I broke it! How can I fix it?

[C M Reinehr]

On Friday 28 September 2007 11:31, Rick Bowers wrote:
> At Friday 9/28/2007 10:26 AM, you wrote:
> >On 9/27/07, Rick Bowers <rwbowers at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > I just bought a new computer and have already broken it.
> > >
> > > The computer is an Acer Aspire and had Windows Vista installed.
> > > When it shipped, it had 3 partitions: a hidden system restore
> > > partition (sda1), C: (sda2) (1/2 the remaining space, with Windows
> > > Vista), D: (sda3)(1/2 the remaining space, USER).
> > >
> > > I booted a live linux disk and re-sized and re-partitioned the D:
> > > partition to two partitions; 64GB (D:) and 80GB (empty).
> > > At this point, the computer still functioned normally.
> > >
> > > Then I made the empty partition an extended partition (sda4) and
> > > created sda5 (76GB, "/") and sda6 (4GB, "swap")
> > >
> > > Next, I loaded an OpenSuSE CD and installed it to sda5.  When the
> > > install process asked me where to install the boot loader, I told it
> > > /dev/sda5.
> > > Why?? Because my choices were MBR, root disk , or boot disk (sda5). I
> > > did not want to put GRUB on the MBR because I wasn't sure what that
> > > entailed. I did not want to destroy the hidden recovery partition, so
> > > I chose my boot disk, sda5.
> > >
> > > Well, not the computer will not boot at all. A reboot simply displays
> > > "Verifying DMI Pool Data ..........." then hangs. Forever.
> > >
> > > I'm technical, but don't (obviously) understand the boot process. I
> > > can boot a live CD and, hopefully, recover. But I need help.
> > >
> > > Should I replace the MBR? Is it safe to put GRUB in the MBR? Will
> > > that still let me boot to the recovery partition?
> > > What are the steps to recover from my stupidity? I don't understand
> > > GRUB at all so will need somewhat detailed procedures.
> >
> >I don't see how making partition changes would prevent the system from
> >posting properly.  If you remove all the disks, does it still hang in
> >the same fashion?  Can you boot off of a CD?
> >
> >Have you tried resetting the CMOS (either by pulling the battery for
> >30 seconds, or some other mechanism)?
>
> Well, apparently I'm pretty brain-dead. I can boot from CD, so I
> loaded a recovery disk and looked at the partition table. During the
> GRUB setup dialog, in addition to asking where I wanted GRUB
> installed, it asked if I wanted to set the boot partition (flag). So
> I set it to sda4. I've set it back to sda2 and can now boot properly
> to Windows Vista. Now I need to figure out how to properly install
> GRUB so I can multi-boot.
>
> So...
>
> Where should I install GRUB? MBR? Will that affect my sda1 partition
> where the recovery stuff is that Acer put there?
> I've setup linux before, but never as a multi-boot setup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> ~Rick

Rick,

Read the instructions about chainloading an o/s & install grub to the MBR. 
BUT, make a copy of the MBR with dd and you will be able to restore it if you 
don't like the results.

cmr
-- 
Debian 'Etch' - Registered Linux User #241964
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