Is it safe to do a repair install?

**TheMatt** · 05-02-2007, 06:41 PM

Hi guys.

I was wondering if anyone knew if doing a repair install of Windows XP will overwrite the MBR in the same way as doing a fresh install. I am planning on doing a repair install of my XP system, and I want to make sure I won't loose my GRUB menu, because I certainly won't risk my precious Kubuntu over an XP repair install.

Thanks.

**Bartender** · 05-02-2007, 07:41 PM

Matt, if you reinstall XP it'll definitely overwrite GRUB. But repairing GRUB is pretty simple. Thousands of posts on how to do it over at Ubuntu Forums. Just type "repair GRUB" into search box.
I haven't had to do it so can't help much beyond that but it doesn't look very difficult.

**TheMatt** · 05-02-2007, 09:21 PM

Thanks.

Do you know if doing a repair install (as opposed to a full reinstall) will overwrite it though?

poscaman · 05-02-2007, 09:59 PM

it depends on where grub is installed.i guess firstly u installed Xp and then linux.so,you had to choose grub to be installed in linux partition.although if anything goes wrong it's very simple to restore grub

**Bartender** · 05-03-2007, 01:03 AM

Oh, I see what you're getting at. GRUB tweaks the Windows master boot record (MBR). And the Windows repair routine may not touch the MBR.
I wish I could say for sure one way or the other but really don't know the answer.

**Bartender** · 05-03-2007, 05:38 AM

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

"fixmbr" is the specific command to ask Windows Recovery Console to repair the MBR. Does that mean that a Repair of the C: Drive does not include the MBR? I dunno but it kinda sounds like it to me...

**K-B** · 05-03-2007, 06:10 AM

I did it once...but for the life of me, I can't remember whether it changed the MBR or not! I'm pretty sure that it did.

**TheMatt** · 05-03-2007, 12:27 PM

The GRUB menu is in the default location (/boot/grub/menu.lst) on the Linux partition.

Does anyone know a standard procedure for repairing GRUB? I did a google search, but I found a bunch of different methods and wasn't sure if they applied to specific distros.

poscaman · 05-03-2007, 12:34 PM

distro?

~~PureEvilDan~~ · 05-03-2007, 12:38 PM

To repair grub, reinstall it to /boot.

then:

Code:

grub-install --nofloppy /dev/hda

-or-
grub --nofloppy 

grub>    root (hd0,0) (Where /boot lives)
grub>    setup (hd0) (install's grub in to the MBR)
grub>    quit

That will reboot grub, if you have a floppy remove the --nofloppy option.

**Kalim** · 05-03-2007, 08:52 PM

If its in the default location, I don't "think" it overwrites the GRUB menu at all.. I've done it once, but for the life of me I don't recall.

I've heard GRUB stage1 (boot-loader) remains but the stage2 (chain-loader) is overwritten.

05-02-2007, 06:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Is it safe to do a repair install? Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone knew if doing a repair install of Windows XP will overwrite the MBR in the same way as doing a fresh install. I am planning on doing a repair install of my XP system, and I want to make sure I won't loose my GRUB menu, because I certainly won't risk my precious Kubuntu over an XP repair install. Thanks. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

05-02-2007, 07:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? Matt, if you reinstall XP it'll definitely overwrite GRUB. But repairing GRUB is pretty simple. Thousands of posts on how to do it over at Ubuntu Forums. Just type "repair GRUB" into search box. I haven't had to do it so can't help much beyond that but it doesn't look very difficult.

05-02-2007, 09:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? Thanks. Do you know if doing a repair install (as opposed to a full reinstall) will overwrite it though? __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

05-02-2007, 09:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
poscaman Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Patras/Greece Posts: 50 OS: Debian	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? it depends on where grub is installed.i guess firstly u installed Xp and then linux.so,you had to choose grub to be installed in linux partition.although if anything goes wrong it's very simple to restore grub __________________ fixing computers....the greek way!!!

05-03-2007, 01:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? Oh, I see what you're getting at. GRUB tweaks the Windows master boot record (MBR). And the Windows repair routine may not touch the MBR. I wish I could say for sure one way or the other but really don't know the answer.

05-03-2007, 05:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058 "fixmbr" is the specific command to ask Windows Recovery Console to repair the MBR. Does that mean that a Repair of the C: Drive does not include the MBR? I dunno but it kinda sounds like it to me...

05-03-2007, 06:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
K-B Moderator, Linux Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NY Posts: 2,878 OS: Vista, Ubuntu My System	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? I did it once...but for the life of me, I can't remember whether it changed the MBR or not! I'm pretty sure that it did. __________________

05-03-2007, 12:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? The GRUB menu is in the default location (/boot/grub/menu.lst) on the Linux partition. Does anyone know a standard procedure for repairing GRUB? I did a google search, but I found a bunch of different methods and wasn't sure if they applied to specific distros. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

05-03-2007, 12:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
poscaman Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Patras/Greece Posts: 50 OS: Debian	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? distro? __________________ fixing computers....the greek way!!!

05-03-2007, 12:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
~~PureEvilDan~~ Register user Join Date: May 2005 Location: England Posts: 229 OS: Gentoo AMD XP 2400+ 1GB Ram / WinXp Intel 805D 2GB Ram My System	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? To repair grub, reinstall it to /boot. then: Code: grub-install --nofloppy /dev/hda -or- grub --nofloppy grub> root (hd0,0) (Where /boot lives) grub> setup (hd0) (install's grub in to the MBR) grub> quit That will reboot grub, if you have a floppy remove the --nofloppy option.

05-03-2007, 08:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
Kalim Roaming To Help Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5,642 OS: Many	Re: Is it safe to do a repair install? If its in the default location, I don't "think" it overwrites the GRUB menu at all.. I've done it once, but for the life of me I don't recall. I've heard GRUB stage1 (boot-loader) remains but the stage2 (chain-loader) is overwritten.