How can you fix the MBR in XP without a Windows XP recovery disk?

[icebergshorty]

I have Ubuntu and Grub loader installed on my computer. I am dual booting Ubuntu with XP, but I want to delete the Ubuntu OS. When I delete Ubuntu, I unfortunately have Grub loader still installed which causes an error and locks me out of my computer whenever I boot. I read that in order to delete Grub loader you have to fix the Master Boot Record in the Recovery Console, using the Windows XP recovery disk. I don't have a Windows XP recovery disk, so what do I do? :confused:

[BillLeeLee]

You don't have the Windows XP install disc? Borrow one.

If you really can't get your hands on the XP CD, download the Ultimate Boot CD, I believe there is a utility on there to restore the normal Windows bootloader to MBR.

[osalcido]

If this is an OEM machine, it has to have some kind of system recovery. if the recovery is in a partition on the hd, usually on the bios screen itll say something like "Press F11 to recover system" something like that

or you could go to the OEMs website and order a cd

i guess the important thing we need to know is how you got XP on there in the first place

[eeyrjmr]

or get someone here to dd the first 446bytes of the boot device
I did that for a workPC when XP decided for FUBAR teh dual-boot and screw with the partition table. had to use testdisk to remake the partition table then ripped the MBR-code from another work-PC and wrote it to this machine

[elation]

I was helping a cousin with a similar problem and ended up deleting my MBR (on a second machine thankfully). I downloaded the ultimate boot cd and ran Test Disk. I found the deleted mbr. I was able to restore it w/o any issues. It's a free download.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

[Stormlifter]

I was helping a cousin with a similar problem and ended up deleting my MBR (on a second machine thankfully). I downloaded the ultimate boot cd and ran Test Disk. I found the deleted mbr. I was able to restore it w/o any issues. It's a free download.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
Yeah that.
If that ain't your cup of tea. http://supergrub.forjamari.linex.org/

[icebergshorty]

Anybody know the name of the utlility on the ultimatebootcd, that can fix and restore the mbr? I found, downloaded, and installed one on their called mbrtool but I am having trouble with the utility tool. Any other utilities besides this one that can fix my problem?

[Magice]

I had the same problem just a few hours ago.
Hiren's boot CD did the trick, just reset a standard MBR.

[icebergshorty]

I had the same problem just a few hours ago.
Hiren's boot CD did the trick, just reset a standard MBR.

Do you have a link to download it?

What specific tool on the Hiren's boot CD did you use and how did you use it?

[milkweg]

Download win9x floppy boot disk and type "fdisk /mbr". If you don't have a floppy drive then put it on a bootable thumbdrive, if you don't have a thumbdrive then put it on a bootable cd.