Thread: I need fdisk

  1. #1
    Tha 1 Sick RAT
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    I need fdisk

    I just used the XP disk management tool to format the partitions on my parents computer, and without thinking I took everything but the windows primary partion off. problem is some one head installed an old version of redhat and thus made Grub the primary bootloader. hence when I now boot up the computer I don't get into XP. Instead Grubs just halts at command prompt. Now I know this is a case of repairing the boot sector, but my parents don't know where their XP cd is and if I can just get hold of fdisk I can execute the /mbr command to, hopefully, fix thing.
    I've spent 2 hours searching on the web now to no avail. does anyone know a site that where I can download this under rated tool? or maye some grub command that'll allow me to boot into XP for the time being?
    Thanks
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  2. #2
    Malum in se abachler's Avatar
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    fdisk is part of the linux distro, it should be on the redhat partition. If that doesnt work you could always burn a liveCD of ReactOS, and just reformat from it.

  3. #3
    l'Anziano DavidP's Avatar
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    ANY bootdisk on the internet will have fdisk on it. There are DOS bootdisks all over the internet, and they all have fdisk.

    http://www.bootdisk.com/
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  4. #4
    System Novice siavoshkc's Avatar
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    Is there a way to tell GRUB to load XP?
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  5. #5
    Malum in se abachler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DavidP View Post
    ANY bootdisk on the internet will have fdisk on it. There are DOS bootdisks all over the internet, and they all have fdisk.

    http://www.bootdisk.com/
    Yes, but you need the latest version or it wont be able to handle disks larger than 32GB

  6. #6
    Woof, woof! zacs7's Avatar
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    GParted FTW.

  7. #7
    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by siavoshkc View Post
    Is there a way to tell GRUB to load XP?
    Yes. It's what I do. You need to edit the grub config file and add an entry for XP with content like this:

    Code:
    title=Windows XP
    map (hd0) (hd1)
    map (hd1) (hd0)
    rootnoverify (hd1,0)
    makeactive
    chainloader +1
    The map commands may need adapting. Basically, this is setting the system so that XP is tricked into thinking it's running of the primary hard disk, even when it's not. If XP actually in on the primary disk, no mapping is necessary. If it's somewhere else, you need to change (hd1) to match.
    The rootnoverify command tells grup where to look for stuff, but without doing any checks. (Those are for Unixy systems.) Again, if XP is not on the first partition of the second disk, you need to change (hd1,0) accordingly.
    I have no idea what the makeactive command does, but it's necessary.
    The chainloader command means that grub should forward control to a different bootloader, namely the one on the active or root partition (not sure). This starts the XP bootloader.

    Of course, if grub trashed your XP bootloader, that won't work.
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