disk partitioning problem (ignore the first e-mail I did not mean to send that one)

[Jeff Vian]

On Mon, 2005-07-25 at 18:56 -0500, Mike McCarty wrote:
> Jeff Vian wrote:
> > On Mon, 2005-07-25 at 17:09 -0500, Mike McCarty wrote:
> > 
> 
> [snip]
> 
> 
> > While most of your comments make sense, *please* do not spread FUD.
> 
> Speak for yourself. Oh, sorry, you did.
> 
> > The great majority of us using dual boot machines are using grub to dual
> > boot.  Using the NTFS boot loader is an option, but unlike several years
> > ago when NT4.0 refused to boot unless it's own boot loader was used,
> > modern microsoft operating systems are (mostly) happy to boot with the
> > chainloader from grub. I personally have used Win2K and WinXP this way
> > with no heartaches.
> > 
> > In general, the best way to dual boot is 1) install the M$ operating
> > system (he already has that) and 2) install Linux.  Allow it to install
> > the boot loader on the MBR and make sure it adds the option (it does
> > automatically) to boot the other OS.
> 
> I did exactly what you suggest. And I wound up with a system
> which refused to boot. It wanted to go into 'auto recovery' mode, and
> attempt to restore the machine to its 'factory shipped' state,
> using a recovery partition on that machine.
> 
> I stand by my recommendations. First get a system which can boot
> WinXP, and can boot Linux using GRUB on a floppy. Then install the
> GRUB on the boot sector of the intended boot disc, and let the
> XP boot manager manage the boot. When that works, if one is
> adventurous enough, one can try saving the MBR to a file on a floppy,
> and try installing GRUB (or whatever) into the MBR. It won't work
> from there on my machine. If GRUB won't work from there, then the MBR
> can be replaced.
> 

All of us have different hardware. Some hardware is picky and has to be
treated with kid gloves and babied.  Most is very standard and "just
works".

If you read the archives here, very few have ever had the extreme
problems you relate, although I do not doubt your word or experiences.
Certainly some brand name boxes are configured to not allow changes of
software, and some go into disaster-recovery mode if the boot sector has
been rewritten (can you say BIOS protected with a hidden recovery
partition).

I still stand by my comment.  Do not spread FUD about your unique
circumstances as if they are the rule rather than the exception.
_Standard_ hardware does not have that issue, while _some_ brand name
specific hardware does.

Jeff