Getting rid of LILO on mbr (winxp installed)

[jozzer]

errr.....title says it all....I got win XP on the main drive, and Mandrake 8 on a second drive.....I'd like to remove the linux drive from the machine, but of coarse LILO throws a wobbler if it doesn't find the disk on startup.
Used to be easy with dos/win 98...........just recopy the mbr and overwrite LILO........I don't really want to have to reinstall XP for this!!

[Bozo]

I cant say for sure but when tried Linux I had the same problem I formatted the MBR and windows still booted. However DO NOT take my word it. if you get desperate try it as last resort if you decide you will reinstall anyway. This was on Win2K not even seen XP.

[jozzer]

Hmm...I'm fairly sure XP wont boot without mbr..........but then again, I don't think 2K should either!!
Any other ideas guys.......shurly there is software to pull LILO by now......this has been one of the biggest oversights of linux.....and scares lots of parttime users off!

[mackerel]

Try using (in windows)

fdisk /mbr

on your boot drive.

[Bozo]

yep that i thats what i used only i booted from a floppy (dos) disk and my 2k still booted ok. Like i said dont try it unless you run out of options.

[Terminal Error]

jozzer,

I replyed to you in the thread "Removing LILO Problems" BUT
before you try GDISK or if you won't cause it will wipe your drive, there is something else to try!

for this to work you have to have a bootable CD Drive OR you can boot from a boot disk with CD Drivers.

Insert XP disk
boot up the machine
and run the XP installer (not to install though!)
when it loads it will give you the option of installing, repairing or....something else.
at this screen hit "R" for repair.
once it loads up the repair console, you can type "HELP" or "?" for commands or you can just type "FIXMBR"

this method didn't work for me...BUT it has worked for MOST people that fdisk /MBR didn't.

This method SHOULD, DO NOT QUOTE ME!! leave the data and partitions intact. Can someone else verify this???????

[jozzer]

didn't work for me....thats why I'm still hunting a way round it.....I face a reinstall of xp just to get rid of the second H/D in my machine........This is the most stable installation of any O/S i have ever had......I AM NOT GOING TO TRASH IT YET!(don't have much time these days either)
Thanks guys......

[jozzer]

OK....finally did it.......ran all the boot fixing options in xp setup....first edit startup, then fixmbr, then fixboot (ibelieve thats what it was).....don't know which worked.....but the linux disk is of the machine!(to be used for emergencies/or on second machine.....with lilo instaled TO FLOPPY!!!)

[7h3 J0k3R]

Boot your computer with the winxp CD install and when asked for choose the repair console. Enter in your windows directory and look for the command FIXBOOT. Try it. :)