Suse 10.3 problems after installation---GRUB and Vista issues

May 17, 2008 03:19am pdt

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02.26.2008 at 10:51PM PST, ID: 23196144

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8.5

Suse 10.3 problems after installation---GRUB and Vista issues

Zones: Linux, SuSE Linux

HI experts

My laptop runs Vista home premium and I have just tried to install Suse10.3 on it.

The installation was successful although i do have a few issues now:
1) I can't boot into windows vista anymore, although i do believe Suse didn't wipe it out.
2) There's something wrong with GRUB and i can see 2 "Suse10.3" to choose from, instead of only 1. I'm not sure what caused the redundency.

Any help would be much appreciated and more points would be offered for helpful comments.
Thanks in advance
Eileen

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Question Stats

Zone: OS

Question Asked By: eileen_fong2001

Solution Provided By: linuxio

Participating Experts: 5

Solution Grade: A

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02.27.2008 at 12:24AM PST, ID: 20992252

Rank: Master

ibu1:

http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/about78184.html

02.27.2008 at 12:47AM PST, ID: 20992342

eileen_fong2001:

Thanks for that and i found this on the link you gave me:
"After the installation of Windows Vista, you will want to install Linux. DO NOT resize the Vista partition during the installation of the Linux distribution! Due to the change in NTFS versions, no Linux partitioning program, nor standard Windows partitioning programs, can properly alter the partition that Vista is installed to."

Now the thing is that during the installation of the linux distribution, i've already resized the Vista partition!!!

Any further help?

02.27.2008 at 02:18AM PST, ID: 20992750

Rank: Master

alextoft:

I'm calling BS on that. I've resized Vista partitions using GParted and the SuSE installer before and there have been no problems.

Try adding this to your /boot/grub/menu.lst file:

title Windows Vista
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

02.27.2008 at 04:02AM PST, ID: 20993223

eileen_fong2001:

Before jumping in and doing something to it, i'd like to provide its content and make sure i'm on the right track...

Here's that menu.lst file:

# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Tue Feb 26 14:29:59 UTC 2008
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,6)/boot/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_TOSHIBA_MK2035G_47BNT1FVT-part7 vga=0x31A devfs=mount,dall resume=/dev/sda6 splash=silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows 1###
title windows 1
rootnoverify (hd0,6)
chainloader (hd0,1)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows 2###
title windows 2
rootnoverify (hd0,6)
chainloader (hd0,2)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.3
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22.5-31-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_TOSHIBA_MK2035G_47BNT1FVT-part7 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.22.5-31-default

02.27.2008 at 09:10AM PST, ID: 20995837

linuxio:

Hi eileen_fong2001,

I've had this problem before. Here is what you do:

1) You need to backup your files from the Vista installation and reinstall Vista.
2) Make space for OpenSuse within Vista.

Start --> [right-click Computers] --> Manage --> Disk Management --> [select your disk--probably Disk 0] --> [right-click select Shrink Volume] --> [shrink it down to the size that you want]

3) This will properly shrink Vista.
4) Reboot and log into Vista.
5) Reboot with the Linux installation disk in and proceed as usual (making sure to install Linux on the available space that Vista freed up).

You will have a good working dual boot setup.

I hope that that helped.

--linuxio

Accepted Solution

02.27.2008 at 12:53PM PST, ID: 20998280

eileen_fong2001:

Hi Linuxio
Thanks a lot for your help.
I was really disappointed to hear that i need to re-install Vista.......
the problem is i don't know how i can re-install it cos i don't have the installation CDs! I bouthgt my laptop with Vista pre-installed.
Do i need to contact Mocrosoft and request installation CDs?

Thanks

02.27.2008 at 01:23PM PST, ID: 20998529

linuxio:

Usually when computers come pre-installed with no installation media, there is a utility within the system that create restoration CDs or DVDs. You should contact the the manufacturer of your laptop for them.

Thanks,

02.28.2008 at 02:28AM PST, ID: 21002473

eileen_fong2001:

seems i can boot into Vista's safe mode. Will i be able to log into the safe mode and recover everything?

02.28.2008 at 07:21AM PST, ID: 21004541

linuxio:

Go ahead and log in. There is something that you can use to restore your mbr state within safemode.

Download mbrfix from the following site:

http://www.sysint.no/en/Download.aspx

You will have to unzip it.

Open a command prompt and cd to the directory that contains the unzipped download. Then run the following command:

MbrFix /drive 0 fixmbr /vista /yes

I hope this helps.

--Linuxio

02.28.2008 at 12:52PM PST, ID: 21007915

eileen_fong2001:

I'd like to know the nature of my problem: is it because MBR, or because i shrank the Vista partition?

What i'm worried about is that even though i can boot into safe mode and run mbrfix, it only fixes the MBR problem and nothing else and thus i still won't be able to use Vista BECAUSE ITS PARTITION HAS BEEN SHRANK.

any comments?

02.28.2008 at 02:48PM PST, ID: 21009060

linuxio:

Try logging into Vista via normal mode.

Sometimes when Vista is altered (for instance shrunk) it will initially boot into safe mode or repair mode. Choose to boot into normal mode and see what happens.

--Linuxio

02.29.2008 at 03:04PM PST, ID: 21018478

eileen_fong2001:

OK here's the latest news-----none of them worked.

I tried to log into safe mode and "repair".

I downloaded MBRfix and ran it. It got rid of Suse's bootloader but didn't fix the Vista partition problem, which i already expected.

I even did a google search and downloaded a recovery CD. It doesn't work either.

So now i guess the best thing i can do is to copy all my important data in Vista to Suse and save it to a CD or DVD, then re-install Vista and Suse.

I don't want to use pirated software since i've already paid for Vista. Would it be a good idea to download Vista home premium from Internet and install it but use my genuine series code? I've inquiried Microsoft and was told i can order a recovery CD but that means i need to fork out some more money.

Please advice. Thanks

03.01.2008 at 12:21PM PST, ID: 21023336

vallis:

1. If you can borrow a Vista DVD (select your Home Premium edition during installation) you can install from it, but enter your own valid product key. I presume that you can do the same from the download - worth a try.

I've done this using an Ultimate DVD with my Home Premium product key.

2. If you received no Vista DVD from your vendor you should have a restoration partition on your HDD - possibly hidden. The manual will tell you how to access at boot-up. This restores your HDD to the state it was in when it left the factory. It may or may not wipe other partitions so you need to backup your data.

3. Most vendors, Dell for instance, will supply a Vista DVD for a nominal charge. As will MS if your vendor won't play ball.

4. Do you have a driver CD? If not you'll need to download the drivers from the vendor.

03.03.2008 at 08:52AM PST, ID: 21033318

linuxio:

HI eileen_fong2001,

There is one more thing that you might want to try.

From your command prompt within safemode type: CHKDSK C: /F

--Linuxio

03.05.2008 at 01:57AM PST, ID: 21048954

eileen_fong2001:

Well i contacted the vendor and did what they suggested: system recovery.

under Suse, I burned all the important files on the Vista partition to a DVD disc as backup and did the system recovery.

That's basically what happened...

Thanks
Eileen

03.05.2008 at 08:52AM PST, ID: 21051963

linuxio:

So is everything fine now?

--Linuxio

03.05.2008 at 12:42PM PST, ID: 21054266

ken:

evrything is ok now.

Seems M$ is being really cunning and insidious by making Vista unbootable when its partition gets shrunk!

03.05.2008 at 11:52PM PST, ID: 21058190

eileen_fong2001:

Now i've got a new question which is how to configure my USB wireless modem to work under Suse10.3 but i think i better put it in a new post.

Thanks for all the help!

linuxio

03.06.2008 at 03:17AM PST, ID: 21059063

You're welcome, Eileen.

Take care.

--Linuxio

20080236-EE-VQP-29 / EE_QW_2_20070628