Batch
asked on
WinXP and Red Hat 7.3 Dual Boot Problems
I have XP installed on my Primary master HDD and I have just finished installing Red Hat on my Secondary Master HDD. However when I start the computer I do not get the option of starting XP from the Red Hat boot loader menu. Please can you offer any suggestions why this would happen and how it can be fixed? I am new to Red Hat so please be gentle!
ASKER
boot=/dev/hda
prompt
timeout=50
message=/boot/message
root=/dev/hdc2
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18
label="2.4.18-3"
root=/dev/hdc2
read-only
initrd="/boot/initrd-2.4.1
image=/usr/src/linux/arch/
label="Linux_Compiled"
root=/dev/hdc2
read-only
optional
other=/dev/hda2
label="NT"
prompt
timeout=50
message=/boot/message
root=/dev/hdc2
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18
label="2.4.18-3"
root=/dev/hdc2
read-only
initrd="/boot/initrd-2.4.1
image=/usr/src/linux/arch/
label="Linux_Compiled"
root=/dev/hdc2
read-only
optional
other=/dev/hda2
label="NT"
this may be helpful (its refering to suse7.3 but i'm thinking its the same for redhat )
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,3173500~root=unixdsl~mode=flat
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,3173500~root=unixdsl~mode=flat
ASKER
Sorry but that dosn't really help me as the problem is quite different. Unless I am mising something?
I'm not much on linux sorry maybe until someone else comes along and helps take a look at this url (seems to have quiet a bit of info on linux boot
http://www.nick.rozanski.com/multboot.htm
http://www.nick.rozanski.com/multboot.htm
Well I don't know Batch but that first link looks like what you need to do. Note they are saying do not put Lilo on the MBR. What I have researched so far indicates that you will need to use the boot loader for XP for the dual boot menu. You might have to do a repair on XP to get its boot loader back on the MBR and then follow what is laid out in that first link trekie1 provided.
Repair XP
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
Click on How To Repair Windows XP by Reinstalling
Hi James
The Crazy One
Repair XP
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
Click on How To Repair Windows XP by Reinstalling
Hi James
The Crazy One
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Well you can only do one or the other. You can't run two different boot loaders. So you have to choose which one you want.
Take a look here although it is referring to XP you can do the same with Win2000. Especially at this comment.
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,3173500~root=unixdsl~mode=flat
"cangeceiro
Posts: 275
Joined 12-12-2001
Location: Indianapolis, IN
In response to ziff
this is what i had to do, it is a doc for red hat but it worked the same for SuSE
Someone aksed, "Why not install into the MBR?" --- Upon initial install Red Hat will see and boot Win98 and ME from LILO, but we are using an NTFS partition and not a fat32. Although Linux can read-only NTFS, it is not recommended by most. In most cases Linux will fail to boot the NT install, even when it looks all good and you think it will. You may as well go ahead and do it right the first time rather than fdisk/mbr and adding to its headaches.
Make sure you make the boot disk. Otherwise this process will not work.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND INSTALLING INTO THE MBR - THIS MAY FAIL IS YOU DO SO
Once you have finished the Linux install make sure you can still boot XP/NT. You can? Now boot Linux using the boot disk I told you to make. You can do that too?
Now you need a formated DOS floppy to use. Once you have that you can boot into Linux using your boot floppy. Now go to the root drive (cd /) and type the following command.
df -h
You can 'man' the df command, bascically it will show you the current filesystem, the H is human readable. Look for the /boot part of it.
Then type the follwing command to copy the the boot sector info from the boot sector to the root of linux
dd if=/dev/hda4 of=/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1
the if=/dev/hda4 is supposed to be where you put the /boot partion so look at yours and replace as needed.
Do an ls to see if it is there, like it is supposed to be.
Now put in the dos floppy and do the following commands to mount and copy the file bootsect.lnx to the floppy
mount -t msdos /dev/fd0 /mnt
Mounts the ms-doss floppy so you can use it.
cp /bootsect.lnx /mnt
Copies the boot sector info to the floppy and the last command will list the floppy to ensure it is there.
ls /mnt
Is it there? Good. Now unmount the floppy drive.
umount /mnt
Now reboot into XP/NT and go to a Dos prompt with the following command.
Do this from the DOS promt
If you do this from Windows Explorer and Notepad, you will get a blinking cursor when you try to boot Linux from the boot loader.
Do it from the dos prompt
Start ---> run ---> cmd
This will open a dos box for your needs in editing the file boot.ini is in the c:\ directory.
Now let's move into the right direcoty and set the file properties to not read-only, not system, not hidden
cd \
attrib -r -s -h boot.ini
Remember to use edit from a dos prompt here
edit boot.ini
It should look something like this.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par
Now look at the bottom of the file and add the following to it
c:\bootsect.lnx="Linux"
Once you add that, it should now look closer to this.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par
c:\bootsect.lnx="Linux"
attrib +r +s +h boot.ini
Now copy the a:\bootsect.lnx file from the floppy to the root drive c:\ .
Simply put the floppy in the drive and copy the file a:\bootsect.lnx c:\ . Stay at the dos prompt and type the following commmand to copy it to your c:\ drive
copy a:\bootsect.lnx c:\
Now you should be able to reboot and have Linux as part of your XP/NT boot loader and hit Linux to boot Linux
--
Bang Bang Bang your head(on the desk) "
Take a look here although it is referring to XP you can do the same with Win2000. Especially at this comment.
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,3173500~root=unixdsl~mode=flat
"cangeceiro
Posts: 275
Joined 12-12-2001
Location: Indianapolis, IN
In response to ziff
this is what i had to do, it is a doc for red hat but it worked the same for SuSE
Someone aksed, "Why not install into the MBR?" --- Upon initial install Red Hat will see and boot Win98 and ME from LILO, but we are using an NTFS partition and not a fat32. Although Linux can read-only NTFS, it is not recommended by most. In most cases Linux will fail to boot the NT install, even when it looks all good and you think it will. You may as well go ahead and do it right the first time rather than fdisk/mbr and adding to its headaches.
Make sure you make the boot disk. Otherwise this process will not work.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND INSTALLING INTO THE MBR - THIS MAY FAIL IS YOU DO SO
Once you have finished the Linux install make sure you can still boot XP/NT. You can? Now boot Linux using the boot disk I told you to make. You can do that too?
Now you need a formated DOS floppy to use. Once you have that you can boot into Linux using your boot floppy. Now go to the root drive (cd /) and type the following command.
df -h
You can 'man' the df command, bascically it will show you the current filesystem, the H is human readable. Look for the /boot part of it.
Then type the follwing command to copy the the boot sector info from the boot sector to the root of linux
dd if=/dev/hda4 of=/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1
the if=/dev/hda4 is supposed to be where you put the /boot partion so look at yours and replace as needed.
Do an ls to see if it is there, like it is supposed to be.
Now put in the dos floppy and do the following commands to mount and copy the file bootsect.lnx to the floppy
mount -t msdos /dev/fd0 /mnt
Mounts the ms-doss floppy so you can use it.
cp /bootsect.lnx /mnt
Copies the boot sector info to the floppy and the last command will list the floppy to ensure it is there.
ls /mnt
Is it there? Good. Now unmount the floppy drive.
umount /mnt
Now reboot into XP/NT and go to a Dos prompt with the following command.
Do this from the DOS promt
If you do this from Windows Explorer and Notepad, you will get a blinking cursor when you try to boot Linux from the boot loader.
Do it from the dos prompt
Start ---> run ---> cmd
This will open a dos box for your needs in editing the file boot.ini is in the c:\ directory.
Now let's move into the right direcoty and set the file properties to not read-only, not system, not hidden
cd \
attrib -r -s -h boot.ini
Remember to use edit from a dos prompt here
edit boot.ini
It should look something like this.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par
Now look at the bottom of the file and add the following to it
c:\bootsect.lnx="Linux"
Once you add that, it should now look closer to this.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par
c:\bootsect.lnx="Linux"
attrib +r +s +h boot.ini
Now copy the a:\bootsect.lnx file from the floppy to the root drive c:\ .
Simply put the floppy in the drive and copy the file a:\bootsect.lnx c:\ . Stay at the dos prompt and type the following commmand to copy it to your c:\ drive
copy a:\bootsect.lnx c:\
Now you should be able to reboot and have Linux as part of your XP/NT boot loader and hit Linux to boot Linux
--
Bang Bang Bang your head(on the desk) "
Sorry did not mean to post that comment here. :>)
Hi Batch,
It appears that you have forgotten this question. I will ask Community Support to close it unless you finalize it within 7 days. I will suggest to:
Refund points and save as a 0-pt PAQ.
Asker resolved and provided info.
NOTE - Do NOT select THIS comment as your answer.
To award points you must select the comment(s) of the original Expert(s),
or leave a detailed comment of your desires.
EXPERTS: Post a comment if you think somebody deserves credit here!
==========
ITsheresomewhere
EE Database Cleanup Volunteer
It appears that you have forgotten this question. I will ask Community Support to close it unless you finalize it within 7 days. I will suggest to:
Refund points and save as a 0-pt PAQ.
Asker resolved and provided info.
NOTE - Do NOT select THIS comment as your answer.
To award points you must select the comment(s) of the original Expert(s),
or leave a detailed comment of your desires.
EXPERTS: Post a comment if you think somebody deserves credit here!
==========
ITsheresomewhere
EE Database Cleanup Volunteer
ASKER
I did post a comment in the help forum asking what I needed to do to close the question but didn't hear anything.
Please could you just close this question.
You could mark my final post as the solution.
Thanks
Please could you just close this question.
You could mark my final post as the solution.
Thanks
It will be taken care of in full this time.
ITsheresomewhere
ITsheresomewhere
ASKER
Please could you close this question
Question will be PAQ'd and points refunded.
YensidMod
EE Moderator
YensidMod
EE Moderator
ASKER
Configuration NOT ok. LILO said:
LILO version 21.4-4 (test mode), Copyright (C) 1992-1998 Werner Almesberger
'lba32' extensions Copyright (C) 1999,2000 John Coffman
Reading boot sector from /dev/hda
Merging with /boot/boot.b
Mapping message file /boot/message
Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-3
Mapping RAM disk /boot/initrd-2.4.18-3.img
Added 2.4.18-3 *
Skipping /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/b
Boot other: /dev/hda2, on /dev/hda, loader /boot/chain.b
Added NT
Boot image: /dev/hda2
Fatal: Kernel doesn't support initial RAM disks