I broke it! How can I fix it?

[C M Reinehr]

Rick,

On Thursday 27 September 2007 19:59, Rick Bowers 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.
>
> TIA!
>
> ~Rick

My guess is that this is more of a Window's problem than a Linux problem (So I 
guess it really should be marked OT ;-) and I know nothing about Vista, so 
this advice is worth less than what you're paying!

When you added the extended partition you rewrote the partition table and I 
suspect that it did so in a way that confounded the Vista boot loader. My 
previous experience with WinXP & Win98 taught me never to use Linux tools to 
manipulate Windows partition. (I was forced to buy a copy of Partition 
Magic.) Then, once the partitions were correct I would install Linux into a 
free partition.

Do you have a Vista install disk and does it have a repair function? I think 
this probably can be quickly resolved if you can figure out a way to get 
Vista to rewrite the MBR. Alternatively, since it won't boot anyway, you 
might try booting into Linux; rerun grub-install; & write the grub stage1 to 
the MBR & try chainloading Vista.

Cheers!

cmr
-- 
Debian 'Etch' - Registered Linux User #241964
--------
"More laws, less justice." -- Marcus Tullius Ciceroca, 42 BC