Bootloader problem

[Rajiv]

Anyone from India ... please help... no replies so far ...
more than 68 views and no one replies.....
maybe I did a silly thing by removing that windows.... at least it worked even with viruses....
My Windows system had its hard drive partitioned into three drives C: (about 30gb) E: (about 90gb) and F: (about 100gb) when the system had only windows. I installed Fedora 10 on E: and even upgraded it to Fedora11. At that time boot loader had two options to boot. But few days ago my C: in windows had some virus and I had to format it and reinstall windows. At that time I could not boot into Fedora as probably the grub boot loader was erased so I reinstalled Fedora 10. This happened again and I did the same thing. Now again the same problem happened and this time fed up with Windows on C: I installed Fedora 10 on it also erasing windows. But now the problem is that I am only able to boot into newly installed Fedora and do not have access to the other fedora 10 ( on 90gb hard drive ) and the third hard drive (windows hard drive).

My question is :
1) can I boot other Fedora also as it has some data i do not want to lose.
2) will my boot loader be safe now and require no more reinstalls of fedora.
3) Can I retrieve my other windows partition and would I be able to load windows in it and boot from there also.

I am copying below the results of some commands which i saw here in the forum.

[root@pari ~]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf512f512

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 3824 30716248+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 3825 30400 213471720 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 16573 30400 111073378+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 3825 3850 208782 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 3851 16572 102189433+ 8e Linux LVM

Partition table entries are not in disk order
[root@pari ~]# cat /boot/grub/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda1
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=30
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i686 ro root=UUID=34f58b22-a900-4b4f-b51e-5a3507a8043e rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i686.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,4)
chainloader +1
[root@pari ~]#

any help on the matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and Regards to all
Rajiv

[stoat]

Originally Posted by Rajiv

1) can I boot other Fedora also as it has some data i do not want to lose.

Hello Rajiv,

To boot the old Fedora system from the menu of the new Fedora 10, try adding this to the end of the new Fedora 10's grub.conf...

title Old Fedora 10
configfile (hd0,5)/grub/grub.conf

Originally Posted by Rajiv

2) will my boot loader be safe now and require no more reinstalls of fedora.

Probably so. Besides, you never have to re-install the whole system when the boot loader gets busted. Just re-install the boot loader.

Originally Posted by Rajiv

3) Can I retrieve my other windows partition and would I be able to load windows in it and boot from there also.

If /dev/sda5 contains a Windows system that used to boot and work, then you probably can mount the partition and access the files on it. But to actually boot it again is going to take some work. Since that is a logical partition, that means that its boot loader files were on the other Windows partition that got deleted. Windows installers never put boot loader files in logical partitions. But it may be possible for you to copy boot loader files there and boot it with chainloader from Fedora. I've done that before with XP.

If you mean can you install a new Window system there, then the answer is no. It's true that Windows systems can be installed in logical partitions. But their boot loader files cannot be in one of those. All Windows installers require a compatible (NTFS, FAT, etc.) active primary partition for the boot loader files. A Windows installer will stop if it cannot find or create such a partition. Your drive is now completely filled by a single primary partition (being used by the new Fedora 10) and an extended partition with logical partitions filling it. So even though your hard drive's partition table has room for two more primary partitions, your hard drive's disk platters do not (the hard drive is full). To install a Windows system now would require some significant partition manager work to create free space on the drive for more primary partitions for Windws to use.

[Rajiv]

Thank You Sir.....
I am now able to boot into old fedora as a new grub window opens up.
May God give you long life....

So, it means I would now not be able to ever work in windows as I can not install it on f: even if I fomat it .

Well,but does that means that since fedora is now in my first partition so my system will never fail by virus ? and I do not lose my data on old fedora...

again a lot of thanks for your reply....

[stoat]

Originally Posted by Rajiv

So, it means I would now not be able to ever work in windows as I can not install it on f: even if I fomat it .

That is correct, for your current partition layout. A Windows installer would stop when it could not find or create a compatible active primary partition for its boot loader files. Your only primary partition (where Windows used to be) is now a Linux partition which cannot be used for that purpose. And your extended partition fills the remainder of the hard drive. So there is no space in which to create another primary partition even though the partition table has places in it for two more. It is conceivable that you could use a partition manager such as gparted to create some unpartitioned space outside of the extended partition, and then Windows would probably install.

Originally Posted by Rajiv

Well,but does that means that since fedora is now in my first partition so my system will never fail by virus ? and I do not lose my data on old fedora...

From a statistical standpoint, it's very unlikely for you to have virus infection in a Linux system. Compared to the number of known Windows viruses, the number of known Linux viruses is very small. The usual common sense defenses should protect a home Linux system from them. But many people consider the existence of any Linux virus reason enough to install anti-virus software. There are AV applications for Linux.

[Rajiv]

I am not able to upgrade to Fedora 12 after reboot as the message says that error 15 : file not found

i have already Fedora 12 in my first partition of 30 GB.
I have Fedora 10 in my second partition of 100 gb which I am trying to upgrade to fedora 12. After all downloading and after reboot. I go to grub screen .... then I choose Old Fedora 10 after which another grub window opens where I choose upgrade to fedora 12 option but afetr that the error comes as error 15 : file not found

Anyone please advise what to do

The results of KDiskfree are

Device Type Size Mount Point Free Full%

/dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol00 ext3 94.2 GiB / 37.2 GiB 60.5%
/dev/sda1 ext3 28.8 GiB /media/_ 21.0 GiB 27.1%
/dev/sda5 fusebulk 105.9 GiB /media/Sanju 70.6 GiB 33.3%
/dev/sda6 ext3 197.4 MiB /boot 28.6 MiB 85.5%
/dev/sr1 iso9660 13.2 MiB /media/Reliance 0 B 100%

Thanks
Rajiv

---------- Post added at 08:00 PM CST ---------- Previous post was at 03:56 PM CST ----------

well I sorted it out but anathor problem arises I have posted it in a new thread
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=239114

[clavan]

check this out:
Boot Failure When Fedora 12 Grub Installs to non-MBR Partition

http://www.mjmwired.net/linux/2009/1...mbr-partition/

It solved my boot problem (Vista/FC-12)

Regards
Clavan

[Rajiv]

I managed to solve both the problems by addressing the grub issue and the issue of non-availability of space in /boot for fedora 12 installation.
Rajiv Dharmadhikari
India

[Rajiv]

Hi all,

Is there any method by which I can install Windows on my system and on any partition with or without losing linux?

I am giving details of some commands, I know it is not possible but if there is a remote possibilty please let me know I would give it a try....

[root@pari ~]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf512f512

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sda1 1 3824 30716248+ 83 Linux

/dev/sda2 3825 30400 213471720 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)

/dev/sda5 16573 30400 111073378+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

/dev/sda6 * 3825 3850 208782 83 Linux

/dev/sda7 3851 16572 102189433+ 8e Linux LVM


Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/dm-0: 102.7 GB, 102743670784 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12491 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/dm-0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/dm-1: 1845 MB, 1845493760 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 224 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x30307800

Disk /dev/dm-1 doesn't contain a valid partition table
[root@pari ~]# cat /boot/grub/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda1 rdblacklist=nouveau
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=73
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.32.9-70.fc12.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32.9-70.fc12.i686 ro root=UUID=34f58b22-a900-4b4f-b51e-5a3507a8043e rhgb quiet SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 LANG=en_US.UTF-8 KEYTABLE=us rdblacklist=nouveau
initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.32.9-70.fc12.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.31.12-174.2.22.fc12.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31.12-174.2.22.fc12.i686 ro root=UUID=34f58b22-a900-4b4f-b51e-5a3507a8043e rhgb quiet SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 LANG=en_US.UTF-8 KEYTABLE=us rdblacklist=nouveau
initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.31.12-174.2.22.fc12.i686.img
title Fedora (2.6.31.12-174.2.19.fc12.i686)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31.12-174.2.19.fc12.i686 ro root=UUID=34f58b22-a900-4b4f-b51e-5a3507a8043e rhgb quiet SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 LANG=en_US.UTF-8 KEYTABLE=us rdblacklist=nouveau
initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.31.12-174.2.19.fc12.i686.img
title Other
rootnoverify (hd0,4)
chainloader +1
title Old Fedora 10
configfile (hd0,5)/grub/grub.conf
[root@pari ~]#


Thanks and Regards,
Rajiv

---------- Post added 2010-06-12 at 12:05 AM CDT ---------- Previous post was 2010-06-11 at 11:26 PM CDT ----------

Also , can anyone please confirm if it is possible to boot to windows using a usb or any other device (which should be able to function as a hard disk ) in case you have fedora installed on your system ?

[stoat]

Originally Posted by Rajiv

Is there any method by which I can install Windows on my system and on any partition with or without losing linux?

To me, the situation has not really changed since the last paragraph of post #2 above. Maybe somebody else has some other idea, but I think you will need to do some partition manipulation before you can install Windows in this situation. In a nutshell, you need a primary partition for Windows, and the only existing primary partition is the Fedora partition. You need to "scoot" things around with a partition manager so you can create another primary partition. Your partition table can handle two more primary partitions if you can create space on the disk platters for them to exist.