[Wolves] Hello - first post from me !

[Tim Childe]

OK this is EXACTLY (hopefully) what I did.......

I edited the /boot/grub/menu.lst file (without making a backup first - D'Oh !)
I changed the default boot number (to 3) and changed the text name
from Microsoft Windows to Win98
I also (and now wish i hadn't) removed the extra identical entry below
it - I had 2 identical entries for Windows, both of which worked.


I issued the command grub-install /dev/hde

I rebooted, and had indeed got the number wrong, now realising that i
have to count the comment line Other OS below here, or whatever it is
- now default = 4

Issued the grub-install command again (not being sure if this was
writing the changes I made or not - ie was it 'compiling' the MBR from
the menu file, or just reading it as it started) seemed like a good
idea.

NB both times the grub install had some error, but also a comment
saying ignore this error !!

I rebooted, and this time with the correct option selected.
So I let it boot into windows, but it kept returning to the option screen

I read what flashed past (by repeatedly hitting enter) and it was
setting the boot bit ok (first line) and no other error - it just went
back to the options instead of booting.

I rechecked everything, and one site had something like rootnoverify
or something, so I added the noverify - no difference.

I had a good play with the E for edit on the lines before booting - no joy.

Realising it was now after midnight (by a long way) I decided to stuff
linux and get windows back - so I booted off a Win98 boot floppy, and
fdisk /mbr 'd it.

Now on reboot it went to the disk and just went

GRUB

I rebooted from floppy and tried to access my c drive and got the not
formatted error (general failure reading drive c) which is when I
checked with fdisk and saw it was type UNKNOWN

OK so i didn't do it all in text book order, and with 12+ years of IT
support behind me, I am really kicking mysellf !!!!  But hey, I was
only changing a default option !


Other stuff,

not sure why, something to do with my motherboard having 4 ide
channels and built in RAID ability, but the drives come up different
Disk 1 - windows/vfat C D and E are on hde1 hde2 hde3
Disk 2 - linux is hdg1, 2, 3 etc

These are right as I have mouned them succesfully (mount -t vfat /dev/hde1)

I'm about to boot Ubunto Live, and / or an old Knoppix (depends which
CDs I can find) and I'll let you know what I find - but I have friends
comming round, so it will be much later.
I'm posting now to get in the full details so far........

Thanks for all the help, and you've convinced me that some forums can
actually be pleasant places (other than my own, of course, which I
already new about !!)

Tim.C


ps all above from memory as, of course, I can't get back in to
recreate the errors !!

-- 
Tim.C