Booting from a Separate Hard Drive
 

I wanted to learn Linux so I decided to download and install the Redhat distribution version 9.0. I have a Dell laptop with 2 extra hard drive bay modules. One of the modules is a 40 GB NTFS volume which I use under Windows XP. The other is a 20 GB drive which I used for the Linux distribution. I used the basic installation from Redhat and partitioned the drives and everything correctly. I opted not to install the boot loader on the C drive as I didn’t want anything interfering with my Windows installation (just to keep it clean). I had the installer install the boot loader (GRUB) onto this 20 GB hard drive bay module . I use the BIOS to switch which drive I want to start up from by hitting F12 on startup.

The problem is when I hit F12 and select the Linux distribution hard drive the following appears on the screen:

GRUB GRUB

And the system just hangs. Has anyone else seen this behavior before? And do you know how to fix it? Much appreciation in advance…

Jim Gallagher

I have the same problem. For a long time I used to boot Linux via a boot floppy in drive A.

Now I have even a bigger problem, it takes three hours to log into windows 2000 Pro (or XP), even after I totally removed linux and formatted the hard disk.

Emad

Try using the XP system diskand fix the master boot record

Joe83 - are you replying to emadasfour? I think fixing the master boot record would fix his/her problem.

My problem is quite different from my posting. I know I installed everything properly. GRUB just does not want to boot. Hope someone in this forum might be able to help me...

Hi sneakers,
I will try to fix the MBR (although I am not sure how). As far as your Red Hat problem. I have had the same problem for years, but only with Red Hat. You should try installing linux on the first partition of your HD and use Lilo. That worked for me with Mandrake linux and OpenLinux (Caldera), but not with Red Hat. I used to boot into Red Had using a flobby boot disk I created during installation, that was the only way ..

Hi,

I never installed GRUB or LILO in my MBR. I have no right to do(Company will fire me I do this :-( Thus I should survice USB Memery Stick or USB Floppy. I am using Bay Slot for 2nd hard disk for Linux (/dev/hdc).

Just in case you want boot your laptop using USB floppy disk, I hope this is helpful. I am using LILO floppy disk and USB Memory Stick.

Here in my Laptop, XP, Linux is living in second hard disk of laptop(/dev/hdc). First hard disk(Company encryted... I cannot do anything). USB floppy is recognized as /dev/sda.
To do...
#mkfs /dev/sda
#fdisk /dev/sda
:w! <-- it will update floppy partition table(without this I found lilo is quite complaining)

#mkdir /mnt/usbfloppy
#mount /dev/sda /mnt/usbfloppy
#mkdir -p /mnt/usbfloppy
#cp /boot/map /mnt/usbfloppy

Please download latest lilo and install

For your referencek, lilo configuration for USB floppy disk.. I think you can modify this for your need.

#cat /etc/lilo.conf

# lilo.conf
#
# global options:
boot=/dev/sda
#install=/mnt/usbfloppy/boot/boot.b
#loader=/mnt/usbfloppy/boot/chain.b
map=/mnt/usbfloppy/boot/map
ignore-table
compact
lba32

disk=/dev/sda
bios=0x0
sectors=18
heads=2
cylinders=80

disk=/dev/hda
bios=0x80

disk=/dev/hdc
bios=0x81

prompt
timeout=150
vga=normal
menu-title="Mobile Computer"
default=2.6.0-test8
#
# bootable kernel images:
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.0-test8
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.6.0-test8.img
label=2.6.0-test8
root=/dev/hdc1
read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.0-test6
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.6.0-test6.img
label=2.6.0-test6
root=/dev/hdc1
read-only

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.22.img
label=2.4.22
root=/dev/hdc1
read-only

other=/dev/hdc
label=WXP
# table=/dev/hdc
boot-as=0x80

now
#lilo

BR, titila

i have winXP installed on hda1 and redhat 9.0 installed on hda2,3,..
the problem is that i can't see the winnt partion.
while i have another system have win2k and mandrake 8 and it was no such a problem.
can any one plaes direct or help me
thanks ahead

Fahadaaf,
What FileSystem are you using on XP?, NTFS?, most probably you haven't the "driver" loaded (in the kernel) to see hda1!
Have you tried to creat a directory /mnt/xp, then mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/xp ?
Remmember writing onto NTFS partions may cause corruption to that partion, (I lost alot of partions that way :) :) :) )
for more info check http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/

Ginux

P.s. for FAT32 there is no problem just change the "-t ntfs" to "-t vfat"