Some Windows Apps Make GRUB 2 Unbootable

KwahAG writes "Colin Watson, one of the Ubuntu developers, published in his blog information about Windows applications making GRUB 2 unbootable. Users of dual-boot Windows/Linux installations may face the problem, which boils down to particular Windows applications (Colin does not name them, but users point at least to HP ProtectTools, PC Angel, Adobe Flexnet) blindly overwriting hard disk content between the MBR and the first partition destroying information already stored there, in this particular case — the 'core image' of GRUB 2 (GRand Unified Bootloader) making the system unbootable."

Comments

Re:Solution:

[Jeremy Erwin]

I think it's entirely appropriate that DRM interferes with the Linux bootloader. Linux promotes the dangerous idea that it is possible to obtain software for free, and this may lead to piracy.

Re:"built his house upon the sand"

[Beelzebud]

For desktop usage, Win7 is most definitely just as stable as Linux. I say this from experience too, and not out of my ass.

I have 1 PC that is Arch Linux full time, being used as a media server, and the other dual boots Win7 and Arch. Win7 is only there for gaming at this point, but stability is not an issue whatsoever.

Re:Solution:

[Jeremy Erwin]

I'm not sure. It was included with my copy of ZeuS Builder Kit.

Re:"built his house upon the sand"

[Skal Tura]

In my experience on desktop Ubuntu is by leaps and bounds flakier than Win7.

I've been using Ubuntu solely for a month now, and i absolutely hate the memory leaks, insane ram usage for some applications, causing jiggery sounds, lagging mouse etc.

Stable otherwise yes, but unusable unless software is restarted every couple of days. Any heavy high IO activity causes jittery sound & laggy mouse.

None of those problems exists under windows, plus under windows the rare occurence i want to play something i can, nevermind many of the usability features (Such as 100% WORKING clipboard, many shortcuts etc.) which simply don't exist yet in the linux world.

And before you go and discredit me: I simply like to get work done as fast & efficiently as possible... This is quite an must when you maintain the amount of servers i do and your living depends on it.

If i want stable as in about never crashes: Yes, Linux by all means. If i want to get work done efficiently (especially coding): Windows, PLEASE NOW ASAP! If i want to do any entertainment at all on my computer: It's windows again.

I try linux as primary desktop system every couple of years, and have been forgiving a lot of things. But, last time it was more expensive too: Buying crossover office license, transgaming license, couple other misc. licenses etc. and i burnt 400€ within couple days just to those, and yet couldn't get work done as nothing worked as advertised. (Oh, OpenOffice couldn't handle the rather simple but large excel sheets i used back then). I always get back to windows. No amount of Linux advocacy

Re:"built his house upon the sand"

[Skal Tura]

grown up people also appreciate efficient working, getting things simply done in as simple manner as possible.

The "grown up" approach is infact run Windows primarily, and leave the inefficient sutff in the VM.

(Just check how well Ubuntus clipboard works between FFOX, Putty, Terminal, GEdit, Openoffice..., or the new usability shortcuts in W7, among a plethora of other tiny usability features which end up saving you tremendous amount of time.)

Re:Solution:

[ushering05401]

This was covered in 2600 a couple issues ago. IIRC there was even a workaround script. This is kid stuff.

Stooges have nothing to do with it. The paradigm in the other world is for users to suck a cock unti they get a clue and change ecosystems. They don't want the people that don't suck cock, that should be clear by now.

Microsoft marketing at work

[Alex Belits]

Please look at all those Windows defenders.

They make excuses for, of all thins:

1. DRM.
2. Piece of software that uses space between first sector and the end of the first cylinder for no other purpose than obfuscation.

and attack

1. Bootloader.
2. Piece of software that follows the convention used by all bootloaders everywhere since people started using multiple filesystems on a x86-based computer.

What kind of person, other than Microsoft astroturfer or complete moron would do such a thing?