grub was installed over my winxp mbr, help?

[aeroboy]

i installed karmic to a flash drive, and grub overwrote my winxp mbr...

on boot it has an error that grub can't load and then shows the grub rescue prompt...

i've tried fixboot and fixmbr and bootcfg /rebuild from the repair console with no luck.

grub loads if i leave the flash drive in, but it takes a long time.

the boot_info script provided this data:

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

 => Grub 1.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks for 
    (UUID=18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea)/boot/grub.
 => No known boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb
 => Syslinux is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc
sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:
mount: unknown filesystem type ''

sdb1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows XP
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   

sdc1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 9.10
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdc2: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdc5: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 10337 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x17251724

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sda1    *             63   156,280,319   156,280,257   7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 203.9 GB, 203928109056 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24792 cylinders, total 398297088 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x205221f3

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sdb1                  63   398,283,479   398,283,417   7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdc ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdc: 4007 MB, 4007657472 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 487 cylinders, total 7827456 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000d3085

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sdc1                  63     7,357,769     7,357,707  83 Linux
/dev/sdc2           7,357,770     7,823,654       465,885   5 Extended
/dev/sdc5           7,357,833     7,823,654       465,822  82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

sdb1: UUID="E8EC3086EC3050D4" LABEL="Local Disk" TYPE="ntfs" 
sdc1: UUID="18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea" TYPE="ext4" 
sdc5: UUID="e1dc0b22-13d1-41fb-bff2-2535e45ad0f4" TYPE="swap" 

=============================== "mount" output: ===============================

/dev/sdc1 on / type ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620)
none on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
none on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
none on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /lib/init/rw type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/aeroboy/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=aeroboy)
/dev/sdb1 on /media/Local Disk type fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,default_permissions,blksize=4096)


=========================== sdc1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
  have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd2,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-16-generic-pae" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
    set quiet=1
    insmod ext2
    set root=(hd2,1)
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic-pae root=UUID=18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea ro   quiet splash
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic-pae
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-16-generic-pae (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
    insmod ext2
    set root=(hd2,1)
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic-pae root=UUID=18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea ro single 
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic-pae
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
    linux16    /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
    linux16    /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

=============================== sdc1/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
# / was on /dev/sdd1 during installation
UUID=18f3e5ee-7ef2-4158-8b84-853630827dea /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sdd5 during installation
UUID=e1dc0b22-13d1-41fb-bff2-2535e45ad0f4 none            swap    sw              0       0
/dev/scd0       /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0       0

=================== sdc1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


    .0GB: boot/grub/core.img
    .0GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
    .0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic-pae
    .0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic-pae
    .0GB: initrd.img
    .0GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown MBR on /dev/sdb

00000000  90 e9 7d 01 fa 33 c0 8e  d0 8e c0 8e d8 bc 00 7c  |..}..3.........||
00000010  8b f4 fb bf 00 06 b9 00  01 f3 a5 bb 20 06 ff e3  |............ ...|
00000020  90 90 be 7d 07 81 3c aa  55 75 11 e8 58 00 73 0c  |...}..<.Uu..X.s.|
00000030  e8 65 00 72 07 e8 b1 00  72 3b eb 2c be 7d 07 c7  |.e.r....r;.,.}..|
00000040  04 00 00 ba 80 00 be be  07 b9 04 00 f6 04 80 75  |...............u|
00000050  07 83 c6 10 e2 f6 eb 1d  8a 74 01 8b 4c 02 bb 00  |.........t..L...|
00000060  7c b8 01 02 cd 13 72 0d  81 3e fe 7d 55 aa 75 05  ||.....r..>.}U.u.|
00000070  ea 00 7c 00 00 be 6a 07  ac 0a c0 74 fe bb 07 00  |..|...j....t....|
00000080  b4 0e cd 10 eb f2 bb 00  7e c6 07 13 c6 47 01 00  |........~....G..|
00000090  b2 80 b8 00 e0 cd 13 c3  bf 00 7e ba f0 01 b3 a0  |..........~.....|
000000a0  e8 84 00 72 0c b1 01 e8  48 00 72 05 e8 19 00 73  |...r....H.r....s|
000000b0  16 f6 c3 10 75 05 80 cb  10 eb e5 81 fa 70 01 74  |....u........p.t|
000000c0  05 ba 70 01 eb d8 f9 c3  81 bd fe 01 55 aa 75 17  |..p.........U.u.|
000000d0  8b 75 02 81 fe be 01 77  0e 03 f7 81 3c aa 55 75  |.u.....w....<.Uu|
000000e0  06 f6 44 02 01 75 01 f9  c3 bf 00 7c b1 0a e8 01  |..D..u.....|....|
000000f0  00 c3 52 57 83 c2 02 b0  01 ee 42 8a c1 ee 42 32  |..RW......B...B2|
00000100  c0 ee 42 ee 42 8a c3 ee  42 b0 20 ee e8 33 00 ec  |..B.B...B. ..3..|
00000110  24 fd 3c 58 75 0d 83 ea  07 b9 00 01 fa f3 6d fb  |$.<Xu.........m.|
00000120  f8 eb 01 f9 5f 5a c3 52  83 c2 07 ec a8 80 75 0f  |...._Z.R......u.|
00000130  4a 8a c3 ee 42 ec 24 d0  3c 50 75 03 f8 eb 01 f9  |J...B.$.<Pu.....|
00000140  5a c3 51 8b 0e 6c 04 83  c1 12 81 c2 ff 01 ec 8a  |Z.Q..l..........|
00000150  e0 80 e4 d8 80 fc 58 74  06 3b 0e 6c 04 75 ef 81  |......Xt.;.l.u..|
00000160  ea ff 01 b9 00 20 e2 fe  59 c3 0d 0a 45 72 72 6f  |..... ..Y...Erro|
00000170  72 20 4c 6f 61 64 69 6e  67 20 4f 53 00 aa 55 00  |r Loading OS..U.|
00000180  00 e9 80 fe 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
00000190  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
000001a0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
000001b0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  f3 21 52 20 00 00 00 01  |.........!R ....|
000001c0  01 00 07 fe ff ff 3f 00  00 00 99 52 bd 17 00 00  |......?....R....|
000001d0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
000001e0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
000001f0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa  |..............U.|
00000200

Unknown BootLoader  on sda1

00000000  fc 31 c0 8e d0 31 e4 8e  d8 8e c0 be 00 7c bf 00  |.1...1.......|..|
00000010  06 b9 00 01 f3 a5 be ee  07 b0 08 ea 20 06 00 00  |............ ...|
00000020  80 3e b6 07 ff 75 04 88  16 b6 07 80 3c 00 74 04  |.>...u......<.t.|
00000030  08 06 b2 07 83 ee 10 d0  e8 73 f0 cd 1a 89 16 00  |.........s......|
00000040  08 e8 33 01 81 3e b4 07  ff ff 74 46 f6 06 b3 07  |..3..>....tF....|
00000050  80 74 06 b4 01 cd 16 75  39 f6 06 b3 07 40 74 07  |.t.....u9....@t.|
00000060  f6 06 17 04 0f 75 2b 31  c0 cd 1a 2b 16 00 08 2b  |.....u+1...+...+|
00000070  16 b4 07 72 d7 a0 b3 07  24 07 3c 07 75 0b be be  |...r....$.<.u...|
00000080  07 b0 00 b9 04 00 80 3c  00 75 66 fe c0 83 c6 10  |.......<.uf.....|
00000090  e2 f4 e8 e2 00 b4 0e be  a0 07 8a 0e b2 07 ac d0  |................|
000000a0  e9 73 02 cd 10 08 c9 75  f5 b0 3a cd 10 31 c0 cd  |.s.....u..:..1..|
000000b0  16 3c 00 74 f8 3c 0d 74  bc 3c 61 72 06 3c 7a 77  |.<.t.<.t.<ar.<zw|
000000c0  02 2c 20 88 c3 be a0 07  8a 0e b2 07 ac d0 e9 73  |., ............s|
000000d0  04 38 c3 74 06 08 c9 75  f3 eb d2 b8 0d 0e 31 db  |.8.t...u......1.|
000000e0  cd 10 8d 84 5f 00 3c 07  75 07 b0 1f a2 b2 07 eb  |...._.<.u.......|
000000f0  a1 e8 83 00 31 d2 b9 01  00 3c 04 74 11 73 f0 30  |....1....<.t.s.0|
00000100  e4 b1 04 d2 e0 be be 07  01 c6 8a 16 b6 07 bf 05  |................|
00000110  00 56 f6 c2 80 74 2b b4  41 bb aa 55 52 cd 13 5a  |.V...t+.A..UR..Z|
00000120  5e 56 72 1e 81 fb 55 aa  75 18 f6 c1 01 74 13 8b  |^Vr...U.u....t..|
00000130  44 08 8b 5c 0a be 90 07  89 44 08 89 5c 0a b4 42  |D..\.....D..\..B|
00000140  eb 0c 8a 74 01 8b 4c 02  b8 01 02 bb 00 7c 50 c6  |...t..L......|P.|
00000150  06 92 07 01 cd 13 58 5e  73 05 4f 75 b4 eb 90 81  |......X^s.Ou....|
00000160  3e fe 7d 55 aa 75 f6 31  db b8 0d 0e cd 10 b0 0a  |>.}U.u.1........|
00000170  cd 10 ea 00 7c 00 00 50  b8 0d 0e 31 db cd 10 be  |....|..P...1....|
00000180  8c 07 b9 04 00 ac cd 10  e2 fb 58 c3 4d 42 52 20  |..........X.MBR |
00000190  10 00 01 00 00 7c 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |.....|..........|
000001a0  31 32 33 34 46 00 00 41  4e 44 54 6d 62 72 00 02  |1234F..ANDTmbr..|
000001b0  00 02 90 c7 12 00 80 00  00 00 00 00 a8 01 63 6f  |..............co|
000001c0  6d 70 72 65 73 73 65 64  00 0d 0a 50 72 65 73 73  |mpressed...Press|
000001d0  20 43 74 72 6c 2b 41 6c  74 2b 44 65 6c 20 74 6f  | Ctrl+Alt+Del to|
000001e0  20 72 65 73 74 61 72 74  0d 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00  | restart........|
000001f0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  83 a0 b3 c9 00 00 55 aa  |..............U.|
00000200

[john newbuntu]

Now the script indicates that you have Windows on your second disk(sdb) and the first disk is empty(sda). Did you run the fixboot on that second disk? The way it is right now, the script does not see the boot partitions. I am not sure what the windows mapping of the second disk is (D:\ or C:\) . Assuming it is D:\, you would do a "fixboot d:" using the rescue/recovery disk to write your boot sector there.

I am assuming that you want to boot windows if USB is not present or Linux if it is. The the one way to do this is to write your MBR and boot sector to the second disk and then change your BIOS device lookup order to look at CDROM, USB and second disk in that order.

Also mark your partition on the second drive as active (say, using diskpart in a recovery console or fdisk from dos).

[aeroboy]

that's the thing, i specified fixboot c:, and it confirmed it was installing the boot sector to c:... but when i ran fixmbr it said it was installing to \Device\Harddrive2 or something to that effect. i did cd .. to the root of c: so i don't know what i did wrong.

i did the
cd ..
fixboot c:
fixmbr
bootcfg /rebuild

and then from the rebuild menu i selected the only windows installation there, the first time at least, and now i have three options because i've done that three times(after running the "dd" command from the livecd to remove the bootsector from c: .

[Leppie]

can you still boot into ubuntu?
you installed grub to the mbr of sda, however it's configuration files are on the usb stick. so if you remove the usb stick, grub won't be able to load.

[aeroboy]

can boot into ubuntu, and using a winxp flashdrive i can boot into my windows install as well.

i would like to have grub installed on the flash drive so when the flash drive is in, it boots to ubuntu, and have my winxp machine back to it's old unhealthy self. is there any way to remove grub from the mbr of sda, or to specify the fixmbr command to actually fix that mbr?