Hard disk problem

[Lando]

I've two H.D.

The first one with a Wndows partition is OK.

The second one with with a Windows partition (for data only) and 3 linux partitions.

Lilo show at boot 4 partitions .

Now the second H.D. is out for all of the linux.

Still at boot I can choose in the lilo menu to run Windows !

Partition table is on the first H.D....then I shouldn't loose Windows also reformatting

the second H.D ,..isn'it ?

Or have I to execute "fdisk /mbr" ...though I've read that it couldn't work if there are

more then 4 partition involved.......

Many thanks

[Gowator]

lando:

its not very clear exactly what you want and noone will want to guess because noone wants to mess up your partitions...

 

Try and reword this a little to make it clearer sop we can help better :D

[ianw1974]

fdisk /mbr would work to remove lilo from the mbr. If you use Windows XP, fdisk doesn't exist, and you have to boot from the Windows XP CD to fix it with the option on there.

 

If you don't want to use Linux anymore, then you will need to do this to restore the Windows mbr. But it's not clear if you want to format all of the second hard disk or some of it? And if some of it, which partitions do you want to delete?

[Lando]

lando:

its not very clear exactly what you want and noone will want to guess because noone wants to mess up your partitions...

 

Try and reword this a little to make it clearer sop we can help better :D

 

I've English lenguage problems.....

The question is .....if I loose all of the linux partitions (3) that are in the lilo boot menu

with Windows (1) partition ,,,,,

Windows will continue to boot using lilo menu ? or have I to do the cammand "fdisk /mbr"

to delete lilo ....that could not work having 4 partition installed ?

 

PS- ...your English is better then mine ?

[ianw1974]

Lilo doesn't reference the config file for booting Windows, so you should be fine. However, if you don't have Linux anymore, I would reset the mbr to Windows only and remove lilo to make it much cleaner.

[Gowator]

PS- ...your English is better then mine ?

Its my mother tongue :D

but anyway like ianw1974 says.

 

If you delete the partitions then it won't affect lilo which is on the MBR

so if you delete them you still have lilo which will just work for windows...

 

if you don't plan on putting linux back on then the fdisk /mbr overwrites the MBR with the windows bootloader

[scoonma]

Hi Lando,

 

seems to be there's a misunderstanding about the purpose of lilo:

 

Lilo does *not* show partitions. The boot entries are not identical to partition names. When installing lilo, it checks wether you have windows formatted partitions. If it finds one or more, it creates a boot entry for windows, too. By this you can use linux but do not loose windows.

 

If you reformatted your second HD completely, you will loose *all* data stored here! With your config, that would be all of linux and your windows data. Are you really sure you want to do this? Keep in mind that windows registry and probably desktop links point to data on your second HD, so you're likely ruining your desktop, though the main system may stay somewhat usable.

 

If you only want to get rid of linux, fdisk /mbr is a method to kick away lilo out of the master boot record, when installed here. Afterwards you could boot into win and reformat the linux partitions.

 

After all, it would be easier if you help if we knew what you want to achieve. What is your aim? Your goal?

Don't worry about your English, I'm sure it's good enough to understand. :-)

 

Cheers,

 

scoonma

[Lando]

Thanks to everybody.

What I want ?

I''ll have to change the second H.D....and my Windows will have to work during the time I'm waiting its change.(some days).

then windows should boot with lilo installed in MBR.........so that I can select it at boot. (if I get fine lilo can stay installed iin

MBR and works also with windows alone...) With new H.D. I'll reinstall Mandriva.....

OK ?

Thanks

[Gowator]

Ok that really helps....

 

You should be OK to just take out the disk and unless you select the options on the 2nd disk lilo should be fine.

If this is the default now then its probably easier to change the default to windows before ....

 

I would make sure you have a liveCD with internet access as a backup.. knoppix or kanotix or mandriva live etc.

 

Hope that helps