Linux Installation

[mikeyp]

Hi, I recently downloaded three iso files for redhat 9. I got a bit eager and just installed it on a different partition to my windows, without thinking about the consequences. Stupid I know! Basically Linux has changed my master boot record and now my windows doesn't start. What appears to be the GRUB boot screen appears, and I can select Red Hat (which works fine) or 'Dos'. This link takes me to a black screen where a couple of words come up but not a lot. Basically something is screwed, and I could do with fixing it without reinstalling everything. Does anyone have any experience with Linux/Windows dual boot systems? Did I simply install in the wrong order? Is there any way to fix my problem without a reformat, for example, by changing the Grub settings to point to the right place? I'm afraid i'm very new to linux. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[OBonio]

Read this :

http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux/grub-w2k-HOWTO.html

If you installed it on the MBR, you will have to reinstall the windows MBR, then redo the GRUB thing not using MBR.

To reinstall the windows MBR :

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows /XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/document ation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prkd_tro_ldau.asp

With the Redhat Linux CD, you should be able to boot into your installed system. Or go into Rescue mode or something. I use Slackware personally, which is nice ;o).

[mikeyp]

Thanks for your help OBonio. Unfortunately, for whatever reason i'm still having trouble. Basically i've located the Grub config file, and the windows xp selection is there. When selected though, it just prints out:
rootnoverify (hd0,2)
chainloader +1
and the sits there doing nothing. I'm not sure what this means, except that (hd0,2) refers to the partition that XP is on. I've changed the number a few times. But that hasn't made any difference. Should I just reinstall windows? If I was going to do that, should I leave linux there and try and let windows sort out the dual boot. I have lost all confidence in grub!

[QmunkE]

I've got a system with FedoraCore3 and WindowsXP on. I have the installations on two physically separate drives (which made it a bit easier to manage the partitioning) but I think you have indeed trashed the MBR. I'm not sure on the process of reparing it, but if you do decide to reinstall, DO WINDOWS FIRST! Otherwise when you install it it will more than likely not allow you to get to your GRUB loader. During the install process for Redhat, make sure that you install GRUB on the first part of the Linux partition/drive (my config has three partitions on the disk - sdb1 for grub, sdb2 swap file and sdb3 main storage)

[OBonio]

What version of windows are you using?

[QmunkE]

Well, I have XP Home and XP 64Bit beta on there.

[OBonio]

mikeyp : Have you fixed the MBR with XP/2000? Does it boot up ok after doing this?

Resintall RedHat and DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE MBR.

You may have better luck using LILO instead of GRUB (though, from what I've heard GRUB is a lot easier).

[mikeyp]

Ok, I had a massive go at reinstalling it yesterday. I loaded windows xp pro. Then I installed linux on a separate partition, and had another partition for the swap file. Then, I installed grub, but not on the mbr, on the linux partition instead. However, during startup. the grub loader wasn't there, instead it just went straight into windows, i'd imagine because grub wasn't in the mbr. So when i get to this point, how do I go about getting grub to start up? I installed powerquest bootmagic. This worked in that it brought up a selection for windows and linux, windows worked. But when I selected linux, it linked to grub, and a grub prompt appeared:

grub >

this didn't do a whole lot, mainly because I didn't know what I was doing. Anyway, I then rebooted and the mbr had been screwed up again. So I need to reinstall again. Back to square one!

[OBonio]

According to this site, you use NTLDR as the main boot manager...

http://www.highlandsun.com/hyc/linuxboot.html

[mikeyp]

Welll thanks a lot for all your help. I've finally got it working. I used both the HOWTOs OBonio provided and eventually used grub as my boot loader. With the widows boot loader pointing to it. Took ages! Well worth it though.

[mikeyp]

Well thanks a lot for all your help. I've finally got it working. I used both the HOWTOs OBonio provided and eventually used grub as my boot loader. With the widows boot loader pointing to it. Took ages! Well worth it though.

[QmunkE]

Glad to hear it. Now all you have to do is have the fun of trying to install drivers on your system! Yay for Linux.