reinstall Redhat necessary when GRUB is not accessible?

[Ed Wilts]

On Tue, Jul 06, 2004 at 06:40:49AM -0700, Yu Sun wrote:
> I have dual OS: RH linux and WinXp. I installed the RH linux first
> and then installed WinXp, using GRUB to manage the boot process. Now
> the WinXP crashed. I want to reinstall the WinXp, but I am afraid
> that after installing the WinXp, the GRUB boot loader will be gone (I
> know it from my previous experience). How can I restore the GRUB? I
> think restalling the RH is not good way.

I think the following will work but I don't dual boot.

1.  Take your current /etc/grub.conf file and back it up to floppy (just
in case)
2.  Re-install WinXP making sure that you leave the current RHL
partitions alone
3.  Install WinXP
4.  Boot from your first Linux CD into rescue mode
boot:  linux rescue
5.  When you get the base Linux rescue environment up, chroot to the new
environment:
# chroot /mnt/sysimage
6.  Re-install grub (assuming you installed onto /dev/hda):
# grub-install /dev/hda
7.  Reboot
 
-- 
Ed Wilts, RHCE
Mounds View, MN, USA
mailto:ewilts at ewilts.org
Member #1, Red Hat Community Ambassador Program