Multi-Boot menu gone!

[PaulFXH]

Hi
I use a Dell 4550 desktop with a multi-boot system (WinXP and several
Linux distros).
As expected, when I boot up, a boot option menu appears allowing me to
choose which OS I want to use.

However, yesterday, things changed. After, temporarily changing the
boot sequence in BIOS such that the floppy drive was the first to be
checked for bootable media, the boot option menu on start-up
disappeared.
Instead, I get a non-GUI screen showing the following:

F1 ??
F2 ??
Default: F2

This times out after about 10 seconds and WinXP launches, thereby
by-passing my boot option menu. If I press F1, I'm brought to the Dell
Diagnostics routine.
I did actually run the diagnostics (advanced) and no hardware problems
were indicated.

Can anybody suggest to me what may have gone wrong and how to get back
to where I was?

Thanks
Paul

Dell 4550 Desktop
CPU P4, 2.53 GHz
1.0 GB RAM

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi
I use a Dell 4550 desktop with a multi-boot system (WinXP and several
Linux distros).
As expected, when I boot up, a boot option menu appears allowing me to
choose which OS I want to use.

However, yesterday, things changed. After, temporarily changing the
boot sequence in BIOS such that the floppy drive was the first to be
checked for bootable media, the boot option menu on start-up
disappeared.
Instead, I get a non-GUI screen showing the following:

F1 ??
F2 ??
Default: F2

This times out after about 10 seconds and WinXP launches, thereby
by-passing my boot option menu. If I press F1, I'm brought to the Dell
Diagnostics routine.
I did actually run the diagnostics (advanced) and no hardware problems
were indicated.

Can anybody suggest to me what may have gone wrong and how to get back
to where I was?

Thanks
Paul

Dell 4550 Desktop
CPU P4, 2.53 GHz
1.0 GB RAM

You did not say what boot loader you use. If it is the Windows
boot loader then the menu is contained in the hidden file c:\boot.ini.

 

[PaulFXH]

You did not say what boot loader you use. If it is the Windows
boot loader then the menu is contained in the hidden file c:\boot.ini.

Yes, sorry, I use the Linux Grub bootloader which is loaded into the
mbr.

I should also mention that I have a bootcd for booting the same OSs
(and one or two more that are stored on a "non-bootable" external HD).
However, despite being now unable to boot to Linux from the HD, the
bootcd works fine.

Paul

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Yes, sorry, I use the Linux Grub bootloader which is loaded into the
mbr.

I should also mention that I have a bootcd for booting the same OSs
(and one or two more that are stored on a "non-bootable" external HD).
However, despite being now unable to boot to Linux from the HD, the
bootcd works fine.

Paul

Since you use Grub you should post your question in a Linux
newsgroup.

 

[S.Sengupta]

Reinstall OS to get it back.


regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

 

[Malke]

Yes, sorry, I use the Linux Grub bootloader which is loaded into the
mbr.

I should also mention that I have a bootcd for booting the same OSs
(and one or two more that are stored on a "non-bootable" external HD).
However, despite being now unable to boot to Linux from the HD, the
bootcd works fine.

Paul

You don't need to reinstall Linux; just repair Grub.

Malke

 

[Sandgroper]

Yes, sorry, I use the Linux Grub bootloader which is loaded into the
mbr.

I should also mention that I have a bootcd for booting the same OSs
(and one or two more that are stored on a "non-bootable" external HD).
However, despite being now unable to boot to Linux from the HD, the
bootcd works fine.

When you boot up , press [Escape] to display the Grub menu.

If that doesn't work , then boot into linux in rescue mode and then run the
Grub bootloader again
grub-install < hdd name> ( eg hda , hdb , hdc ..... )



--

 

[Richard Urban]

So, you really have a problem caused by Linux. Why post here?

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[PaulFXH]

So, you really have a problem caused by Linux. Why post here?

Actually, I have already posted on this topic to TWO Linux groups and
one of the Dell forums.
In times of desperation common sense goes out the window (or in this
case, IN the Windows forum).

 

[S.Sengupta]

You may use Knoppix to restore grub to the Master Boot Record.

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

Reinstall OS to get it back.


regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

Hi
I use a Dell 4550 desktop with a multi-boot system (WinXP and several
Linux distros).
As expected, when I boot up, a boot option menu appears allowing me to
choose which OS I want to use.

However, yesterday, things changed. After, temporarily changing the
boot sequence in BIOS such that the floppy drive was the first to be
checked for bootable media, the boot option menu on start-up
disappeared.
Instead, I get a non-GUI screen showing the following:

F1 ??
F2 ??
Default: F2

This times out after about 10 seconds and WinXP launches, thereby
by-passing my boot option menu. If I press F1, I'm brought to the Dell
Diagnostics routine.
I did actually run the diagnostics (advanced) and no hardware problems
were indicated.

Can anybody suggest to me what may have gone wrong and how to get back
to where I was?

Thanks
Paul

Dell 4550 Desktop
CPU P4, 2.53 GHz
1.0 GB RAM

 

[PaulFXH]

You may use Knoppix to restore grub to the Master Boot Record.

Hi Sengupta
Thanks for your reply.
However, as I already mentioned, I can boot (even now after this
problem commenced) from my bootcd to any of four Linux distros without
the slightest problem.
I interpret this to mean that Grub is still alive and well in the mbr.

Indeed, I also used the recommendations of this link
(http://www.sorgonet.com/linux/grubrestore/) to "restore" Grub in the
mbr but no improvement resulted.

This is a most baffling problem.

Paul

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

Reinstall OS to get it back.


regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

 

[PaulFXH]

Just to say thanks to everybody for replying and to let you know that
I've solved the problem.
How?
Simply by using the Ubuntu Install disk in rescue mode and reinstalling
Grub to the mbr (as was already advised by three posters).
The reason I was not in a rush to try this was that I could boot to ANY
of the four Linux distros I have on my computer from my bootcd even
when booting from the HD did not allow me to access anything but WinXP.
So, I (erroneously) deduced that Grub must have been in a functional
state in the mbr.

Well, I really can't say I can explain this but these are the facts.

Paul