Hello to all!
I did install Fedora, Debian and Knoppix (on HDD) for several times, in various combinations and configurations, with and without Windows, in order to understand this process. Now precisely in what concerns Debian "sarge" CD distribution, I claim that Debian's installer already overwrites MBR (not only the partitionable part of HDD!) even before installing GRUB; more precisely, that happens at the stage called by installer as "Finish partitioning and write changes to disk". According to installer's schedule, the partitioning step is followed by "Installing the Debian base system" and just AFTER that moment the user should decide whether or not to "Install the GRUB boot loader on a hard disk". To be clear, GRUB is not already installed after partitioning step but the partitioning process does already alter MBR. Though not clear about these modifications, I did prove them at least in the case when another operating system is already installed and bootable on HDD, before trying to install Debian "sarge". Well, in this case, assuming the user's choise is to give the installation of Debian up (immediately after partitioning step but before the actual job of "Installing the Debian base system") then he/she will simply learn that the former OS is already gone as inaccessible to his/her former boot from HDD. Consequently the matter of "Installing or not the GRUB on a hard disk" is not a user choice anymore (when arising on screen) since previously decided by installer (even two steps earlier!) without warning the user.
I would very much appreciate comments on this matter.
Thanks!
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