making Windows default bootup OS

hi i installed mandrake 8.1 last night on my win2k rig last night and it overwrote my MBR so its the default OS and not Windows, anyway can i change the configuration somehow? also what the command to launch KDE(im starting from command line) ..hey im a newb trying to buckle down and learn linux

 

Hey! Have a read of<a href=http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/history/8294> this</a>. If you're using Mandrake, I am pretty sure you're also using GRUB. Hope this helps!

--maxim2

 

I use grub with my Win98/Win2000/RedHat 7.2 system. I edited the file:/boot/grub/grub.conf so that DOS would be first. I also lengthen the time out to 30 secs as sometimes I'm a little slow to respond. I needed Dos to boot first so others could get to windows without worry. My grub.conf before and after just cut and paste. This works for me I dont know your configuration...no warranty implied...use at own risk. Notice the change in time out and the movement of the DOS code to begining:

Before:
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,5)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hde7
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hde
default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,5)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
password --md5 $1$þÇÒiMrqE$V4W0DmF1aMAXvBKTwwDNO.
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.9-13)
root (hd0,5)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.9-13 ro root=/dev/hde7 hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.9-13.img
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.7-10)
root (hd0,5)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.7-10 ro root=/dev/hde7 hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.7-10.img
titleDOS
rootnverify (hd0,0)
chainloader o+1

AFTER:
Before:
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,5)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hde7
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/hde
default=0
timeout=30
splashimage=(hd0,5)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
password --md5 $1$þÇÒiMrqE$V4W0DmF1aMAXvBKTwwDNO.
titleDOS
rootnverify (hd0,0)
chainloader o+1
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.9-13)
root (hd0,5)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.9-13 ro root=/dev/hde7 hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.9-13.img
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.7-10)
root (hd0,5)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.7-10 ro root=/dev/hde7 hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.7-10.img

Dont copy and paste my code as my config may be different. Also I have 2 kernels to choose from as I upgraded. If the latest works for me I'll just remove the older versions code so its not an option . Back up your original grub.conf file incase you edit something wrong you can copy to its folder and restore it. Make a bootfloppy also. Dont know how to Backup in linux so I use CDroast to copy files in order to restore configuration. Backup.....Backup.....Backup!!!!!!!!!! Don't learn the hard way and spend all day reinstalling your OS's, Programs, and valuable data.

Hope this helps.

 

ok thx its fixed now

 

go to the shell prompt in your linux box and type the command
lilo -v . It would say added dos and added linux. If the * is on the dos label then your default would be now dos(win2k) in your case. If not type the command again to get the result.

As for your other question - you can use the command switchdesk kde to make kde your default GUI