X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mailnull set sender to opendos-bounces using -f X-Originating-IP: [203.164.186.155] From: "Joydeep Mitra" To: opendos AT delorie DOT com Subject: Re: Fdisk and MBR - a question Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2001 22:55:01 +1100 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: X-OriginalArrivalTime: 02 Dec 2001 11:55:01.0886 (UTC) FILETIME=[2C8449E0:01C17B28] Reply-To: opendos AT delorie DOT com You could always install LILO into the MBR. Although it would be a good idea to have a backup LILO on a floppy because if it is damaged you would not be able to boot Linux and would probably have to reinstall it. Joydeep >Thomas A Webb wrote: > > > > Thanks for the response.. > > > > I suspect you've put your finger on the problem, although the solution > > isn't too clear at this point :-( > > > > The specific instance was an old 486 with Linux partitions, and if DRDOS > > needs to read what's there in order to replace it, Ill probably have to > > look for another solution. MS-DOS apparently doesn't attempt to > > interpret what's there, because it works fine. > > > > The problem is this: > > > > When installing Linux, the mbr needs to be a POBT (Plain old boot > > track). Many of the machines we recycle have had Windoze or os2 on them > > in the past, and we need to be able to start fresh. In addition, there > > are opportunities (several, actually ;-) ) to screw up a Linux > > installation to the extent that it is usefull to start over. MSDOS works > > fine for this, but I can't provide a download utility disk using MSDOS > > because of licensing issues. > > > > I have found shareware "disk editors" that will do this, but they aren't > > what I would call production tools. I have thought of creating a simple > > utility ( in C ) that would simply pop a new mbr on the drive without > > dragging us through a lot of nonsense, but I was hoping there is a > > simple solution already out there. This is all that is holding up the > > release of SlamDunk Linux procedures, and I would appreciate any > > suggestions. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp