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Boot XP and Mandriva One 08 without GRUB


istanlfc
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Hi,

 

Linux has had me pulling my hair out recently. I'm new to linux so i don't really know how it works. Just recently i installed mandriva one and i got a GRUB error and it wouldnt boot so i had to fix my MBR with the recovery console from my XP disk.

Is there a way of having Mandriva without having to boot from GRUB (so it will boot from my master hd and give the black background with the two options "Windows XP Home" or "Mandriva One") Is this possible?

 

I have two hardrives.

 

80gb Master, Windows XP (I'm leaving this untouched)

40gb Slave, No OS (Partitioned into four volumes of 10gb, one of which i want Mandriva on)

 

I want Mandriva installed onto one of these volumes.

 

Please help!

Edited by istanlfc
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i like to install the linux boot loader on to the drive that linux is on and then change the boot settings in the bios to boot from the linux drive first. that way you're not touching the windows drive. not sure about booting linux without grub or lilo. i think you can edit the boot.ini under windows root directory and add linux but not sure how.

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Welcome aboard.

 

First of all: If grub fails to boot, you can insert the Mandriva DVD or CD1 of the 3CD set. Go into rescue mode and reinstall the bootloader with the menu-functions. (I recommend the DVD whenever possible as ONE does not have the recovery options included afaik)

 

Second: It is recommended to install grub on the second drive if you are new to linux (As said above, use the boot-selection options of your bios for this).

 

Third: It is possible to adjust the Windows XP bootloader so it can boot Linux, but this is NOT RECOMMENDED and not easy to perform. If you want to perform it, I'll tell you the basics here:

 

You will need to copy a boot-image of your Linux system onto the Windows partition where you will run the bootloader, for which you will need a partition/drive that is readable for both Linux and Windows (e.g. FAT32 filesystem). [The needed command can look like this, depending on your hardware-setup]

dd	if=/dev/hda3	of=/media/floppy/bootsek.lin	bs=512	count=1

Then configure the linux-native bootloader to reside on the first sector of the root partition and not on the drives mbr.

Now edit Windows boot.ini file so that it looks similar to this (2 HDD setup):

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Pro (Production)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Pro (Secure System)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
c:\bootsek.lin="Mandriva 2008"
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows XP-Recoveryconsole" /cmdcons

 

Complicated? Yupp. Try the Grub bootloader from your second harddrive and use the bios-boot-menu options. It is the easiest method for newcomers. JMHO.

hd1= Windows XP with Windows Bootloader

hd2= Mandriva with grub bootloader

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Hi,

 

As im typing this i am starting the installation of mandriva one 2008 from the live CD feature on another computer.

I am asking for help becuase last time i installed it i got into a mess with GRUB errors.

 

I have a 80gb HD, master, Windows XP (leaving this untouched)

and a 40gb HD, slave, No OS, with two partitioned volumes of 10gb (i want mandriva on one of these).

 

I want to install mandriva so that GRUB isnt in my MBR on my master HD, i want it so that i can change the hardisk priority in the BIOS to either boot from master or slave and GRUB wont affect my master HD.

 

I am currently up to the Disk partition and mount point of the installation and im stuck.

 

 

Please Help.

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I want to install mandriva so that GRUB isnt in my MBR on my master HD, i want it so that i can change the hardisk priority in the BIOS to either boot from master or slave and GRUB wont affect my master HD.
Why? Installing it on the MBR won't harm windows, and it's a heck of a lot easier than messing with the BIOS when you want to boot a different OS. But, if this is really what you want to do, you'll probably have to modify the grub options towards the end of the installation to tell it to install to the MBR of the slave instead of the master drive.

 

I am currently up to the Disk partition and mount point of the installation and im stuck.
Mind better describing exactly how you're "stuck"? Do you not know what to do next? Are you having issues with the disk partitioning?
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I am stuck on what to do next i with the mount point and i have formatted one of the 10gb volumes to Journalised FS:ext3 on hdb1.

 

I know the GRUB in the MBR on my master wont harm my windows but i would prefer it to boot from my slave.

Edited by istanlfc
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Quickly:

The drive that windows is installed on must see itself as the primary boot drive in order for windows to work. Linux has no such limitation. But in a dual boot situation, the windows drive will always boot first because that is its position. Changing this in the bios is the only recourse---for windows.

The reason GRUB or LILO should be installed to the MBR of the windows drive is to avoid the unnecessary hassle of bios playing. I read where you have been told that the windows MBR can be damaged. This is so rare it is not worth mentioning and it is traceable to other causes, usually hardware issues.

The so-called windows boot loader is a protection device, not a true loader. It makes sure you stick with windows. :P

The boot loader should be on the windows MBR, and Linux is installed on the slave, so it will run from the slave.

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you'll need at least a /, swap, /home partion to install linux. make sure you install to you're slave drive. mandriva will usually recognize your windows partion and label it as such but check the size of the drives in the partion creation part of the install so you don't wipe out windows. at the end of installation, you'll have a chance to say where you want the boot loader installed.

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