Member Avatar for Velikiy

I had two OS's on PS.After reinstalling windows tha boot window disappear :evil: .And now I can't boot Linux :-|
What I have to do for return this window and boot linux?
Thaks a lot .Soory for mistakes.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Paul.Esson

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Short summary and a safe first checklist. As discovered after using Ghost and PartitionMagic (see and comments), the usual cause is that the Windows reinstall changed the disk boot records or partition table rather than "removing" Linux files. Do not overwrite anything yet. Boot from a Linux live USB and confirm the Linux partition and /boot exist before trying repairs:

lsblk -f
sudo mount -o ro /dev/sdXN /mnt
ls -l /mnt/boot

Decide whether the machine is BIOS/MBR or UEFI. That changes the repair steps:

[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "UEFI" || echo "BIOS"

If kernels and grub files are present, two common, non-destructive fixes are (a) change firmware boot order so the disk with Linux is first (quick test that avoids touching disks), or (b) reinstall GRUB from a live system. For modern GRUB2 (BIOS) you typically run:

sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub

For UEFI systems, mount the EFI System Partition and then install GRUB to the ESP:

sudo mount /dev/sdXY /boot/efi
sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=GRUB
sudo update-grub

If the partition table itself was altered (PartitionMagic/Ghost risk mentioned by ), avoid writing to the disk and consider using TestDisk to scan and restore deleted partitions. If files are gone, data-recovery is a different workflow. Always back up the current MBR/first sectors before changes:

sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=~/mbr-backup.bin bs=512 count=1

Notes: flagged Windows-side chaining tools (useful if you prefer keeping the Windows boot manager), pointed out rescue media, and ’s legacy-grub tips apply only to old GRUB versions. Replace device names carefully, consult your distribution’s docs, and proceed only after verifying which disk/partition is which.

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All 9 Replies

Member Avatar for Ceaser

When you reinstalled windows did you reformat the hard drive? How was the drive partitioned? It is a possibility that you formated over the Linux partition. When you look at the hardrive in windoze do you see the full HD size?

Member Avatar for server_crash

It is a possibility that you formated over the Linux partition.

This is most likely what's happend unless maybe you used something like partition magic to partition. This can sometimes cause it to boot directly into one OS and ignore the other.

Member Avatar for Velikiy

The reinstalling I did with Gost. When I see HD it is not full because of Linux :lol:
I had created two hardrives independed.
It is right.I did partion whith magic partion.On one hardrive sit windows :evil: and on other sit Linux :lol: .And this cause it to boot directly into one OS(windows) and ignore the other(Linux).


Thanks a lot .Sory for mistakes.

Member Avatar for server_crash

The reinstalling I did with Gost. When I see HD it is not full because of Linux :lol:
I had created two hardrives independed.
It is right.I did partion whith magic partion.On one hardrive sit windows :evil: and on other sit Linux :lol: .And this cause it to boot directly into one OS(windows) and ignore the other(Linux).
.

When I used partition magic it damaged the bootloader of windows and I was never able to recover windows but it booted directly into linux. After that I never used partition magic again, and I strongly advise against it. Just using the partitioner in the linux setup is fairly easy, and that's what I have always used. I would just go through with the linux installer it's much easier for dual booting and it won't damage the other OS' bootloader. And don't worry about creating two diffrent HD's before installing, deal with that during the instalation.

Member Avatar for Peeyush Maurya

loadlin is very useful if you lost windows MBR after installing linux....

i know of two options
1. using LOADLIN. which uses windows boot.ini to load linux
2. boot in rescue mode ... run command to write bootloader of linux..(lilo/grub)

Regards,
Peeyush Maurya
http://www.geocities.com/peeyush_maurya/

Member Avatar for lestont

You should create a bootable floppy disk from your linux cds. Insert your installation cd1 and skip everything until you reach an option to create a bootable disk.You can then boot from floppy everytime you want to use linux.
Or
You can try to correct the MBR

Member Avatar for TheOgre

Boot to your Linux distro and run lilo. Lilo will rewrite the mbr to include the lilo boot menu screen that got overwritten when you reinstalled Windoze.

...provided you use lilo and not grub or some other boot manager...

Member Avatar for fooumang

TheOgre is right.

What happened when you reinstalled windows is that it over wrote the MBR where you most likely had the lilo/grub info installed. This got rid of the linux boot load and put the windows one back on there.

Boot with a linux rescue disc (you should be able to use almost any install cd) when box is up in linux, you need to rerun lilo or reinstall grub (whatever you were using as your boot loader).

If you didn't mount your / directory as root, make sure its mounted

and do:
chroot /mnt/hda1 (or whatever you have it mounted as)

Check your lilo.conf (in /etc) file to make sure its correct

and then run:

lilo

that is, assuming you're using lilo.

Member Avatar for Paul.Esson

If your using grub

type

$ grub

grub> root (hd0,0)
grub> setup (hd0)
grub> quit

Note: hd0,0 is hda1, hd0,1 will be hda2 etc.
hd1,0 is hdb1

root(hd0,0) should be the partition where your grub booting information is (kernel images and grub config)

if you dont know where this is use

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1

setup(hd0) installs grub on your mbr :)

good luck, btw.

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