Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

ucal · 2010-04-21 16:24:02

So about 2 months ago, I reinstalled windows on what was my ubuntu partition. I didn't go through and update grub, instead settling on just changing the boot partition to the windows partition in the BIOS. Now though I want to go back to Arch, but changing the boot partition to what was the Arch partition doesn't get it to boot into Arch, instead it just goes down the list, and boots back into windows. Any ideas?

perbh · 2010-04-21 17:42:42

That is preciously little to go on! How about giving us your partition layout and menu.lst?
At a rough guess, I would say that windows has reinstalled its own MBR (it is rather fond of doing that!), but seeing you do not give us any hints as how you had it before - it's difficult to venture any sane guess ...

ucal · 2010-04-21 17:50:05

Well, I would be perfectly willing to give you the info you need, but I don't know how to do it in windows. >_< So help me help you to help me .

EDIT: Before I installed windows, I had Arch and Ubuntu installed. After installing Arch completley, ubuntu stopped working, so Arch became my primary, and I installed Windows on the Ubuntu partition. I haven't used Arch in a while, so my memory is a bit cloudy.

Last edited by ucal (2010-04-21 17:54:01)

hokasch · 2010-04-21 17:53:50

Check this thread:
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=52523

perbh · 2010-04-22 02:55:18

*sigh* it's real simple - and the answer is _any_ live linux cd.
Run a fdisk -l on your disk(s), mount whichever partition contains your grub and list the content of menu.lst - or s-e-a-r-c-h (google, forums, whatever)

ucal · 2010-04-22 22:58:48

Thanks, that worked, and now i have a note card with the instructions to solve this if it happens again. My last question is is there anyway to prevent Windows from installing it's own mbr?

Netsu · 2010-04-22 23:04:37

I don't think so, that's why it is recommended to install Windows first and then Linux if you want to dual boot.

sand_man · 2010-04-23 01:06:03

Either way it doesn't matter. Windows always installs its bootloader onto the MBR.
Just use a live cd to reinstall GRUB on the MBR to overwrite the Windows one.

Alternatively, look into a Windows program called EasyBCD. It lets you edit the Windows bootloader so that it can pass control over to the next bootable partition. So it will in effect show the Windows bootloader and then show Grub. Kinda pointless but I recently had to use this to get OpenSolaris up and running while dual booting with Windows 7.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-04-21 16:24:02

Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#2 2010-04-21 17:42:42

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#3 2010-04-21 17:50:05

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#4 2010-04-21 17:53:50

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#5 2010-04-22 02:55:18

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#6 2010-04-22 22:58:48

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#7 2010-04-22 23:04:37

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

#8 2010-04-23 01:06:03

Re: Don't use it and lose it? (Arch install not booting)

Board footer