Delete Linux MBR  July 29, 2010

Posted by idimmu in linux.
We run a build system using PXE and Puppet which lets us reliably and quickly set up production and development environments on our servers and maintain their consistency.

Every now and again we need to wipe the MBR of a Linux box in order to reboot it so it can PXE boot and reinstall itself. I like to use this command:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=446 count=1

which fills up the start of the disk with 0s, a simple reboot will then kick the box and start the PXE cycle!

Tags

Friends

twitter

  • @brightonlevel thats not good and should be discouraged! stupid council :/
  • @brightonlevel are there plans anywhere? ive read your minutes but cant find an overview .. will there still be space for circus projects?
  • @hybredbecky cafe rouge in #brighton is lovely and delicious and french ;)
  • @dpashley and ruined all my pretty servers with your apathy *sniff*
  • @brightonlevel what are they planning to do?

lastfm

  • Therapy? – A Moment Of Clarity
  • Therapy? – Unbeliever
  • Therapy? – Die Laughing
  • Finger Eleven – Swallowtail
  • Equilibrium – Mana
  • Equilibrium – Dämmerung
  • Equilibrium – Ruf in Den Wind
  • Equilibrium – Des Sängers Fluch
  • Equilibrium – Die Weide und der Fluß
  • Equilibrium – Heidenrauche

IdleRPG Stats

  • 1 Stu| 50
  • 5 Jeekay 50
  • 6 HRH_H_Crab 50
  • 10 Appocomaster 49
  • 30 Kumquatt 36
  • 40 idimmu 17