cannot delete partition

[matemago]

hi everyone,

 

i have my hard disk splitted in 4 partitions:

 

HFS+ with 10.4.8

NTFS with WinXP

FAT32 for sharing files

HFS+ for backup installation of 10.4.6

 

but if i try to delete or format the 4th partition, i cannot boot.

 

if i try to put active partition on first, it doesnt show the darwin bootloader.

 

if i put XP partition active, i can access windows, but even using chain0 file, i cannot access my first partition. it shows "error loading os".

 

so the only way i can access is to put 4th partition active, but i no longer want to use that installation, since my first partition is already configured as i want it to be.

 

How can i transfer, or make the darwin bootloader appear using my first partition?

 

i read somewhere about using the "bless" command, but i dont know the syntaxis...

 

is there a way to fix this?

[matemago]

no one can help me? c'mon guys... gimme a hand on this...

[Rammjet]

Sometimes the Disk Utility on the 10.4.8 install DVD can bork your bootloader files. If it were me, I would try the following:

 

Boot into the 10.4.6 installation. Access the 10.4.8 installation and backup some key files and store them on the 10.4.6 partition: your home directory, your Applications directory and your Extensions directory. Using "sudo mv" or "sudo ditto" in Terminal is desired for moving the stuff around.

 

Now, use the Disk Utility in 10.4.6 to erase your 10.4.8 partition.

 

Boot the 10.4.8 install DVD and install OSX and get it running. Copy over your backed up files from the 10.4.6 partition. Don't forget things like permissions and deleting Extensions.mkext and Extensions.kextcache. Set the Timeout parameter in boot.plist to reveal the Darwin bootloader and be sure to set the 10.4.8 partition active. If you have problems, boot in safe-mode (-x) or single-user mode (-s) or boot to your 10.4.6 installation and edit the 10.4.8 installation.