Written by vinlos the 29 Feb 08 at 10:46.

Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #1242 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

<i>Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #1242 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution.</i><br /> Thanks!

Written by Hetor the 31 Mar 09 at 12:57.

Create an option for installation disk that will install just Ubuntu's boot menu to make Ubuntu accessible after Windows installation.

Create an option for installation disk that will install just Ubuntu's boot menu to make Ubuntu accessible after Windows installation.

Written by stoffel the 31 Mar 09 at 21:39.

So, similar as the first solution, but with these differences:
* people do not understand "boot menu"
* it puts focus on the fact that the Windows installer is crap that can break the user's system, whilst at the same time pointing out Ubuntu has the tools to fix this crap

So, similar as the first solution, but with these differences: * people do not understand "boot menu" * it puts focus on the fact that the Windows installer is crap that can break the user's system, whilst at the same time pointing out Ubuntu has the tools to fix this crap

Written by cheesehead the 31 Mar 09 at 21:50.

LiveCD should check for an existing MBR or grub, and offer to reinstall grub only if the LiveCD finds an MBR or broken grub

LiveCD should check for an existing MBR or grub, and offer to reinstall grub only if the LiveCD finds an MBR or broken grub

Written by supermorph the 3 Apr 09 at 18:26.

as an option as WELL as placing grub into mbr , i would suggest Making a DUPLICATE of the mbr and place the mbr file in windows boot.ini and the vista bootmgr menu's (should windows be located in the install)

i had to re-do somebodys system, they was very dubious on linux (they had another distro and it didnt do wireless, so they over generalised and thought gnu/linux as a whole was not good) and i suggested to fix thier pc,
they left it with me, so i put thier media-centre xp first, all thier apps how they liked, installed a hidden user for me, and installed jaunty 9.04 at the end of the hdd, and made the users exactly like the xp, (both with firefox, and wine 4 ubuntu) i also took the liberty of extracting the installed mbr of ubuntu to a file "ubuntu.mbr" i called it, and placed it into thier xp partition (hidded,system applied) and added a menu "Ubuntu Linux" to thier boot.ini as the second option, i then proceeded to make a recovery image of this setup and put it to four dvd's with all of the dvd's bootable to a registered acronis 8 personal of myne, so if they restore it will ALWAYS work, and if they need whats on there they can remove the mbr and STILL use ubuntu (or put it back if they ask how to do it)

mabye this could be done, and add an option to restore this mbr file to the hdd in recovery mode on the live/alt disks?

sorry for the long post, but i think it will actually help because of the way i done things, theres no way ubuntu cannot be run in that configuration.

as an option as WELL as placing grub into mbr , i would suggest Making a DUPLICATE of the mbr and place the mbr file in windows boot.ini and the vista bootmgr menu's (should windows be located in the install) i had to re-do somebodys system, they was very dubious on linux (they had another distro and it didnt do wireless, so they over generalised and thought gnu/linux as a whole was not good) and i suggested to fix thier pc, they left it with me, so i put thier media-centre xp first, all thier apps how they liked, installed a hidden user for me, and installed jaunty 9.04 at the end of the hdd, and made the users exactly like the xp, (both with firefox, and wine 4 ubuntu) i also took the liberty of extracting the installed mbr of ubuntu to a file "ubuntu.mbr" i called it, and placed it into thier xp partition (hidded,system applied) and added a menu "Ubuntu Linux" to thier boot.ini as the second option, i then proceeded to make a recovery image of this setup and put it to four dvd's with all of the dvd's bootable to a registered acronis 8 personal of myne, so if they restore it will ALWAYS work, and if they need whats on there they can remove the mbr and STILL use ubuntu (or put it back if they ask how to do it) mabye this could be done, and add an option to restore this mbr file to the hdd in recovery mode on the live/alt disks? sorry for the long post, but i think it will actually help because of the way i done things, theres no way ubuntu cannot be run in that configuration. kind regards supermorph

Written by jamesisin the 7 Apr 09 at 06:38.

Create an ISO available to Ubuntu users (linked probably in the Help menu &c) which has been set up specifically for repairing version x.y of Ubuntu.

(Part of my "Keep the installer trim" philosophy.)

Create an ISO available to Ubuntu users (linked probably in the Help menu &c) which has been set up specifically for repairing version x.y of Ubuntu. (Part of my "Keep the installer trim" philosophy.)

Written by codeslicer the 27 Feb 09 at 20:33.

One of the options for a bootable partition in GParted would be to Reinstall Boot Manager, after which an option to install either GRUB or LILO on to the hard partition.

One of the options for a bootable partition in GParted would be to Reinstall Boot Manager, after which an option to install either GRUB or LILO on to the hard partition.

Written by TheLions the 1 Mar 09 at 20:41.

instead making repairing tool why not include a easy-to-understeand-do-it-yourself guide how to repair GRUB?

instead making repairing tool why not include a easy-to-understeand-do-it-yourself guide how to repair GRUB?

Written by josinalvo the 7 Mar 09 at 04:08.

There is a windows app called super grub disk that is able to solve the problem (The odd name comes from a live cd that does the same job)

I propose this app should be on the livecd, on that part that is acessible from windows (a.k.a. outside squashfs)

There is a windows app called super grub disk that is able to solve the problem (The odd name comes from a live cd that does the same job) I propose this app should be on the livecd, on that part that is acessible from windows (a.k.a. outside squashfs)

Written by pengo the 9 Mar 09 at 02:25.

This will probably get voted down for mentioning MICROSOFT, but as this problem is generally a problem with Windows rudely taking over from Grub, why not make a Windows application that installs or restores GRUB?

This will probably get voted down for mentioning MICROSOFT, but as this problem is generally a problem with Windows rudely taking over from Grub, why not make a Windows application that installs or restores GRUB?

Written by jekristiansen the 10 Jan 10 at 01:45.

It would be nice if there was an option to re-install boot loaders for both Ubuntu and Windows. Remove Ubuntu + Grub, and the Windows boot is missing.
Install Windows, and there's no Grub
I installed windows again because of that...

It would be nice if there was an option to re-install boot loaders for both Ubuntu and Windows. Remove Ubuntu + Grub, and the Windows boot is missing. Install Windows, and there's no Grub I installed windows again because of that...

Written by LordHawke13 the 8 Feb 10 at 04:34.

I suggest an application that will run the contents of a boot disk either to an internal guest display (as in a Virtual Machine) or to an attached external display (like a second monitor) to install an operating system for dual booting. Since it can be done from inside the host OS, it can suppress the secondary OS' process of overwriting the MBR, preserving the primary bootloader, and optionally writing entries to the bootloader's boot menu for chainloading the secondary OS. Such an app would eliminate the need of a bootable LiveCD as the bootloader will be intact and in no need of restoration.

I suggest an application that will run the contents of a boot disk either to an internal guest display (as in a Virtual Machine) or to an attached external display (like a second monitor) to install an operating system for dual booting. Since it can be done from inside the host OS, it can suppress the secondary OS' process of overwriting the MBR, preserving the primary bootloader, and optionally writing entries to the bootloader's boot menu for chainloading the secondary OS. Such an app would eliminate the need of a bootable LiveCD as the bootloader will be intact and in no need of restoration.