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How do I get back into Linux? I've installed it, and when I turn on the computer a message that says "MBR" comes up. When I hold down Shift, it ...
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  1. 06-03-2005 #1
    Comrade
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    Getting back into Linux

    How do I get back into Linux? I've installed it, and when I turn on the computer a message that says "MBR" comes up. When I hold down Shift, it goes into a prompt that says 'MBR 2FA' which means nothing to me. What am I supposed to do?

    Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm thoroughly confused.
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  2. 06-03-2005 #2
    eatinglemur
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    What distribution did you install? How did you have it set up? Your question is rather ambiguous.
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  3. 06-03-2005 #3
    Comrade
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    I installed Debian. After I booted back into Windows, I realized that I didn't know how to get back into Linux.
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  4. 06-03-2005 #4
    budman7
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    When you start the machine, you should be given the option which OS to boot.
    Unless you installed your bootloader to the root partition, in which case you will not get any choices.

    Did you pick LiLo or Grub?
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  5. 06-03-2005 #5
    eatinglemur
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    I wish I were more experienced with Debian, but I noticed that a distro that doesn't put its bootloader in the MBR will at least stick it in the first sector of the system's main partition (/boot perhaps, if you've got one). Do you know what bootloader, if any, Debian installed?

    We could use a Debian expert here.
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  6. 06-03-2005 #6
    GNU_man
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    Which version of Debian have you installed?

    I have Woody (3.0) and Sarge <testing> (3.1). Woody used LILO, but Sarge uses GRUB.
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  7. 06-03-2005 #7
    Comrade
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    Mine uses Lilo. I did not install Lilo to the MBR (I think), but when the comp starts, it prompts me saying 'MBR', and if I hold shift, it says 'MBR 2FA'

    I can get in with the boot floppy.
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  8. 06-03-2005 #8
    jaboua
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    If so, boot into linux with the floppy, make sure /etc/lilo.conf is OK and make it boot windows too if you want too, reinstall LILO (to MBR) and reboot.
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  9. 06-03-2005 #9
    GNU_man
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    I would recommend the same thing. The installer runs a liloconfig script that you can run anytime yourself, once Deb is booted. So just boot from your floppy, rerun the LILO config ( i forget the name of it) and this time make sure you install to MBR otherwise, i assure you, you will have problems because Windows FS is not the same as Linux..
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  10. 06-03-2005 #10
    Comrade
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    Quote Originally Posted by jaboua
    If so, boot into linux with the floppy, make sure /etc/lilo.conf is OK and make it boot windows too if you want too, reinstall LILO (to MBR) and reboot.
    How can I reinstall it to MBR? I don't want to have to reinstall Linux...
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