How to use bootpart! (boot.ini dual boot xp with fedora)

jonathonp · #1 21st January 2007, 01:41 PM

Duel booting Windows XP with Linux Fedora

Note if you choose to install grub in the boot partition /boot rather than in the root / partition during the Fedora installation you will not be able to reinstall windows xp without deleting the contents of the /boot partition. For the newbie backing up the /boot partition and restoring it would most likely be a real problem. For me it's no big deal these days since i am comfortable with the command line.

So for convenience and ease of use it's best not to use a boot partition with any Linux installation when duel booting Windows XP. See stoat's thread HOWTO Reinstall XP Without Destroying Fedora When the XP CD Balks http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=167302 for details.

When installing Fedora choose the option to install grub on the root partition if you are going to use a 3rd party boot loader or the method described below.

How to use bootpart

The following process allows one to use the windows boot loader to point towards the partition where grub is installed.

If you need to re-install Microsoft Windows again as is often the case you will have to re-edit the boot.ini file so it points towards your Linux installation (where grub is installed).

After you have installed Fedora, boot into Microsoft Windows and follow the instructions below:

The first step is to boot up Windows XP and download bootpart http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm. Unzip bootpart and place the contents of the unzipped file into a new folder titled "bootpart"' (without the quotes) in the C: directory.

Next place the new bootpart folder in your c: drive

Go to the command prompt (start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt> and type:

Code:

cd C:\bootpart

(hit the enter button)

the screen will look like this:

Code:

C:\Documents and Settings\Jonathon>cd:\bootpart

Code:

C:\bootpart>

The goal is use bootpart to add Fedora or some other Linux distributions to your Windows XP boot.ini file so that the Windows boot loader will point to grub and thus allow you start your Linux installation.

To determine the number of the Linux partition where grub is installed:

type at the prompt :

C:\bootpart>

Code:

bootpart

This will display the partition layout and their respective numbers. Thanks for that aphid69. I did notice that in the read me.txt but since i wrote the original 'how to' back in 2007 i had forgotten about it until now.

NOTE that for Microsoft Windows and bootpart , 0 (zero) refers to partition number 1 (one) of the of the hard disk in question.

Example:

hd0 ( for the Windows Boot Loader, bootpart as well as grub legacy [not grub2]) = sda1

In most cases, the windows C: drive would the first partition (sda) which is really partition zero (hd0) as far as Windows Boot Loader and bootpart are concerned.
If grub is installed on the Linux root partition and this is partition number 2 (next to the windows partition) then for the Windows boot loader it is identified as partition number 1.

You need to get the partition number right otherwise Fedora will not boot. NOTE you could always use the supergrub boot disc http://www.supergrubdisk.org/ to boot fedora if something goes wrong.

Now that you have the number of the Linux partition with grub on it (preferably the root partition as opposed to a Linux boot partition) proceed as follows:

Code:

bootpart 1 C:\BOOTLINX.BIN Linux Fedora 13

Press the enter button and wait for the command to complete. That's it.

Jonathon

sideways · #2 21st January 2007, 01:51 PM

cool, though as you say, grub on the mbr is the way to go.

You should post your install guide on a web page, or just here if you like.

aphid69 · #3 22nd June 2010, 07:05 PM

Necro-thread and all, but quite helpful to me when trying to simplify dual-booting an ancient Win XP machine. This post enabled me to get the job done. Thanks.

I wanted to keep Windows primary while I try to migrate parents to a much faster Linux distro, but wasn't confident in my ability to correctly modify boot.ini directly. No Windows CDs available for this hand-me-down laptop. And since I'd already rebooted into Windows after installing and confirming Linux without copying the Linux bootloader info while still in Linux ("dd if=/dev/hdx# of=bootsect.lnx size=512 count=1" where hdx# is replaced by the drive and partition to which you installed Linux, e.g., "hda5"), I wanted to work from within Windows. At least I made sure to install the Linux bootloader on the Linux partition, rather than re-writing the MBR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathonp

First you need to determine the number of your \boot partition for Linux. NOTE zero refers to the 1st partition of your hard disk. In my case, windows C: drive is the first partition which is really the partition 0. For GRUB hd1 is the second partition. You need to get the partition number right.

To determine the partition number correctly, I would suggesting using the BootPart command "bootpart" alone at the C:\ prompt, which displays a list of all partitions and their respective numbers.

Another useful BootPart command is "bootpart list" that shows the listed OS entries in the current boot.ini file.

Both of these commands are listed and described in the bootpart.txt file that's part of the BootPart download.

BTW, you can easily check the contents of the boot.ini file via the Windows XP Start Menu, then right-click My Computer, select Properties from the menu, go to the Advanced tab, and select Settings in the "Startup and Recovery" section. At the top of the subsequent window in "System Startup," you can use the drop-down menu to view OS entries in boot.ini. You can also use the Edit button here to view boot.ini in Notepad, and make further edits. FYI, going this route skips the need to show protected and system files and folders within Windows Explorer, or of having to reset permissions on boot.ini if otherwise edited directly.

One other thought--this method works great for Windows XP and the NTLDR bootloader (and presumably for NT or 2k, should anyone have a seriously old machine lying around). But for Vista or Win7, I use EasyBCD from NeoSmart (http://neosmart.net/) to accomplish the same functionality with the "new" Windows BCD bootloader, and I heartily endorse it. I suggest using version 2.0.

Cheers to all.

jonathonp · #4 23rd June 2010, 02:19 AM

You can also use GAG Bootloader http://gag.sourceforge.net/ I read that a new version of GAG is in the pipeline.

I prefer to use BootIt™ Next Generation http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/boo...generation.htm

One advantage for me with bootit is that it has support for USB keyboards unlike GAG. GAG does not detect USB keyboards on my Gigabyte motherboard GA-MA770-US3 (2.80 gigahertz AMD Athlon II X4 630). With bootit i can use my USB Microsoft comfort curve keyboard 2000 v1.0.

***bob*** · #5 23rd June 2010, 02:36 AM

Okay, interesting stuff. I've moved this to Guides & Solutions since most members would be looking there first and I've also modified the name so it no longer refers to an obsolete version of Fedora.

jonathonp · #6 23rd June 2010, 12:28 PM

Hi aphid69, thanks for the comments. I updated the guide. Jonathon