[ltp] Installed Grub to MBR, now can't boot XP (dual boot config)

[Simon Williams]

>>> My drive layout is:
>>> hda1 XP
>>> hda2 swap
>>> hda3 ext3 (root of ubuntu)
>>> hda4 (extended partition)
>>> 	hda5 rescue and recovery

> That makes sense. But then why won't XP boot?

The only possible explanation for this is that XP has something it does 
on startup to check the R&R partition. Probably it's launching R&R 
because it thinks the bootloader is broken (because it's got grub in it).

> I can mount the XP NTFS partition from Ubuntu - it looks fine there.

Good. Can I see the contents of your C:/boot.ini please?

> I can definitely get all
> the way into the R&Recovery system and log on. But I've tried grub with:

> root            (hd0,0)
> rootnoverify    (hd0,0)
> chainloader     +1

Stick with this- this is how you do it on 'normal' systems.

> and even (in an attempt to really get it to not pay attention to R&R)
> 
> root            (hd0,0)
> hide		(hd0,1)
> hide		(hd0,2)
> hide		(hd0,3)
> chainloader     +1

You what? If the R&R is on /dev/hda5 then you want to hide (hd0,4).

Have you or will you ever use this R&R thing? It sounds entirely 
pointless to me. Recovery things never work properly. This just appears 
to be taking HDD space and making things difficult.

In all honesty just get rid of it. However, before you just delete it's 
partition and give it to something useful, I think that XP will probably 
complain about it not being there and then we'll be in a worse state 
than we were to start with.

[grrr] Recovery partitions are ****ing stupid. [/grrr]