[NTLUG:Discuss] Clobbered XP disk in dual boot Linux

[Thomas Cameron]

On Sat, 2007-03-10 at 10:11 -0600, John K. Taber wrote:
> Somehow I clobbered my Windows XP disk in my dual boot system. I may
> have to reformat the disk.

Probably not.  You should be able to restore the master boot record.  A
quick Google search finds:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=restore+master+boot+record+windows
+xp&btnG=Google+Search

> If so, how do I preserve my Fedora Core 3 installation? I'm worried
> about the MBR on the XP disk which contains Grub instead of Windows
> loader. 

Once you've gotten XP happy again, you can boot off the Linux install CD
and type:

linux rescue

at boot time, then follow the directions at any one of these sites to
repair GRUB:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=repair+grub+FC3&btnG=Search

> If I just reformat, how do I get Grub reinstalled without reinstalling
> all of FC3, and thus wiping out my current stuff?

No need to do so, probably.

> Related but not the same, it was suggested to me to mount hda as type
> ntfs and grab files I needed. However, my kernel doesn't support ntfs,
> and I'm not confident enough to update my kernel.

http://www.fedorafaq.org/fc3/#ntfs

> My XP system is SE 2, running on a Dell 4700. When I start Windows, I
> get the blue death screen and the message UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME.	

Why don't you just lose the XP install?  You can install VMWare Server
for no cost and do whatever XP work you need to in a VM.

http://register.vmware.com/content/download.html

Thomas