[SOLVED] Bootloader installed on Windows partition

[laidlaws]

I have just installed Linux Mint as a third OS, and accidentally told it to install its bootloader on my Windows7 partition (dev/sda1.) That left my existing bootloader unaffected, but when I select Windows, I get the Mint bootloader. Worse, Mint detected /dev/sda as /dev/sdb, saying that /dev/sda doesn't exist. Selecting Windows in the Mint bootloader that I am presented with, returns me to the same menu in an endless loop. Running Windows repair (an "I'l do it all for you" program) got me nowhere; the repairer simply gave up.

There must be a simple answer? I have an assortment of rescue disks.

[laidlaws]

Solved with a sledge-hammer, not scientifically. The Linux CookBook mentions overwriting an MBR with zeros. I did that once, and lost my partition table as well as my bootloader. Not good.

I did the same to the first 512 bytes of the Windows partition. That prevented Windows from booting at all, but the Windows 7 repairer could deal with that. When it had finished, I had my system back.