here%20know%20assembler%20and%20want%20to%20pick%20up%20a%20project?%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20BACKGROUND%0A>%20>%20I%20have%20started%20using%20the%20GAG%20(http://gag.sourceforge.net)%20boot%20loader%0A>%20>%20instead%20of%20grub%20to%20manage%20my%20multiple%20OSes%20because%20it%20is%20small%20and%20self%0A>%20>%20contained%20and%20does%20not%20require%20files%20to%20be%20in%20a%20partition%20(i%20know.%0A>%20>%20that's%20the%20reason%20FOR%20using%20grub%20in%20the%20first%20place)%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20Every%20time%20I%20do%20a%20new%20install%20of%20an%20OS%20i%20have%20been%20putting%20the%20boot%0A>%20>%20loader%20in%20the%20root%20partition.%20%20some%20installers%20dont%20give%20you%20that%20option%0A>%20>%20and%20blow%20away%20grub%20in%20the%20MBR.%20%20Since%20my%20MBR%20GRUB%20was%20not%20tied%20to%20a%0A>%20>%20particular%20OS%20but%20to%20the%20system%20overall%20(i%20faked%20it%20into%20working%20this%0A>%20>%20way)%20it%20is%20never%20easy%20to%20get%20grub%20set%20back%20the%20way%20I%20want%20it.%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20Hence%20the%20reason%20for%20using%20GAG.%20%20if%20GAG%20gets%20blown%20away%20I%20simply%20boot%0A>%20>%20sysrescuecd%20and%20re-install%20it.%20%20I%20don't%20have%20to%20worry%20about%20having%20a%0A>%20>%20running%20distro%20and%20pointing%20grub%20files%20to%20correct%20locations.%20%20I%20have%0A>%20>%20toyed%20with%20the%20idea%20of%20making%20a%20specialized%20grub%20boot%20distro%20that%20works%0A>%20>%20more%20like%20this--if%20you%20know%20of%20one%20already%20please%20bring%20it%20to%20my%20attention.)%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20THE%20PROJECTS%0A>%20>%20GAG%20works%20great%20but%20looks%20like%20Win%203.1.%20%20I'd%20like%20to%20make%20it%20look%0A>%20>%20better.%20%20There%20are%20some%20issues:%0A>%20>%201)%20It%20is%20written%20in%20assembler--i%20don't%20know%20how%20to%20program%20assembler%20and%0A>%20>%20looking%20at%20the%20code%20hasn't%20helped.%0A>%20>%202)%20%20It's%20in%20Borland%20Turbo%20Assembler%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20PROJECT%20#1%0A>%20>%20%20find%20a%20TASM%20compatible%20free%20software%20assembler.%20%20been%20trying%20with%20no%0A>%20>%20success.%20%20popasm%20says%20it%20supports%20tasm%20syntax%20but%20project%20is%20dead%20and%0A>%20>%20code%20doesn't%20work.%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20#2%0A>%20>%20%20%20port%20GAG%20from%20turbo%20assembler%20(TASM)%20syntax%20to%20something%20else%20that%20can%0A>%20>%20be%20compiled%20with%20free%20software%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20#3%0A>%20>%20%20%20Find%20borland%20TASM.%20%20if%20you%20have%20borland's%20turbo%20assembler%20and%20are%20not%0A>%20>%20using%20it%20or%20know%20where%20it%20can%20be%20legally%20downloaded%20I%20would%20like%20to%20try%0A>%20>%20to%20compile%20GAG%20using%20it.%20%20or%20you%20can%20compile%20GAG%20for%20me%20but%20I%20still%0A>%20>%20can't%20program%20in%20assembler%20so%20this%20project%20is%20only%20marginally%20helpful.%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20#4%20HACK%20GAG.%20%20make%20changes%20to%20GAG%20so%20it%20looks%20like%20this%0A>%20>%20http://pcxperience.org/jt/gag/mockup.jpg%0A>%20>%20instead%20of%20looking%20like%20this%0A>%20>%20http://gag.sourceforge.net/pics.html%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20#5%20IMPROVE%20GAG.%20%20I%20have%20a%20whole%20page%20dedicated%20to%20ideas%20on%20making%20GAG%0A>%20>%20themes.%0A>%20>%20http://www.cwelug.org/cgi-bin/wiki.cgi?GagThemes%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20If%20someone%20can%20do%204%20or%205%20we%20can%20send%20the%20code%20to%20the%20original%20developer%0A>%20>%20to%20compile%20it%20but%20that%20seems%20like%20a%20very%20inefficient%20way%20to%20develop%20code.%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20OTHER%20INFO%0A>%20>%20I%20am%20not%20tied%20to%20a%20particular%20OS%20for%20these%20projects.%20%20FreeDOS%20works%20just%0A>%20>%20as%20well%20as%20Linux.%20%20Windows%20is%20even%20an%20option%20since%20most%20of%20us%20have%20it.%0A>%20>%20The%20key%20component%20is%20using%20Free%20Software%20to%20compile%20the%20GAG%20program%0A>%20>%20(which%20is%20GPL'd).%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20>%20Thank%20you%20for%20taking%20the%20time%20to%20read%20this%20entire%20email.%0A>%20>%20%0A>%20%0A>%20--%20%0A>%20-Eric%20'shubes'%0A>%20---------------------------------------------------%0A>%20PLUG-discuss%20mailing%20list%20-%20PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us%0A>%20To%20subscribe,%20unsubscribe,%20or%20to%20change%20%20you%20mail%20settings:%0A>%20http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss%0A>%20%0A>%20 "Reply to this message")
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