I did a search for a hex editor but surprisingly, didn't find anything listed...I think it is operator error4 and I apologize if I f'd up. I want to be able to read the files on a disk, thumb drive, etc. I'd like to be able to massage the MBR in Windows....way back in the dark ages some guys writing security software for PCs for the government where I was at gave me a debug routine to fix the MBR that they had massaged. I was doing computer repair back in those days....but a lot of beer washed away all those brain cells. Once DOS 5.0 came out with fdisk /mbr, the software was obsolete. but, I would like to be able to see those first bits that are read...I have hexedit for windows...but, haven't gotten in to it. Will check to see if there is one for Ubuntu...thought I would ask for those more intelligent than I (every user on here)