GRUB boot floppy

[Cedric]

On Monday 04 June 2007, alex wrote:
> alex wrote:
> > This subject probably has been discussed here before but I wasn't able
> > to find it and there are
> > several websites that offer their versions none of which seem to do what
> > I want.
> >
> > Does anyone have a sure fire way of creating a grub boot floppy that
> > will boot UBUNTU that is
> > located in hda5?
> >
> > alex
>
> I forgot to mention that UBUNTU boots normally but I'm a belt and
> suspenders guy who just wants
> to be sure..
> alex

Hi Alex,

I've made an article about it recently, it will create a boot floppy from your 
current working config. I'm planning to put it onto my website, so feedback 
is very welcome. The html version is available on request.
Regards,
Cedric.
"

you are here:/Website/Linux/Software/Distributions/Kubuntu/boot_floppy/
Creating a GRUB bootable floppy
When you install windows on a PC that already has linux installed, the windows 
installer will in some cases overwrite the bootloader. This bootfloppy can be 
used to boot your linux installation, and can also be used to reinstall GRUB 
To create this floppy you need the following:
-A PC with a floppydrive.
-A floppy disk. 
-A working linux installation with the GRUB boot loader. I have tested the 
below procedure with Kubuntu 7.04 
Procedure:
1)Check the floppydisk for defects:
# badblocks -v /dev/fd0

Controleren van blokken 0 tot 1439
Zoeken naar slechte blokken (alleen-lezen-test): done
Doorloop voltooid, 0 slechte blokken gevonden.
2)Create the filesystem on the floppy. I recommend vfat, as it's accessable 
from both linux and windows:
 # mkfs.vfat /dev/fd0 
3)Mount the newly created floppy, and copy the grub components to it:
# mount /dev/fd0 /media/floppy0
# cd /media/floppy0
# mkdir -p boot/grub
# cd boot/grub/
# cp /boot/grub/* .
4)Use grub to write the bootblock on the floppy, this will make the floppy 
bootable:
 # grub
 GRUB version 0.93 (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)
 
  [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB
    lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
    completions of a device/filename. ]
 
 grub> root (fd0)
   Filesystem type is vfat, using whole disk
 
 grub> setup (fd0)
   Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
   Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
   Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... no
   Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (fd0) /boot/grub/stage2 p
   /boot/grub/menu.lst "... succeeded
 Done.
 
 grub> quit
 
Now the floppy can be used to boot your PC when the bootblock is damaged or 
overwritten.
last update: may 2007
"
-- 
The only stupid question is the one you don't ask