(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Does anyone have this as a pet file for download? I couldn't find it on any of the puppy searches, so thought I'd ask...

The program is useful when using Linux to restore a backup of a reference
Microsoft Windows installation.

No... but I can try making it for you... give me a bit...

Go here and get the "fixmbr" download.

Man I love this forum! Once again, I asked 'cause I knew a simple logical solution would most likely be available.

Evil20071: appreciated! But it looks like the other will be just fine; just was looking for something puppy related that was simple and would fix the mbr.

rcrsn51: thanks! That's exactly what I'll do; looks like just the thing for a quick, simple, easy linux fix of a Windows issue.

A fixed MBR is what?

I suppose it means patch up the MBR to make it Microsoft compatible.

Then call it 'fixmbr' or something like that.

There is a fix for a Linux user if there ever was one.

1. "A fixed MBR is what?"
I'm no expert, but...
A fixed MBR is one that is capable of doing the job of playing its part in the loading the Windows operating system.
BEWARE!
(a) The fixmbr command run in the Windows Recovery Console is [so I hear] NOT the same as the fdisk /mbr command.

(b) See this webpage by Paul Komski, particularly where it says:
"One of the reasons for using fixmbr from the RecoveryConsole instead of the MSDOS fdisk /mbr equivalent is that the former doesn't and the latter does create a new disk signature. Use fdisk /mbr with caution on these systems since it can cause the system to fail to boot if the remapped drive letters cant find what it requires to start up. It can also be used to force the OS to reassign all the drive letters to their default assignments (as can deleting the whole MountedDevices key). These measures can correct but can also create certain problems and should only be done if you really understand what is going on and the possible consequences including the need to re-assign drive letters appropriately. A back-up of the MBR can be invaluable if the system fails to reboot after fdisk /mbr.

2. The NT-based OSes (Microsoft's New Technology Operating Systems) started with Windows NT and also include Windows 2000 (which despite its name is not Milennium), XP, 2003 Server, PE and Vista. These systems can use both FAT and NTFS formatted partitions and, even if installed on FAT, can properly "see" other NTFS partitions. Once Drive Letters have been assigned to partitions they remain (with some exceptions when there are later conflicts) assigned as long as the partition's size and its partition table reference and its hard drive signature remain unchanged. Under Windows Vista changing the disk signature (say by running fdisk /mbr) can not only cause the Drive Letters to be re-assigned but also to prevent booting along with a winloader.exe warning message."

I use install-mbr
http://www.wlug.org.nz/install-mbr(8)
seems to work well

mike

lol the average windows user is going to use their own windows CD to fix the MBR, because they will not have copies of anything else lying around. Plus, they would have to go to the local public library to get Ubuntu, something which many people have never done in their lives.

The average Windows user doesn't even know there is something else...

Ms-sys is now a standard component of Puppy.

rcrsn51 wrote:Ms-sys is now a standard component of Puppy.

Yeah! I was pleased to see this, used that about a week ago...sure makes life easier when you are trying to do something like this...

B-Diddy wrote:lol the average windows user is going to use their own windows CD to fix the MBR, because they will not have copies of anything else lying around. Plus, they would have to go to the local public library to get Ubuntu, something which many people have never done in their lives.

But some will not be able to do that as they bought their PC with the Operating system pre-installed and have a restore partition that is supposed to bring the PC back to factory software specifications.
And that restore will wipe all data you may have on the hard drive.

The PC makers go cheap and do not give PC buyers a restore CD or an install CD of the windows version that was installed.

A web search should bring up some "windows recovery console" ISOs that one can download though.

Sylvander wrote: [url=http://paulski.com
{cut blah, blah}

You might find some of the best tech help is right here by unknown people.

Test it, go back and read the article, they are ultra common on the intenet. Experts telling us what won't work.

What works?

Something works. Try the guy out and ask him the obvious question, What works?

I can tell you and so can he. If he can't, then what does that tell you about using him as a source for anything at all.

~

I've had MBRs get screwed up is by a Windows installation. Knowing in advance what it is going to do to the MBR, I prepare for it.

Also, sometimes I've let Linux installations screw up the MBR. Knowing in advance I'm going to allow it or it might happen, I prepare for that also.

Also, if I don't trust the success of a GRUB installation I'm about to make, I'll prepare for that.

I suspect most topics I read about fixing MBRs are from people who want to put Windows back and do away with Linux. What they want is to get rid of the GRUB or some other bootloader.

~

8-bit wrote: The PC makers go cheap and do not give PC buyers a restore CD or an install CD of the windows version that was installed.

But virtually ALL of them instruct the user how to create their own restore CD/DVDs the first time they use the machine. And virtually ALL of them have support web sites. ANd virtually ALL of them document creating restore CD/DVDs.

Will the fixmbr restore the MBR so that the restore partition is intact and accessibe? If not, one needs to caution the user to create restore CD/DVDs before installing Linux, and perhaps caution them that using the fixmbr efforts may disable their ability to use the restore partition.

Thom

Why does puppy use such an outdated version of ms-sys? It uses version 2.1.2 which is not compatible with Vista or Windows 7. I have compiled the newest version 2.2.1 and it works great on Puppy after removing the built in one and installing the new one.

DPUP5520 wrote:Why does puppy use such an outdated version of ms-sys? It uses version 2.1.2 which is not compatible with Vista or Windows 7. I have compiled the newest version 2.2.1 and it works great on Puppy after removing the built in one and installing the new one.

Care to share?

DPUP, if you do share, please put it in the Additional Software section under Utilities and link to it from this thread. Thanks.

Yea no problem i'll do it today after I get out of work.

Wow.
There has been at times some talk about restoring the MBR.
A lot of solutions have been proposed always.

But if I understand well, ms-sys is right under own nose and does the job.
Surprising that puppy.