Lilo/Grub not loading

[LoafOfBread34]

I installed Ubuntu on a clean 160 GB HD, and everything went ok, but when I started it up, it said "Error finding Operating System". I thought this might be Ubuntu's problem, so I tried installing Mandriva 10.1, only to find that it was the same problem. I am almost sure that this problem is with my drive config, and where I install Lilo/Grub (I tried both of them to no avail.) I think I installed on the master boot record with Ubuntu, and hdc with Mandrivia. The drive I tried to install to is a Sata drive, and I think that is causing the problems because before that when I tried to install everything work OK.

Here is my drive config that I see upon startup:

IDE Channel 0 Master: DVD Drive
IDE Channel 0 Slave: CD Drive
IDE Channel 1 Master: 80 GB Hard Drive (Conatins Ubuntu)
IDE Channel 1 Slave: 30 GB Hard Drive (Contains Files)

IDE Channel 2: NONE
IDE Channel 3: 160 GB Hard Drive (SATA) (Contains Mandriva)

So can you guys give any suggestions on where to install the boot loader? Thanks.

[eugrus]

Do you install grub/lilo boot sector to MBR or to the first block of partition?
If the second one make that partition active!

[LoafOfBread34]

Uhh Im not sure wha you mean. I installed Ubuntu (Grub) on the MBR, and Lilo on HDC. Ill try HDA next.

[LoafOfBread34]

Ok I re-installed Ubuntu and reformatted my first drive (80 GB) so there is no need for a boot loader. Here is how my drive config reads now:

Here is my drive config that I see upon startup:

IDE Channel 0 Master: DVD Drive
IDE Channel 0 Slave: CD Drive
IDE Channel 1 Master: 80 GB Hard Drive (Free Space)
IDE Channel 1 Slave: 30 GB Hard Drive (Contains Files, NTSF)

IDE Channel 2: NONE
IDE Channel 3: 160 GB Hard Drive (SATA) (Contains Ubuntu)

Still I get an "Error Loading Operating System". I checked my boot priority and it reads Floppy, CD, Hard Drive. My hard drive boot priority is 160 GB, 80 GB, 30 GB, Bootable Add-in Cards. Everything looks fine there.

I kinda see what you mean, saying I need to activate that partition, but I dont know how to do it. Any suggestions?

[Roxoff]

Hmm, you do need a boot loader, Grub and Lilo are the two common boot loaders for Linux.

You need to install your chosen boot loader of the boot sector of the first boot disk, otherwise the BIOS will boot whatever else it finds there, which might not be what you wanted.

[a thing]

When do you get the error? When installing Ubuntu? That just means you have to configure your boot loader manually.

[LoafOfBread34]

OK, I fixed it. After all day yesterday of trying different things on google, I solved it. Actually it was pretty easy. I just popped in my fdisk, deleted all my partition, except for the one that had my files on it, then ran fdisk /mbr, and it worked. I had to reinstall, but everything went fine.