FW: [CS-FSLUG] Partitioning fix LOST my Mandrake

[Don Parris]

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 23:19:58 -0600, Ruth Marlene Friesen
<bouquet at ruthes-secretroses.com> wrote:
> Hi folks.
> Time to report on trying that re-partitioning of my 2nd computer using
> the suggestions by Fred and Don (below).
> 
<SNIP>
 
> That was all Friday night.
> Tonight I thought I had made a boot diskette, but I can't find it. So I
> just tried again, and get the above again. Even hoped to adjust some
> setting in Setup so it would read the CD drive for a boot up disk and
> start me on a fresh installation from scratch. No go.
> 
> (sigh!) I'm stuck. I'm almost too ashamed to ask, but any practical
> suggestions?
> 
> Blessings & Thanks,
> Ruth

Sorry to hear about the result.  I'm really surprised about the system
not booting to CD, though.  I need to know if your CD is set in the
BIOS to be bootable.  I assume it is, since you obviously had Mandrake
installed.  I just can't help but ask.  Or is that the "setup" you
mentioned?

Go to your first computer (it has Mandrake, doesn't it?), and make a
new bootable diskette(s).  Then take them and the CD's over to the 2nd
system, and take it from there.  Off-hand, that's the best I can give
you for starters.

As a side note, one of the guys on this list has that Debian slogan,
"It's not a problem; it's a learning opportunity".  Take that to
heart.  I can't tell you how many times I've trashed a good SUSE 8.0
install or even the # of times I've re-installed DOS/Win 3.11 on my
old 486.  The first time it happens (it's usually something I've done
wrong, or I just got tired of dealing with stuff, and started with a
fresh slate), it's downright scary.

After you go through the process once or twice (or ten or twenty
times), and discover that the only thing you can really lose is your
data, it's not so bad.  Not that losing your data is good.  It's just
not as scary.  As long as you keep good backups, you'll have your data
with minimal loss.  Re-installing an OS for me is kind of like
changing the oil on a car for other guys.

We'll get you back on your feet, I'm sure.  But at least use box #1 to
make a new rescue floppy.

Peace,
Don

-- 
DC Parris GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/
gnumathetes at gmail.com
Free software is like God's love - 
you can share it with anyone anywhere anytime!