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2 Drive Dual Boot Fails


rogerh
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Hello,

 

Just installed 2008.1. I was running Windows XP on a 10gb drive, which I turned into a slave drive with Linux as master. I can see the slave, with windows bits, with the media viewer under 2008.1. The boot loader also indicated an XP option, but when I tried to boot windows, I was told that the drive wasn't available (don't remember the precise language). If anyone has a suggestion as to how to make the Windows drive operable, I would appreciate it. I am also not a Linux guru (so limited/no console activity would be appropriate for me)

 

 

timeout 10

color black/cyan yellow/cyan

gfxmenu (hd0,0)/boot/gfxmenu

default 0

 

title linux

kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=0a9a856c-f1bc-4b00-b5c3-0b8860bf6f13 resume=/dev/hda5 splash=silent vga=788

initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

 

title linux-nonfb

kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=UUID=0a9a856c-f1bc-4b00-b5c3-0b8860bf6f13 resume=/dev/hda5

initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

 

title failsafe

kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=0a9a856c-f1bc-4b00-b5c3-0b8860bf6f13 failsafe

initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

 

title windows

root (hd1,0)

map (0x81) (0x80)

map (0x80) (0x81)

makeactive

chainloader +1

 

 

 

Regards -- Roger

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Windows will probably complain if Windows was installed when the disk was the master drive.

 

It would help if you remember the precise language so that we can see whether the error is grub, or as I expect that Windows is complaining because it's simply not in the place it expects it to be.

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Please change

root (hd1,0)

to

rootnoverify (hd1,0)

 

If this doesn't work, try also changing

 

map (0x81) (0x80)

map (0x80) (0x81)

 

to

 

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

 

Also, get sure that your windows partition is STILL flagged as bootable and active (you can check by e.g. gparted).

Edited by scarecrow
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Hi,

 

Looking to edit the bootloader tomorrow. Just wanted to make sure that these changes will not affect my ability to boot linux (in case I have to get back in and change things again)???

 

Looks like it will only affect where the loader looks for windows, but I would hate to get locked out the system (unable to boot linux either), and I am no linux expert so moving from there would be complex for me....

 

Thanks -- Roger

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Ok,

 

Tried to get started editing the file, but ran into some really simple problems......

 

1) What file am I supposed to be editing?? I looked at the file I was pointed to for a list of the Grub contents (menu.1st) but that is a 'plain text document', and I am not sure that is it.

 

2) I tried to give my current session user root privileges via assigning 'root' group membership for the user - obviously not functional, since I had to sign into root to look at the system config. What is the simplest way to edit this file / assign root privileges ?? It would be great to use the editor in Konqueror, or some other simple editor. I have used the console before, but would have to get out my book for line item commands, and that is more dangerous for me.

 

I noticed that there is a 'boot' logo in the control center - is this another access point to alter the loader files??

 

Thanks for your help - I know that this is very basic......

 

Regards -- Roger

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menu.lst is a plain text file yes, and this is the file you want to edit. It is very simple to edit, just press ALT-F2 in the graphical interface, and you'll get a run command window. Then type:

 

kdesu kwrite /boot/grub/menu.lst

 

and then you can edit it as root without adding your standard user to the root group which is bad practice. If kdesu doesn't exist, then open a console window and then do:

 

su (enter root password when prompted)
kwrite /boot/grub/menu.lst

 

or even replace kwrite with nano if you want to use a console based editor instead of a gui editor like kwrite.

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Hello,

 

Tried the first change to 'rootnoverify' and got the same 'error 21' when I tried to boot windows.

 

Added the second change for 0x81 to hd0 and 0x80 to hd1, and still get the same 'error 21' when I try to boot windows.

 

Not sure how I check that the windows partition is flagged as bootable?? I can change the jumpers on the drives and boot on the windows (with that drive as primary) no problem. Not sure how to check how the sw views the drive. Looked at gparted info and got the impression they would not recommend it in my inexperienced hands.....

 

Thanks for the editing info - makes it easy!!

 

Regards -- Roger

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Evidently not, when I enter the command I get 'FATAL ERROR cannot open disk drive'

 

What next?? I do have the drive jumpered as a slave - there may be a cable select option (have to do a web search), and would this be the issue??

 

I am able to see the slave disk via the 'storage media' icon on the desktop, and all of the various windows bits on the drive.

 

Thanks -- Roger

Edited by rogerh
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Roger, the solution is simple if you installed from an install CD or DVD not the live CD.

 

Simply change the jumpers so that the Windows drive is primary and the Mandriva drive is secondary, (you did say that you could still boot Windows if it was the primary drive.

 

Now you will only be able to boot Windows so the next step is to start to install Mandriva again but in one of the first screens you should have the option to install or upgrade, chose upgrade, it won't find any thing to upgrade so it will run through very fast.

At the end you should be asked where to install the boot loader, install it to the MBR of the Windows drive.

 

Ken

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Please post output from:

 

fdisk -l

 

so we can see all disks recognised by your system and which partitions are on them. Otherwise, it looks like either your system cannot see your second disk, or any partitions on it.

 

Or do what Ken suggests above which sounds like the best way to dual boot your system without having to change your disks around. Since even if the second disk is seen, Windows will now be in a completely different place than it's used to be - but then of course grub was meant to take care of that - but Ken's suggestion makes it even simpler.

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