[grub #4] Unable to write on MBR

[eaumont]

Reporter: address@hidden
Summary: Unable to write on MBR
Version: 0.91
Type: software bug

Message:
Hello,

I use Debian v3.0 rev0, so Grub v0.91 .
I wanted to install GRUB on 2 machines (not the same). For each of them, I 
realize a different boot floppy which work. Then for one of them, I install 
GRUB on the hard disk with no problem. The boot from hard disk is OK. 
Everything is OK.

Now is the problem.
On the second machine, I could not do the same. I booted from floppy, then type 
the commands root and setup. Everything was OK, I got messages showing me that 
the process was OK. But when I reboot on the hard disk, I got an error. I did 
not even got the message "GRUB..." . Later I did a fdisk /mbr from a DOS 
floppy. Then I tried again with root and setup (several times) with different 
ways. The messages during the process were OK 

Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"...  16
sectors are embedded.
succeeded
 Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) (hd0)1+16
p (hd0,6)/boot/grub/stage
2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... succeeded
Done.

but it seems it did nothing to the MBR because Windows could boot.
I also tried to install Grub via a third computer but with the floppy and hard 
disk from the second machine. I got good messages during commands root and 
setup, but bad boot with error message and no GRUB message.

During my tests, I pay attention to take the files stage? and *stage1_5 from my 
binaries. 
Also, on my first machine, the root is on (hd0,5) instead of hd(0,0) and it 
works perfectly, so I think there is no reason for not working with root on 
(hd0,6).

I think it is either a software bug or a problem with the disk from my second 
machine.

I really like GRUB and I really want to install it.
Thanks for help,
Eric


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