Core 6 and XP multiboot

ironeagle62 · #1 14th May 2007, 10:04 PM

I am having similar issues to some of the other users. (I've read some of the posts as well) I have XP on my primary drive and FC6 on a separate drive. Both are WD 80gig. I have installed FC6 to the second drive. I have been back and forth trying different settings to try to get it to boot. I am at my wits end. If I leave it set to boot from primary drive XP boots...no menu to select. If I swap to boot from secondary, all I get is the word GRUB and a flashing cursor. If any one can point out the error of my ways I would be delighted.

lmo · #2 14th May 2007, 10:44 PM

Do you have a floppy disk drive and a spare floppy disk? (Y/N)

Need some more info about the install:
Boot the linux cd
At the boot prompt type

Code:

linux rescue

When it gets to a command prompt type

Code:

chroot /mnt/sysimage
fdisk -l
df -h
ls -l /boot/grub/*

ironeagle62 · #3 14th May 2007, 11:49 PM

Disk dev/hda

fdisk -l

Device boot Start End Blocks ID System
/dev/hda1 * 1 9728 78140128+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk dev/hdb

/dev/hdb1* 1 13 104391 83 Linux
/dev/hdb2 14 9729 78043770 8e Linux LVM

df -h

Filesystem size Used avail Use% Mounted on

/dev/VolGroup00/LogVo100

71g 3.6g 63g 6% /
/dev/hdb1 99g 11m 83m 12% /boot

ls -l /boot/grub/*

16 files...I had to type all this by hand just to get this in here. Not proficient enough at linux yet. I will be here for a bit so leter rip. Yes I have a floppy.....disk that is.

ironeagle62 · #4 14th May 2007, 11:50 PM

Sorry thought I had it formatted better.....

lmo · #5 15th May 2007, 12:39 AM

This approach is different than the ones that install grub on the MBR.
This approach attempts to:
1) Make a grub boot floppy
2) Install grub on the /boot partition
3) Put an option to boot linux on the Windows XP boot menu

Boot to linux rescue

Then, put a floppy disk in the floppy drive

Code:

chroot /mnt/sysimage
mkfs.vfat /dev/fd0

Now run grub and install grub on the floppy

Code:

grub
grub>root (hd1,0)
grub>setup (fd0)
grub>quit

If that succeeds, booting the floppy should boot grub.

If it did not succeed, don't do the rest of the steps, but report on what error messages or problems occurred.

If succeeded booting the floppy, and it can boot into Fedora, then it is ready for the next steps after booting into fedora from the floppy. (The floppy disk should still be in the floppy drive)

Code:

umount /boot
grub
grub>root (hd1,0)
grub>setup (hd1,0)
grub>quit

If that succeeds, then it is ready for the next steps

Code:

mount /dev/fd0 /mnt
dd if=/dev/hdb1 of=/mnt/fedboot.img bs=512 count=1
umount /mnt

Eject the floppy disk
Reboot into Windows XP

In Windows XP, put the floppy disk in the floppy drive

Copy the file fedboot.img on floppy drive A: to drive C:

On drive C:
Edit the file boot.ini and add to the bottom of boot.ini, the line:

Code:

C:\fedboot.img="Fedora Core 6"

Now, I must try to remember how to do this:
Right-click on My Computer icon
I think there is a startup options with a TIMEOUT
Change the TIMEOUT to 10

Next time XP boots, there should be a menu with an option "Fedora Core 6"

ironeagle62 · #6 15th May 2007, 01:01 AM

Great!!!!!! The floppy booted into FC6. Now do I reboot with the cd and the linux rescue command or do I do this from a term window? Currently sitting at FC6 login with floppy still inserted. I don't wanna screw it up thtas why Iam asking.

lmo · #7 15th May 2007, 02:31 AM

You can do the rest from being booted onto fedora. If it boots from the floppy, you don't need the rescue.

You can do it from a terminal window. You may need to be root, though.

To become root in the terminal window you can do

Code:

su -

lmo · #8 15th May 2007, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Now, I must try to remember how to do this:
Right-click on My Computer icon
I think there is a startup options with a TIMEOUT
Change the TIMEOUT to 10

Code:

(right-click)My Computer --> Properties --> Advanced 
  --> Startup  and Recovery --> Settings --> Time to display list of operating systems

ironeagle62 · #9 15th May 2007, 04:16 AM

This is much better!! I get the menu but when I select FC6 it goes to boot but I get the GRUB prompt with a flashing cursor. I'll double check my steps but I followed instructions to the letter.

lmo · #10 15th May 2007, 04:33 AM

Quote:

I get the menu but when I select FC6 it goes to boot but I get the GRUB prompt with a flashing cursor

If you got the grub prompt, does it look like this?

Code:

    GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

 [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB
   lists possible command completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
   completions of a device/filename.]

grub>

If Yes, then it is getting close to the final solution.

Boot floppy back to Fedora and get a terminal window

then become root

Code:

su -

and show the contents of the file /boot/grub/grub.conf (if it exists):

Code:

cat /boot/grub/grub.conf

and also show the contents of the file /boot/grub/menu.lst (if it exists):

Code:

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

menu.lst is spelled with a lowercase L (not a numeral 1)
I am not sure, but I think Fedora uses the file grub.conf whereas the grub man page specifies menu.lst -- so the absence of menu.lst may not be a problem.
What I don't understand yet, is why it booted from the floppy, yet when booted from the /boot partition, it did not get the config file into grub.
Also show output of this command that will take a while (a few minutes):

Code:

find / -name grub.conf -print

One standby command while booting from grub at the prompt is like:

Code:

grub>root (hd1,0)
grub>configfile /grub/grub.conf

or like

Code:

grub>root (hd1,0)
grub>configfile /grub/menu.lst

If it does boot to the grub> prompt, it is possible to manually enter commands in grub.

lmo · #11 15th May 2007, 10:06 PM

Sometimes linux doesn't write data out immediately (especially to a floppy) and one possible problem could have been ejecting the floppy disk too soon after the umount /mnt command involving /dev/fd0.

So, re-check these steps.

Boot into Fedora from the floppy.

This step probably succeeded, but can be done again.

Code:

umount /boot
grub
grub>root (hd1,0)
grub>setup (hd1,0)
grub>quit

This step may need to have a delay of 30 seconds after the umount and before ejecting the floppy:

Code:

mount /dev/fd0 /mnt
dd if=/dev/hdb1 of=/mnt/fedboot.img bs=512 count=1
umount /mnt

Wait 30 seconds, or until floppy stops writing and floppy drive light goes out.

Eject the floppy disk
Reboot into Windows XP

Then copy the fedboot.img from drive A: to drive C:

ironeagle62 · #12 15th May 2007, 11:38 PM

No I just have this

GRUB _

cursor is flashing.

ironeagle62 · #13 16th May 2007, 12:10 AM

After redoing the floppy steps I still get :

GRUB _

stoat · #14 16th May 2007, 12:13 AM

Hey ironeagle62,

The "GRUB _" thing is not a working cursor but a system hang that occurs when stage1 runs and stage2 doesn't. Stage1 has very limited error handling ability because of its tiny size. Sometimes stage1 runs, prints "GRUB" followed by a single space on the screen and just stops; usually because it didn't find stage2.

Hey lmo,

If you two can't get dd to work, teach him the BOOTPART way. This is what I meant once before about inconsistent results with the dd method.

ironeagle62 · #15 16th May 2007, 12:19 AM

stoat,

yes thanx i realized this was not a working cursor when I tried to type something. I just happen to have bootpart and did a bit of reading on it so it's not totally strange. However; I will wait for the experts to speak ;-)

Imo, stoat I await your instruction......and yes I still like linux.....