Fixing Grub (error17) without formatting

[rsreston]

Hi. I'm a newbie in Linux. My notebook is a dual-boot machine with Win2K installed first and Ubuntu (HH) second, both on the same HD. Using the windows software Partition Expert, I decided to increase the size of the root Ubuntu partition (Ext3) by decreasing /home partition (ReiserFS) size. The whole operation went smooth until the system booted up. Now Grub only displays "Error 17".
I cannot boot into any of the OS's, I don't wanna format and reinstall Ubuntu and thus, I don't wanna clear the MBR through Win2K installation's repair console. What could I do? Install Lilo?

[budman7]

Error 17 means it cannot boot the selected partition.
It means that it is still there, but it can't recognize the type. According to Nerderello's Grub tutorial.
Probably the file system type was changed when you used the Win program to resize it.
You could try booting up with a livecd, such as Knoppix or Mepis. Is Ubuntu a livecd?
Backup your files, and change the filesystem type.
If it was supposed to be reiserfs, do
mkreiserfs /dev/hda5 to each partition.

Hope this helps.

[rsreston]

Thanks for the reply!
Well, I tried Damn Small Linux because I was in a hurry. I'll try the Ubuntu LiveCD later.
About the mkreiserfs command, it's not on DSL. I'm trying to find a way to install it. But what if the problem is on the Ext3 partition? Is there a "mkext3" command?
In the case I decide to format the Ext3 partition, which are the main configuration files I could backup in order to ease the customization of the future new Ubuntu installation?
Thanks again!

[budman7]

For ext3, do

mkfs -t ext3

Remember when you do that, whatever info is tere will be gone. I think.

[rsreston]

Thanks but I decided to reinstall the system.
I installed Kubuntu but as I got a problem with KDE's "Login Manager", I decided to re-reinstall Ubuntu and then KDE.
Thanks.