How do I clear the master boot record of a hard disk without erasing the partition table?
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Warning: Please take extra care when doing this as a single typo can wipe out valuable data!
This only applies to DOS style disk layouts; non-x86 architectures use different layouts. The blanked disk will no-longer be bootable unless the MBR is subsequently rebuilt or restored.
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Assuming the device in question is
/dev/sda<...>
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