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boot manager question

QueBert

QueBert

Lifer
tried to install Utunbu 6.10, rebooted and got a Grub 18 error researched it on Google looks like the MBR is too far on the drive to boot properly. couldn't find any solution except moving the partition.

the drive is a 74gig WD Raptor, running XP/Vista RC1 (going to remove) & Untunbu, XP is on the main partition Vista is on the 2nd, Utunbu is on one I spit off the 2nd. Did a 4 gig *nix partition and a 512 megs linux swap.

I don't really want to have to reinstall XP, I'm still looking for a way to get Utunbu to boot without having to go threw much hassle.

if I use Disk Director to move the Utunbu partition to the start of my HD it should boot right? Doing this I'll have to probably at least do a repair install of XP since the partition will be moved. But since the Linux partitions aren't viewable to XP will it make a difference?

any other ideas how to get both XP & Utunbu working. Also, trying to delete Vista but don't want to kill the partition, in XP it won't let me delete the files, I get access denied errors when I try.


 
That makes no sense, no BIOS produced in the last few years should have that problem, especially one that supports SATA.
 
can't be also be an OS limition? I know some OS's will install but won't be able to boot if install too many partitions down. my 74 might not be my primary HD I'm not sure. I have 2 SATA, not sure which is which, I just know my XP/Vista were installed on the 74 gig.

the Grub error is definitely due to the MBR, I wonder how to fix it without having to really mess with my partitions.

worse I can't boot into XP to alter the partitions because my Vista bootloader is done and I'm not sure how to get it, or XP's back without a reinstall
 
The limitation is that the BIOS can't read past a certain point on the disk, usually 512M or 8G IIRC depending on the BIOS, but once the OS is running and it's disk drivers are loaded the BIOS limitations are irrelevant. If this is indeed your problem all you need to do is create a small (100M or so) /boot partition at the beginning of the disk and that'll hold grub and the Linux kernels.

Your situation is a huge reminder about why dualbooting sucks hard, get a copy of VMWare and forget about it. =)
 
Originally posted by: Nothinman
The limitation is that the BIOS can't read past a certain point on the disk, usually 512M or 8G IIRC depending on the BIOS, but once the OS is running and it's disk drivers are loaded the BIOS limitations are irrelevant. If this is indeed your problem all you need to do is create a small (100M or so) /boot partition at the beginning of the disk and that'll hold grub and the Linux kernels.

Your situation is a huge reminder about why dualbooting sucks hard, get a copy of VMWare and forget about it. =)
Click to expand...

That small partition is definitely going to screw XP.

There's other way, it is not easy, but you won't screw either XP or Vista.

Install the GRUB boot loader on the linux partition. Then there's program called BOOTPART that will let you use windows xp boot loader to load linux.

If you move windows xp from being 1st partition, there are huge chances it is not going to work. XP doesn't like his start position on disk moved.

Advantages of tihs approach is that you linux keeps its boot loader on its own partition, that way it is never going to be removed, and it won't overwrite windows boot loader.
 
Originally posted by: Nothinman
That small partition is definitely going to screw XP.
Click to expand...

Probably, it's really sad that MS has gone to such lenghts to make Windows not work with other OSes.
Click to expand...

Then your advice is not good, neither is the spelling. Perhaps it is time to switch to Firefox from I.E. ? 😀
 
Then your advice is not good, neither is the spelling. Perhaps it is time to switch to Firefox from I.E. ?
Click to expand...

Neither of ust know 100% that it will cause problems, the new partition wouldn't be readable by Windows so it shouldn't affect the drive letters at all but Windows has a tendency to do really stupid things so I wouldn't be surprised if it did cause problems.

And I'm not using Firefox.
 
There's simple rule: don't change starting sector on windows partition, and don't add or remove partitions in front of it. It is a limitation, but a reasonable one, you can add as many partitions after system partition.
 
There's simple rule: don't change starting sector on windows partition,
Click to expand...

Oh please, Win9X had problems if there wasn't only 1 primary partition per disk but that's it. The default MS MBR just jumps to the first active partition it finds and starts executing whatever code is in that partitions BR, if that partition happens to be physically second it'll still work as long as the BIOS can get there.

Sadly the only software I know that will let you move the start of an NTFS partition is commercial so I can't test that theory since I'm not going to buy any of them just for this.
 
tried reinstalling XP with a repair install, it copies the files, my box reboots, but instead of going to the XP install screen, it tries to start Utunbu and I get the same error.

I can't even get online to download the Grub boot loader (on a different pc) could I download it to a CD and boot Utunbu from the CD then pop in the Grub boot loader and fix my boot issue? I'm under the assumption the Grub bootloader will let you boot from any partition, regardless of it it resides in the first 8gb's of the drive or not/
 
I'm under the assumption the Grub bootloader will let you boot from any partition, regardless of it it resides in the first 8gb's of the drive or not/
Click to expand...

GRUB's limited by your BIOS's limitations so if your BIOS can't read past the first 8G of the disk then there's nothing GRUB can do to get around that. If you can get to the XP recovery console try fixmbr and maybe fixboot, that might get rid of GRUB.

Also if you take a look at this link there's examples for booting Windows from GRUB, once GRUB starts you could always try hitting c to get a cli and then entering them manually to boot Windows until you've fixed it. http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-mini/Multiboot-with-GRUB.html
 
got Utunbu to install, GRUB is showing Utunbu & XP/Vista, if I try to load XP I get an error. if I try to load Vista, it says something about please wait, but never seems to do anything.

read a few FAQ's but I'm still kind of confused at how to add my XP install, I would even do a repair install of XP, but I don't think with GRUB it will even let me (right?)

what's the easiest way to get my XP back
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Post your grub configuration.
Click to expand...

DOH don't have net access on that box, I will print it out and come back and type it out.

easiest way to get to see it is to hit C while it's loading? or is there something I can do in GNOME? I haven't messed with *nix for a good 5 years and have forgotten most of what I knew.
 
I went into the XP recovery console, tried a fixmbr, but it gave me a warning that the MBR wasn't recognized by windows and could cause my partitions to become corupted if I overwrite the MBR. I'm guessing it doesn't recogonize GRUB as valid, but I don't want to run with my assumption and overwrite the MBR and screw my partitions up.

done messing with GRUB, if anything once I get GRUB removed and can boot back to XP I should be able to install OS Loader and have a boot menu that will be easy to work with and make Utunbu/XP play nice together.
 
UGH still having issues, I'm going to post my menu.lst

# on /dev/sdb5
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd1,4)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb6
title Windows NT/2000/XP (loader)
root (hd1,5)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1


did a fdisk -l and here is what I got

Disk /dev/sda: 74.3 GB, 74354687488 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9039 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 296 4463 33479460 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 4464 8499 32415768 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda3 8499 9039 4337550+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda4 1 295 2369556 83 Linux
/dev/sda5 8500 9039 4337550 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 320.0 GB, 320071851520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb2 * 2 38913 312560640 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 2 15276 122696404 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb6 15277 20648 43150557 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb7 20649 26941 50548489 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb8 26942 35428 68171794 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb9 35429 38913 27993230 7 HPFS/NTFS


the 2 messages worry me, Googling didn't say either were serious problems but I'd still like to know how to fix them.

any ides about getting my XP to boot? Also the 2 errors, any comments would be greatly appericated. I have 2 XP installs on my drive, was too lazy to kill one before I reinstalled on a different partition.

would love any help, thanks.
 
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