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Ahh so the Windows user did it finally, even after my warnings to the contrary.

Say, "Did what?"

Well the story goes like this. After getting impressed by all gloss and glitter of Gnome and KDE Desktop GNU/ Linux and the beautiful looking windows, themes, 3D effects thanks to compiz, fancy gadgets & better than Apple Mac like looks via cairo-dock and the best thing localisation in Punjabi. And seeing what he (the nube) never though was possible on a PC/ Laptop with Windogs. Finally I was asked to install GNU/ Linux on his laptop. Got most of issues of an unsupported H/W worked out and finally GNU/Linux with X started (but no 3D, no compiz).
Da nube used GNU/ Linux for sometime and then again Windogs EXp and sometimes occasional visits to GNU/ Linux. So far good.
But then one day when the nube was using Windogs EXp, the inevitable happened. While on an occasional visit to Control Panel/ Admin Tool/ Disk management Windogs EXp reported an empty partition of 102MB, the nube believed the lies of MS Gates, and recovered the partition, created a new Windogs EXp drive for storing even more MP3. No problem, basking in the success of recovering unused space. So far good.

Now a restart, usually expected in Windogs even on minor changes to system, just another happy restart,

Logging off..
Shutting down...
Restarting...


So far so good. Ok computer booting again...

The fancy laptop logo...
Checking H/W...
grub>


Da Noob: aah... Where is my Windogs or for that matter my GNU/Linux? My computer is not starting and showing me grub>

Hmm... you deleted you GNU/ Linux /boot partition and along with it "grub stage 2". Now grub does not know what to do and is putting up a prompt, waiting for your commands. You trashed grub.

Gaah... nothing is starting? Why wont the computer go beyond this grub>, I want my Windogs EXp

Since grub is sitting in Master Boot Record of your Hard Disk, it will start before anything else, and its stage 2 has been deleted while recovering that so called 102MB free space from within Control Panel/Admin Tools/ Disk Management. grub is clueless of what to do next. All its instructions in its configuration file in /boot/grub/grub.conf have been lost, thanks to you noob.

I want my Windogs EXp
Ok here is what you do, to start windogs. Type the following on grub> prompt:

grub> rootnoverify (hd0,0)
grub> chainloader +1
grub> boot

This should start windogs EXp. In case grub complains about hd0, press TAB key, and try using the auto complete options provided by grub. Something out of these should work

Ok, fine seems I can see windogs logo, and it is booting again. But hey as soon as I inserted my new pen drive/ printer/ web cam (substitute your favourite H/W here) it has ordered me to restart else it is threatening me with something like, "your hardware will not work". And being a polite and ever obeying user of windogs, on restart again I get grub>. I want my windogs, my confort zone, I dont like that all black grub>?

Are you sure, this might remove grub from MBR, and will not let you go back to GNU/ Linux for the time being, but you can anyway fix that later!

Yes, yes, I am sure, I want windogs EXp and not black grub>

Ok boot from your Windogs EXp original CD and follow the instuctions of MS Support or alternately start into windows as described above then download MBRFix and run it. Do some RTFM on its help file, and execute it as per instructions to remove grub from MBR. That should do it, you can easily restore GNU/ Linux anytime later. Good luck in your comfort zone, hope someday you will realise what you are trying to miss.

Alas "To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle".