what can I do when I install windows after linux

[chrainy]

windows obviously corrupt my mbr, but how can I change back?

I boot my computer with my "suse cd", use rescue mode, in the rescue login, I enter "root"
to be a root user, then I type in "grub-install /dev/hda", the err message is :
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
mkdir: cannot create directory '/boot/grub': Read-only file system
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Then I use my "live cd" to go in the linux system, In terminal, I type "grub-install /dev/hda" again, then the err message is:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Probing devices to guess BIOS drives. This may take a long time.
sed: can't read /boot/grub/device.map: No such file or directory
grep: /boot/grub/device.map: No such file or directory
/dev/hda does not have any corresponding BIOS drive.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


I really don't want to re-install my linux system, I have many precious files in it,
can anyone give me a suggestion?

Many Thanks~~~~~

[devils casper]

boot up through LiveCD and check if device.map and menu.lst file exists in SuSe /boot/grub folder. post the output of 'fdisk -l' here.








Casper

[k_amisi]

First of all don't go into rescue mode, just go through the process of installing SUSE and select install boot loader, i recently did it on my suse 10 after installing windows.

I'm not quite sure where it is but i believe if you were to do that it would work, don't mind the blank answer, my memory fails me. Post your result.

[chrainy]

linux@linux:~> ls -a /boot/grub/
. ffs_stage1_5 reiserfs_stage1_5 vstafs_stage1_5
.. iso9660_stage1_5 stage1 xfs_stage1_5
e2fs_stage1_5 jfs_stage1_5 stage2
fat_stage1_5 minix_stage1_5 ufs2_stage1_5

so I don't have device.map and menu.lst file

and the output of "fdisk -l" is
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
linux:/home/linux # fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 3824 30716248+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 3825 7648 30716280 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 7649 9729 16715632+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 7649 7743 763056 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 7744 9344 12860001 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 9345 9729 3092481 83 Linux
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks all~~~~

[saikee]

You want to rescue a Linux, right?

You have to use another Linux that you can boot up to carry out the rescue operation, right?

This boot up Linux can come from the installation CD using its rescue mode (thereby stopping it to do an installation) or any Linux Live CD.

Suse uses Grub and Grub can be restored either

(1) Outside the unbootable Suse

When you are in any boot-up Linux, either from Suse installation CD rescue mode or any Linux Live CD, you can invoke a Grub shell, tell Grub the root of the Linux is in sda6. Grub calls a hard disk by a number and always count from zero. Thus sda6 to Grub is (hd0,5) because you have only one disk. Thus the commands to ask Grub to restore itself in the MBR of disk sda in a Grub shell are

sudo grub
root (hd0,5)
setup (hd0)
quit

(2) Inside the unbootable Suse

For this you must first create a temporary directory say call it /mnt/temp, mount Suse's root partition in the /mnt/temp directory of the filing system of the boot-up Linux. You then "change root" into the unbootable Suse and issue the grub-install command to restore Grub in the device sda. You then exit from the unbootable Suse back to the boot-up Linux and reboot.

sudo mkdir /mnt/temp
sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt/temp
sudo chroot /mnt/temp
grub-install /devb/sda
exit
reboot

The above will restore Grub back into the MBR.

To make Grub to boot Windows you add these lines in /bootgrub/menu.lst of the now-bootable Suse

title My Windows bootable in sda1
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

You can try any other suggestion but the above is the envelope of what it takes. You will benefit from it if you understand what each step means.

The second solution in particular is "the" method of rescuing any unbootable Linux with any Linux Live CD.

I have reason to believe your Suse partition is in sda6 but it is possible you have a /boot partition in sda7, so if sda6 doesn't work try sda7. Or if you want to know how Grub can help the in a Grub shell you can ask Grub to tell you which partition has /boot/grub/menu.lst by

find /boot/grub/menu.lst

Grub will report to you the partition reference like :

(hd0,5)

Adjust the above if it is (hd0,6).

[Quillz]

For future reference, it's usually better to install Windows first, as it's much easier to simply partition your hard drive and add Linux later.

[saikee]

For future reference, it's usually better to install Windows first, as it's much easier to simply partition your hard drive and add Linux later.

I disagree. It may be easier but technically there is nothing to stop us doing it in any other.

I added Vista as the 5th Windows (after Win3x, Win9x, Win2k and xp) when there are already over 100 Linux in the box.

[chrainy]

thanks!!! I'll try it now!!

[chrainy]

That works!!

greeting from linux^_^

[gogalthorp]

I disagree. It may be easier but technically there is nothing to stop us doing it in any other.

I added Vista as the 5th Windows (after Win3x, Win9x, Win2k and xp) when there are already over 100 Linux in the box.

Good lord do you actually use all those or are you just a collector