Windows XP & Fedora 11 dual-boot problem (using Windows bootloader)

[zmdmw52]

My PC (desktop) has the foll configuration (HD's as per order in BIOS)

HD 1: 250 GB IDE (Windows XP on C:/ )
HD 2: 500 GB SATA (3 NTFS data partitions)
HD 3: 320 GB SATA (all Linux, ext3)

I tried to install Fedora 11 using the install DVD onto HD 3; to dual-boot w/ Windows XP, using the Windows bootstrap code as given at this link - http://opensuse.swerdna.org/suseboot1.html.

Summary of the install was:

- Created 3 partitions in the 320 GB HD as / (20 GB), /home (35 GB) and /swap (2 GB)
(i.e. custom partition layout)
- Installed GRUB on the root partition (no separate /boot partition)
- Copied the MBR from the root partition of the Fedora 11 install --> Windows C:\ partition (as a .bin file) using the Fedora Live CD

[root@localhost liveuser]# dd if=/dev/sdb4 of=/media/S5_1/Fedora_11.bin bs=512 count=1

-Modified the Windows boot.ini file to add the Fedora 11 entry, boot.ini file is as below

[boot loader]
timeout=20
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 2" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
c:\Fedora_11.bin="Fedora 11"

On re-booting the PC, the Fedora 11 Menu was displayed but on trying to boot into Fedora 11, the system hung, with a cursor at the top left of screen.

Any suggestions on what went wrong and how to fix it ?

Thanks,

[stoat]

Originally Posted by zmdmw52

Any suggestions on what went wrong and how to fix it ?

Hello zmdmw52,

No. Sorry.

But I can say that you did everything very well regarding the dual-boot configuration. And considering that you saw the Fedora 11 boot menu, it has been confirmed. Your issue occurs after NTLoader and GRUB are done and is a different matter. Maybe knowing that will help a little.

[Peter Williams]

Sounds to me like you may have hit this bug:

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=504570

You say "on re-booting the PC, the Fedora 11 Menu was displayed". Were you expecting that, rather than seeing the Windows bootloader? That suggest that, despite asking for GRUB to be installed in the first sector of the Linux boot partition, it was also installed in the MBR.

[zmdmw52]

Originally Posted by Peter Williams

You say "on re-booting the PC, the Fedora 11 Menu was displayed". Were you expecting that, rather than seeing the Windows bootloader? That suggest that, despite asking for GRUB to be installed in the first sector of the Linux boot partition, it was also installed in the MBR.

Not the Fedora 11-GRUB menu. The "Fedora 11" boot option was displayed with the Windows XP entries in the Windows boot menu (as per boot.ini above). On selecting "Fedora 11" as the OS to boot into, there is no GRUB Stage 2/blue GRUB screen, only a blank screen with a cursor.

I tried the method using 'Bootpart', as mentioned here: http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mj...1.html#install, but that still gives the same error.

[stoat]

Originally Posted by zmdmw52

Not the Fedora-GRUB menu. The "Fedora 11" entry was displayed with the Windows XP entries in the Windows boot menu (as per boot.ini above).

I tried the method using 'Bootpart', as mentioned here: http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mj...1.html#install, but that still gives the same error.

Hello zmdmw52,

The dd and Bootpart methods of booting Fedora with NTLoader do basically the same thing which is why nothing changed for you in this situation. The binary file created by Bootpart (e.g., Fedora_11.bin or whatever) works by loading and executing the Fedora boot partition's boot sector code kinda like chainloader does. The binary file created by the well-known dd method is an exact copy of stage1 and runs in lieu of the code in the in Fedora boot partition's boot sector. They work in slightly different ways, but the same end result occurs (stage2 is loaded and executed and the GRUB menu is presented). See what I mean?

Anyway. You can do what you want, but I still believe that you have mis-diagnosed your problem. As you clarified in your last post, dual-booting was (is) working perfectly by both methods that you tried. If you are getting beyond the Fedora boot menu, then NTLoader and GRUB are finished with their jobs by the the time your system hangs. And that's unfortunate because dual-booting issues are simpler IMO than system hangs that occur after the kernel is loaded and executed.

[zmdmw52]

Originally Posted by stoat

Hello zmdmw52,

The dd and Bootpart methods of booting Fedora with NTLoader do basically the same thing which is why nothing changed for you in this situation. The binary file created by Bootpart (e.g., Fedora_11.bin or whatever) works by loading and executing the Fedora boot partition's boot sector code kinda like chainloader does. The binary file created by the well-known dd method is an exact copy of stage1 and runs in lieu of the code in the in Fedora boot partition's boot sector. They work in slightly different ways, but the same end result occurs (stage2 is loaded and executed and the GRUB menu is presented). See what I mean?

That is true, both result in the same thing (.bin file of MBR of the Linux install that has GRUB Stage 1).

Originally Posted by stoat

Anyway. You can do what you want, but I still believe that you have mis-diagnosed your problem. As you clarified in your last post, dual-booting was (is) working perfectly by both methods that you tried. If you are getting beyond the Fedora boot menu, then NTLoader and GRUB are finished with their jobs by the the time your system hangs. And that's unfortunate because dual-booting issues are simpler IMO than system hangs that occur after the kernel is loaded and executed.

The Fedora 11 menu was displayed as part of the Windows NT loader menu, not the grub-Fedora 11 menu. On choosing 'Fedora 11' from the NT loader list, it did not go to the GRUB graphical login, there was only a blinking cursor in the upper left corner..
Later, I installed Fedora 10 (on the same partitions, with GRUB installed on MBR (/ ), i.e. same as in the earlier Fedora 11 install) - it installed properly and I could boot into it using the bootpart.exe method mentioned in the link above. Same with Ubuntu 9.04 - I can boot into Ubuntu 9.04, with the GRUB installed in MBR of it's / (root) partition, using the bootpart method with Windows NT loader.

There may be a problem in the Fedora 11 installer, as in the latter 2 install attempts it stopped after root password screen and gave an error box with details to be reported to Redhat Bugzilla; details could not be copied/saved or transferred online as the installler hung at that point & I had reset the PC.

PS:
I am replying from the Fedora 10 install.

[YaKillaCJ]

Not that Im really helpin. But I personally just kept all the bootloaders each respective OS uses in tact. I just unplug all other drivers and install it like normal. Then when I boot up, all I have to do is press F8 and should which harddrive I wanna boot from. Let Bios do the hardwork pretty much, lol.

In this manner, if 1 goes down, I dont have 2 fix any of the bootloader to get in2 the other OS systems. I believe this would be best for U since all yo OS are on seperate Hard Drives.

[zmdmw52]

Originally Posted by YaKillaCJ

Not that Im really helpin. But I personally just kept all the bootloaders each respective OS uses in tact. I just unplug all other drivers and install it like normal. Then when I boot up, all I have to do is press F8 and should which harddrive I wanna boot from. Let Bios do the hardwork pretty much, lol.

In this manner, if 1 goes down, I dont have 2 fix any of the bootloader to get in2 the other OS systems. I believe this would be best for U since all yo OS are on seperate Hard Drives.

In my case (desktop PC) this causes the BIOS to change HD drive order after a re-boot, so I avoid this method.

I find the bootpart method is a stable and usable one.